OL2000: Startup Error Indicates Problem with Recently Installed Program

ID: Q199823

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Outlook 2000

SYMPTOMS

When you start Outlook, you may receive one of the following error messages:

A recently installed program may cause Microsoft Office or other e-mail-enabled programs to function improperly. Outlook can resolve this conflict without affecting the program that originally caused the problem. Do you want Outlook to resolve this problem?

CAUSE

There is a problem with the Mail Application Program Interface (MAPI) core files on your system, specifically the Mapi32.dll located in the Windows System directory.

RESOLUTION

The error message referenced in the Symptoms section of this article presents the user with two options, Yes and No. When you are given these two choices, there are two scenarios to consider:

Scenario 1

If you click Yes in response to the error message, a utility known as Fixmapi.exe will run and attempt to correct the MAPI file inconsistency by installing the correct version.

If a program is currently running that is using Mapi32.dll, the Fixmapi process may fail to correct the file inconsistency. In this case the following information dialog box is displayed:

Outlook was unable to resolve the conflict between a recently installed program and Microsoft Office or other e-mail-enabled programs. Outlook needs to modify a system component that another program is currently using. To fix this problem, please restart Windows.

The option displayed with the information dialog is OK. If you click OK, Windows does not restart. However, an entry for the Fixmapi utility will be placed in the Windows RunOnce registry key. When you restart Windows, Fixmapi will again attempt to correct the Mapi32.dll problem.

Scenario 2

If you click No in response to the error message, there is no change made to the core MAPI file. Since Outlook does not use the version of Mapi32.dll installed in the Windows System subdirectory, selecting No in this case does not affect the operation of the application.
NOTE: It may be necessary to close all programs, run Fixmapi.exe by itself, and then shut down your computer completely before restarting.

MORE INFORMATION

Traditionally, the Windows Messaging Subsystem (WMS) installs the core MAPI files in the Windows System subdirectory. Previous versions of Outlook accessed these files from that location; however, in Outlook 2000, versions of the key MAPI files are stored in a common location to avoid conflicts.

The version of Mapi32.dll that WMS stores in the System directory is used primarily for the Simple MAPI function. If you click Send To from the File menu, files can be sent from within an application which supports Simple MAPI. This file is also used by Microsoft Fax.

Outlook is able to detect an incorrect or damaged version of this file, because it will work with Simple MAPI as the default mail client.

Additional query words: OL2K sendto

Keywords : kbdta
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb