Upgrading to SP4 Can Overwrite Newer Verions of Oleaut32.dll

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51

SYMPTOMS

When you apply Service Packs 1 through 4, a newer version of Oleaut32.dll is overwritten with an old one. For example, you install a new version of Microsoft Office, which updates Oleaut32.dll to a newer version. When you then apply Service Pack 4 (SP4), the new Oleaut32.dll is replaced with the older SP4 version, dated 1/4/96, version 2.1, size 233,232 bytes.

Once this file is overwritten, the resulting behavior for Office will be frequent application crashes or various unexpected or unexplainable errors.

CAUSE

Date checking was not enabled in the Update.inf for this file, so the Service Pack overwrites a newer version without checking. The update utility replaces the newer version of Oleaut32.dll with an old version and the applications that rely on functionality in the newer file fail to run correctly.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the fix referenced below. The Update.inf included with the fix contains a change specifying OVERWRITE=OLDER for Oleaut32.dll. With this change to Update.inf, only a newer version of Oleaut32.dll will be applied.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, replace Oleaut32.dll with the newer version from the application with which you are having problems. The version of Oleaut32.dll that is installed by Windows NT Service Pack 4 is dated 1/4/96.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51 Service Pack 1 through 4.This problem was corrected in the latest Windows NT 3.51 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

   S E R V P A C K