OFF97: Automation Error After Using RegClean 3.0 or 4.0

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Access 97 for Windows
• Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Outlook 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Visual Basic versions 3.0, 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you run Visual Basic for Applications code that uses Automation to control any of the products listed at the beginning of this article, you may receive an error message that is similar to either of the following:

   Run-time error '424':
   Object required

    -or-

   Run-time error '-2147221168(80040150)':
   OLE Automation error

CAUSE

This problem may occur if you run RegClean, version 3.0 or 4.0, on your computer, and then attempt to run Visual Basic for Applications code that uses Automation to control another program.

This problem occurs when RegClean 3.0 or 4.0 removes the keys that are required to use Automation.

NOTE: The RegClean utility has been updated.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, download and install a custom registry file that replaces keys that are removed by RegClean.

You can also download an updated version of RegClean 4.1. The updated version of RegClean prevents the problem from occurring. RegClean 4.1 does NOT remove the keys that are required to use Automation.

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Software Library:

 ~ Idisp.exe (size: 16713 bytes) 
                (16 KB)

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in RegClean 4.1 for Windows 95.

MORE INFORMATION

The RegClean utility, which is included on the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit compact disc, is designed to analyze your registry. After RegClean analyzes the registry, it removes all corrupted, damaged, and/or unnecessary keys.

If you run RegClean 3.0 or 4.0 on your computer, it may remove the following set of registry keys:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{00020400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}

Because these keys must be present to use Automation, you receive any of the error messages in this article if they are missing. You can restore the missing keys by downloading and installing the registry file mentioned in this article.

For more information about RegClean 4.1, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q147769
   TITLE     : Updated Version of RegClean 4.1 Available