Hi Felix (the elder)--
Before I start I just want to point out that if nothing I give you helps,
there are two Outlook groups, General and just plain Outlook that are
composed of a dedicated bunch of OL experts, MVPs, developers, and world
known consultant/developers book authors like Sue Mosher who have been
tirelessly fixing Outlook problems for years day in and day out. They
represent every thing a newsgroup should be in terms of help.
When going for help in any Office application, believe me, it always is
important to say what version of Office or Outlook you are using, because
even errors like this one can be version specific.
Outlook what on Office what if Office is on the box? Have you installed an
OL or Office version perhaps 2007 over a previous one that Add/Remove did
not completely uninstall? Have you ever had another previous version of OL
with Business Contact Manager installed on the box? I understand if this is
a brand new box with Vista the chances are slim but I have to ask because
I've seen Imapi32.dll and Iris32.dll messages interrupt the opening and
running of Outlook if a single file is left over from an uninstall and
sometimes Add/Remove won't do the job fully.
I've also seen these messages come up on top of an otherwise well
functioning Outlook 2003 or 2007 as an extreme anoyance in your face--and
the remedy was to uninstall a file that remained from a residual Outlook.
This is why many of the Office experts and Office setup experts at Redmond
use the Window Installer Cleanup Utility before uninstalling--it doesn't
uninstall the program directly, but it gets clutter out of the way of the
uninstall and future install paths (corrupt .dlls and registry strings or
orphans) the way you might clean toys out of your entrance hall etc. before
having company.
An earlier version of Outlook is removed, and Outlook 2007 is installed
unexpectedly when you install an original release non-trial version of a
2007 Office suite for a side-by-side installation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929992/en-us
An earlier version of an Office program may not be removed when you install
a 2007 Office program
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926799/en-us
MSFT has KBs for different versions of OL and this error, and I have also
seen incessant mapi.dll error boxes when a file was present from a previous
OL or previous OL with BCM (Business Contact Manager) and deleting that file
made the error stop. On a new box one would assume you haven't installed
any previous versions, and that error comes because MSFT has a Chief
Software Architect with 43 billion in the bank, but that money hasn't bought
a competent Add/Remove Programs in Windows Vista for Mr. Gates or Mr.
Allchin and their families or the 3000 or so Softie engineers and PMs and
various people who worked on Vista teams. Incomplete removal of that file
is not the only source of the imapi.dll errors however.
As to MSKBs for example:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/195752/en-us
You receive an error message if a file conflicts with the MAPI file on your
computer when you start Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813602/en-us
I know you have done what these KB say (renamed mapi32.dll) even if your
situation is not a match for the ones they evoke.
This MSKB references other situations with OL 2007:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926196/en-us
This one is titled 2000 but gives instructions on replacing a damaged or
missing mapi32.dll:
How to Replace a Missing or Damaged Mapi32.dll File
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260970/en-us
I have seen Norton conflicts cause this problem for people. Do you have any
Norton/Symantec apps?
There are a few MSKBs that reference AV interference with opening Office or
Outlook, but they don't single out the imapi32.dll file specifically.
Besides wanting to know what version you have of OL on now, have you had any
other versions on this box?
Have you previously installed or uninstalled any Beta or other versions of
OL on the box?
1) Try using Office Diagnostics if you have Office 2007 or Detect and Repair
if you have Office 2003 or an older edition of Office (or the corresponding
Outlook if it happens to be stand alone).
Repair Modalities for Current Versions of Office and Applications like
Outlook Within Them:
How to install and to repair 2007 Office features
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924611/en-us
How to install or repair and reinstall Office 2003 programs and features
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821593/en-us
How to use the repair process in the 2007 Office programs
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924614/en-us
Description of the differences between repair and reinstall in Office XP and
2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/298027/en-us
2) If you have Office 2007 or another version check out the add-ins:
Tools | Trust Center | Addins >> It's in the Manage drop-down list at the
bottom of the window.
See if you have any add-in mentioning imapi32.dll or these and disable them:
irisism32.dll
mscore.dll
msntbforoutlook.dll
3) ******This is very important. Please look for C:\Windows\System
32\IrisM32.dll which is directly or C:\Windows\System32\Imapi32.dll and
shift+delete this folder if it's on your box. They can account for
imapi32.dll or irisM32.dll messages interfering with the proper opening and
running of Outlook.
4) If none of these solutions work I recommend doing this:
a) Download and run the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility:
Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
ID any Office and Outlook or Office app associated items>highlight>OK. This
again doesn't impact uninstalling Office or Outlook--it gets clutter out of
the way so you get a clean uninstall and future install.
b) Uninstall Office or if stand alone Outlook from Add/Remove and reinstall
it. Make sure that all files and folers are shift+ deleted from C:\Program
Files\Office (whichever version you have)
Good luck,
CH
