Windows 7 64 Bit - Outlook 2003 - Will not start - Get MAPI32.DLL is corrupt or the wrong version

[Richard Hein]

Spent a most frustrating day setting up a Windows 7 Professional 64
bit computer. Could not get Outlook to run. Got the following:

"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."
I copied the file from a Win 7 Pro 64 bit computer that is running
Outlook - no go - after a long time getting the rights figured out to
be able to rename the old version so I could put in a new one.
Google the error and it is all over the place. I think it is
Microsoft doing whatever it takes to maximize their profits.
Workarounds?

 

[Richard Hein]

Found the fix. Thanks Microsoft - for nothing:

Then I came across this forum post that had something that worked (the
solution is the last reply in the post). Mapi32.dll is obviously
located at c:\windows\system32\Mapi32.dll right? Well, yes, but
unfortunately the error message is not specifying the correct file
name of the dll in question.

The actual dll that is causing the problem is MSMAPI32.dll, which is
located at C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033. Simply
rename this file to something else (e.g. MSMAPI32_OLD.dll), reinstall
Office 2003, and Outlook 2003 should work perfectly after that.

That fixed the problem. Thanks to the user who figured that out. I
think I hate Microsoft right now.

Also, I have a number of users who are having problems shutting down
their computers after having installed Microsoft Office 2010.