Error

Please post the entire error message. There are many oleaut32.dll errors.

Do you have any version of Microsoft Office installed by chance? The office installation will overwrite any existing oleaut32.dll with a different version, but then any updates or Windows reinstalls etc. performed after the Office install will again overwrite the oleaut32.dll file with yet another version, possibly an older and out-of-date one. This can and has caused incompatibility problems for some. The original Windows ME oleaut32.dll file should be 614,672 bytes and timedate stamped 08-08-00 5:00p. Your copy should be in the Windows/system folder. See if it matches this information. If not, you can try replacing it with the version you will find in win_14.cab file on your Windows ME CD. If you have reinstalled ME at any time, you may need to reinstall the Windows component called Folder Compression to extract the file (there are other ways, but this is by far the easiest) and see if your problems go away. Alternately, search your Office CD and see if you can find and extract the file from there and see if that helps. I'd backup the existing file before trying these changes.

Explorer has caused an error in OLEAUT32.dll.

Explorer will now close. If you continue to experience problems, try restarting your computer.

No Office, just works, and word. I have no idea what you just told me to check.

Open Windows Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System and look for that file, oleaut32.dll. Right click on that file and select Properties. The file size should be listed as 614,672 bytes and the date created should be 08-08-00 5:00p. If not, post back.

Thanks for responding.

614,672

2.40.4515.0

modified 08-06-00

Follow this link and the instructions:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=259737

If that does not work, try running the IE repair:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Microsoft Internet Explorer, Click Add/Remove, click "Repair the current installation of Internet Explorer", and then click OK. If the Repair tool detects an error, it may generate the following error message or one similar to it: Internet Explorer cannot be repaired. Please reinstall Internet Explorer.

Post back and let me know if this worked.

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http://home.comcast.net/~clean_computers/pages/reset_windows_defaults.html
http://support.earthlink.net/mu/1/psc/img/walkthroughs/windows_9x_nt/browsers/ie_6.0/8455.psc.html
How to Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318378
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_ie.htm
Repair Internet Explorer 6
http://www.theeldergeek.com/repair_ie6.htm