The operation on the OLE object failed. The OLE server may not be
registered. To register the OLE server, reinstall it.

am copying in stuff I saved when I ran across this problem....there is a page
on this at the microsoft support area but I can't find the url:
--
NTC

OLE Embedding uses the registered OLE Server application for the particular
file-type to store the object when you insert it. If you have different
registered OLE servers on the different machines you will get
different behaviour. This is one of the drawbacks of OLE Embedding (but by
no means the most serious).
Open the table and check what text is displayed in your OLE Object field
for one of the records that ‘works’.
This should help you to identify the OLE Server application that was used
to store the image. Make sure
that this application is installed and registered on the other machine (and
any others where you will user
the database).


Stephen Lebans:
This issue pops up daily here.
An application has to be registered to insert and then later display the
embedded Image. You have obviously installed an application that has taken
over the registration for JPG Image files. You need to change this back to
the previous application that was functioning correctly as an OLE Server for
JPG images.


Images that are stored in OLE object fields do not appear correctly
SYMPTOMS
When you store an image file in a table as an OLE object in Microsoft Office
Access 2003, and then you try to display the stored image by embedding or by
linking the image file in a form, a report, or a data access page, you may
not be able to view the image. Additionally, you may notice that the file
icon displays the file name instead of the image itself.
Back to the top
CAUSE
This problem occurs because Access 2003 cannot find the OLE Server that can
correctly interpret the OLE object header information.
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WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use one of the following methods:
Back to the top
Install Microsoft Photo Editor
You can install Photo Editor from the Microsoft Office XP CD-ROM.

Display the images from a folder
Instead of storing the images inside the table as OLE objects, you can store
the image file paths and the image names in the table and then display the
images by using an image control. When you use an image control inside a form
or a report, Access does not require the OLE Server to display the images in
the image control. For more information, click the following article number
to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
285820 How to display images from a folder in a form, a report, or a data
access page
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MORE INFORMATION
When you install Microsoft Office 2003, the Setup program removes all the
standard components from Office XP (such as Photo Editor) that you previously
had installed on your computer. As a result, Access 2003 cannot find the OLE
Server that can display an image file (such as a .jpg file or a .gif file),
and you cannot view the embedded graphic files or the linked graphic files.

"George" wrote:

> The operation on the OLE object failed. The OLE server may not be
> registered. To register the OLE server, reinstall it.