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Error message when you try to start Outlook 2003: "MAPI32.DLL is corrupt or the wrong version"

Article ID: 926196 - View products that this article applies to.

SYMPTOMS

When you try to start Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, the program does not start. Additionally, you receive the following error message:

Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. MAPI32.DLL is corrupt or the wrong version. This could have been caused by installing other messaging software. Please reinstall Outlook.

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This issue may occur if you install and then uninstall Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Beta 2 on a computer that has Outlook 2003 installed. When you uninstall Outlook 2007 Beta 2 version, the Outlook 2007 Beta 2 version of the MSMapi32.dll file is not removed from the following folder on your computer:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Msmapi\LocaleID

Note Different Locale ID for different languages appears in LocaleID. For example, 1033 is for English - the United States. For more information about these techniques, visit the following MSDN Web site:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/0h88fahh.aspx

(http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/0h88fahh.aspx)

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

Start Windows Explorer.
Locate and then open the following folder on your computer:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Msmapi\1033
Right-click the MSMapi32.dll file, and then click Rename.

Note The file (Msmapi32.dll) that you are renaming differs from the file (Mapi32.dll) that is mentioned in the error message.
Type Msmapi32.old, and then press ENTER to rename the file.
Start Outlook 2003.

Note When you start Outlook 2003, the program will repair itself.

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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to repair an Office 2003 program, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

821593

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821593/ )

How to install or repair and reinstall Office 2003 programs and features

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