I have been using Outlook 2003 successfully for email since purchasing a new
laptop about a year ago. It came as part of MS Office Basic Edition. Today,
I was trying to install Access from Office XP Professional (on a temporary
basis because my other computer that normally runs Access was in the repair
shop) and accidently installed Outlook along with it. So then my previous
version of Outlook no longer worked. I uninstalled all the XP programs but
my Outlook still no longer works. When I open Outlook, I get a message that
"outlvba.dll is not a valid Office add-in. If I try to look at Tools/Email
accounts, I am told that the operation failed because of registry or
installation problems and that I should re-install Outlook. So, I tried
uninstalling and re-installing MS Office Basic Edition from the original CD,
but the installation goes 1/2 way and then quits-- no explanation (although
MS is sorry for the inconvenience.) Any ideas why I can't re-install my
software??
--

TJ wrote:

I have been using Outlook 2003 successfully for email since
purchasing a new laptop about a year ago. It came as part of MS
Office Basic Edition. Today, I was trying to install Access from
Office XP Professional (on a temporary basis because my other
computer that normally runs Access was in the repair shop) and
accidently installed Outlook along with it. So then my previous
version of Outlook no longer worked. I uninstalled all the XP
programs but my Outlook still no longer works. When I open Outlook, I
get a message that "outlvba.dll is not a valid Office add-in. If I
try to look at Tools/Email accounts, I am told that the operation
failed because of registry or installation problems and that I should
re-install Outlook. So, I tried uninstalling and re-installing MS
Office Basic Edition from the original CD, but the installation goes
1/2 way and then quits-- no explanation (although MS is sorry for the
inconvenience.) Any ideas why I can't re-install my software??

Installing one version of Outlook over the top of another is always
problematic, especialy when you try to install a prior version over the top
of a later version. Make a copy of your PST(s) and uninstall all versions
of Office. Reinstall Access 2002, then Outook 2003. Create a new mail
profile and configure it to use your existing PST. Redefine your accounts
and you should be operational again.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]