Games: Error message: "Microsoft XML 4.0 is required. Msxml file is not correctly installed and a file is missing"

When you start one of the games that is listed in the "Applies to" section, the game crashes (stops responding). Additionally, you receive an error message that resembles the following:The game may start, but the text in the game does not appear correctly.

When you try to play or update Microsoft Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends, you experience one of the following symptoms:

• When you try to move armies, the game returns to the worldmap.
• You receive the following message in single-player mode:
  The host has selected a map that you don't have. Would you like to download <map name> from the host?
  If you click No, you exit the game.
• When you try to apply the game update, you receive the following error message:
  Original files couldn't be found.

This problem occurs because you must have Microsoft XML (MSXML) 4.0 installed to run these games.

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods.

Notes

• You must first perform a clean startup (boot) before you reinstall MSXML.
• If you do not have the game CD, or if this article does not have steps for your game, use method 3.

Method 1: Restart the computer by using a clean startup

When you start Microsoft Windows, other software may start together with the operating system. These programs may include antivirus and system programs that can interfere with the game or with the setup process. When you perform a clean startup before you run the setup, you prevent these programs from starting automatically.

To perform a clean startup, follow these steps.

Note To complete this procedure, you must be logged on as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group. If the computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may prevent you from completing this procedure.

1. Open the System Configuration window.
   1. On a computer that is running Windows Vista, click Start
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      .
   2. In the Start Search box, type System Configuration.
   3. In the Programs list, click System Configuration.
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   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
   1. On a computer that is running Windows XP or earlier versions of Windows, click Start.
   2. Click Run.
   3. Type msconfig.
   4. Click OK.
2. Click the General tab, and then click Selective Startup.
3. On a computer that is running Windows Vista, click to clear the following check boxes under Selective Startup:
   • Load system services
   • Load startup items
   • Use original boot configuration
   On a computer that is running Windows XP or earlier versions of Windows, click to clear the following check boxes under Selective Startup:
   • Process SYSTEM.INI file
   • Process WIN.INI file
   • Load Startup Items
4. Click the Services tab.
5. Click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
6. Click OK, and then click Restart.

For more information about how to perform a clean startup or about how to return to normal startup, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Method 2: Install XML 4.0 from the game CD or from the MSXML Web site

To instal MSXML, use the appropriate method for the game that you are running.

Microsoft Age of Empires III or Flight Simulator X

The MSXML files for Microsoft Age of Empires III and for Microsoft Flight Simulator X are located in the compressed (.zip) file and are difficult to extract. Therefore, go to method 3 to download and install Microsoft XML Core Services from the MSXML Web site.

Microsoft Age of Mythology

1. Hold down SHIFT while you insert disk 2.
2. On a computer that is running Windows Vista, click Start
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   , and then click Computer.
   
   On a computer that is running Windows XP, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Open.
   
   On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, right-click My Computer, and then click Open.
3. Right-click the CD drive, and then click Explore.
4. In the root folder of the CD, double-click the MSXML folder, and then double-click the Msxmlenu.msi file.
5. To complete the installation process, follow the instructions.

If the problem continues to occur, go to method 3 to download and install Microsoft XML Core Services from the MSXML Web site.

Microsoft Age of Mythology: The Titans, Microsoft Age of Mythology: Gold Edition Disc, Microsoft Halo: Combat Evolved, or Microsoft Rise of Nations

1. Hold down SHIFT while you insert disk 1.
2. On a computer that is running Windows Vista, click Start
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   , and then click Computer.
   
   On a computer that is running Windows XP, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Open.
   
   On a computer that is running Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition, right-click My Computer, and then click Open.
3. Right-click the CD-ROM drive, and then click Explore.
4. In the root folder of the CD-ROM, double-click the Redist folder, and then double-click the Msxmlenu.msi file.
5. To complete the installation process, follow the instructions.

If the problem continues to occur, go to method 3 to download and install Microsoft XML Core Services from the MSXML Web site.

Microsoft Freelancer

1. Hold down SHIFT while you insert disc 1.
2. On a computer that is running Windows Vista, click Start
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   , and then click Computer.
   
   On a computer that is running Windows XP, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Open.
   
   On a computer that is running Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition, right-click My Computer, and then click Open.
3. Right-click the CD drive, and then click Explore.
4. In the root folder of the CD, double-click the Redist folder, and then double-click the Msxml3.msi file.
5. To complete the installation process, follow the instructions.

If the problem continues to occur, go to method 3 to download and install Microsoft XML Core Services from the MSXML Web site.

Microsoft Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends on a Windows Vista-based computer

1. Open Programs and Features.
   
   To do this, click Start
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   , type programs and features in the Start Search box, and then click Programs and Features in the Programs list.
2. Click Rise of Legends, and then click Uninstall.
3. Follow the instructions to remove Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends.
4. After you finish removing Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends, insert Disc 1.
5. Follow the instructions to install Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends.

If the problem continues to occur, go to method 3 to download and install Microsoft XML Core Services from the MSXML Web site.

Microsoft Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends on a Windows XP-based computer or on a Windows 98-based computer

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Remove a Program.
3. Click Rise of Legends, and then click Change/Remove.
4. Follow the instructions to remove Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends.
5. After you finish removing Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends, insert Disc 1.
6. Follow the instructions to install Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends.

If the problem continues to occur, go to method 3 to download and install Microsoft XML Core Services from the MSXML Web site.

Method 3: Download and install the latest Microsoft XML Core Services

To download and install the latest Microsoft XML Core Services, follow these steps:

1. Visit the following Microsoft Web site:
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=3144B72B-B4F2-46DA-B4B6-C5D7485F2B42&displaylang=en (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=3144B72B-B4F2-46DA-B4B6-C5D7485F2B42&displaylang=en)
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
3. Locate and download the following files:
   • Msxml.msi
   • Msxmlcab.exe
   Note Save the downloaded files to the desktop.
4. When the download is complete, double-click Msxml.msi, and then follow directions on your screen.
5. Restart the copmputer when you are prompted.
6. Start the game.

If the problem continues to occur, go to method 4.

Method 4: Extract and register the XML files

Step 1: Extract the files

To extract the files, follow these steps:

1. Double-click the Mxmlcab.exe file that you download in method 3.
2. When you are prompted, select the desktop as the location for the extracted file. Then, click OK.
3. On the desktop, right-click the Msxml4 file, and then extract the new files to the desktop.
4. Copy the four files that are extracted in step 3 to the following folder:
   <drive>:\Windows\System 32
   Note In this path, <drive> represents the drive on which the operating system is installed.

Step 2: Register the files

To register the files, follow these steps:

1. Click Start.
2. Click Run.
3. In the Run box, type regsvr32 MSXML4.dll, and then click OK.
   
   Note You should receive the following message:
   DllRegisterServer in msxml4.dll succeeded.
4. Click OK.

For more information about how to reinstall the XML 4.0 Parser, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: