Microsoft KB Archive/142646

= Upgrading to SP4 Can Overwrite Newer Verions of Oleaut32.dll =

Article ID: 142646

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51

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This article was previously published under Q142646





SYMPTOMS
When you apply Service Packs 1 through 4, a newer version of Oleaut32.dll is overwritten with an old one. For example, you install a new version of Microsoft Office, which updates Oleaut32.dll to a newer version. When you then apply Service Pack 4 (SP4), the new Oleaut32.dll is replaced with the older SP4 version, dated 1/4/96, version 2.1, size 233,232 bytes.

Once this file is overwritten, the resulting behavior for Office will be frequent application crashes or various unexpected or unexplainable errors.



CAUSE
Date checking was not enabled in the Update.inf for this file, so the Service Pack overwrites a newer version without checking. The update utility replaces the newer version of Oleaut32.dll with an old version and the applications that rely on functionality in the newer file fail to run correctly.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, obtain the fix referenced below. The Update.inf included with the fix contains a change specifying OVERWRITE=OLDER for Oleaut32.dll. With this change to Update.inf, only a newer version of Oleaut32.dll will be applied.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, replace Oleaut32.dll with the newer version from the application with which you are having problems. The version of Oleaut32.dll that is installed by Windows NT Service Pack 4 is dated 1/4/96.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51 Service Pack 1 through 4.This problem was corrected in the latest Windows NT 3.51 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

S E R V P A C K

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords: kbsetup KB142646

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