Missing WAB DLL

[Kent]

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, I received the error, "Microsoft Outlook:
An error occurred while attempting to open Windows Address Book. Unable to
find the WAB DLL." This occurred while attempting to address an email by
clicking on "To" and attempting to access my address book. I am using Windows
ME and Office 2000, Small Business. It contains Outlook 2000 which is what
I'm using. All other parts of my Office 2000 appear to be functioning and I
can receive emails but I cannot address them through my address book. Any
help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Outlook does not use the WAB.
Perhaps you are not using Outlook. Provide more detail on your version.
Which mode of Outlook 2000 are you using? Internet Mail Only mode is not
really Outlook, so this may be an Outlook Express problem.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kent" <Ke...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BB7DAFA3-89C7-4BE6...@microsoft.com...

[Kent]

I'm using Outlook 2000 for all email, my calendar, and my address book. I
have never used Outlook Express and have been using this version of Outlook
for over four years without a problem until today. When I open a blank email
and click on "To" to access the address book (as I always have) I get the
error message "Microsoft Outlook: An error occurred while attempting to open
Windows Address Book. Unable to find the WAB DLL." When I research this on
the Internet I learn that the missing file is actually wab32.dll. I have
downloaded a replacement wab32.dll file and have placed it in, and had the
system extract it to, both the Windows System and then the Windows System 32
Drivers folder (one at a time). No inprovement. I appreciate your response.
At this point I think I am going to uninstall and reinstall my Office
software. That, hopefully will do it. Any other ideas will be appreciated.
Thanks, again.

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Just answer my question if you want help. If you were using Internet Mail
Only mode you were using Outlook Express for your address book.
State your version accurately as requested.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kent" <Ke...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:176F4C53-1A09-4723...@microsoft.com...

[Kent]

I appreciate your help. I am not, to my knowledge, using Internet Mail Only
mode. I have never used Outlook Express. I have always used only Outlook (as
included in the Office package). I don't know how to state the version I am
using other than to tell you it is MS Office Small Business 2000. Outlook
2000 is part of that package. Where can I determine the version I am using?
When I launch Outlook, it opens with "Outlook Today - Microsoft Outlook" at
the top of the page. When I open the Inbox it says "Inbox - Microsoft
Outlook" at the top of that page. Nothing I open or use states Outlook
Express. Express does exist on my computer - it came preloaded, but I have
never used it.

[Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]]

Outlook 2000 has three operational modes, "No Email", Internet Mail Only",
and "Corporate or Workgroup", To determine which mode Outlook is running,
go to "Help|About" and look at the second line of text; it will list one of
the three modes above.

These KB articles may help:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196210/en-us
You receive a WAB.dll file missing error message when you open the Windows
Address Book in Outlook 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/236136/en-us
OL2000: Error Message: The Add-In Dccext32.dll Could Not Be Installed

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- h...@kvoa.com
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Still Cadillacin' - www.badnewsbluesband.com

"Kent" <Ke...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:DD11D66C-73BA-430C...@microsoft.com...

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Don't just guess. Look in Help | About and see which mode you are using.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kent" <Ke...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:DD11D66C-73BA-430C...@microsoft.com...

[Kent]

Thanks Russ and Hal for your help. Previously, I didn't know where to look
to determine the mode. The mode is Internet Mail Only.

I have learned that Outlook 2000 requires Outlook Express to run. I have run
repair and reinstall of my MS Office Small Business 2000 software with no
improvement. I now suspect that even though I use Outlook 2000 (part of the
Office 2000 package)that the problem may be that my Outlook Express software
is corrupt. Express is loaded on this computer but it will not launch. I get
"Outlook Express could not be started because the MSOE.DLL could not be
initialized. Outlook Express may not be installed correctly."

The Microsoft articles I've read say to reinstall Express to fix my Outlook
problem...the missing WAB DLL...which I've learned is really a missing
wab32.dll file.

I keep up on all Microsoft updates. I use Norton Antivirus and I updated and
ran it last night. No viruses.

If I need to reinstall Express, it came preloaded on this computer and the
only copy I may have is (hopefully) on the emergency recovery CD's. I don't
know how to run the emergency CD's. If I run them, can I find and re-install
only Express from them?

I am considering downloading and running MacAfee Error Killer because it
says it fixes DLL problems. I want to avoid reformating and/or reloading the
ME OS if at all possible. Do you think Error Killer is a good idea? If not,
what should I do now? Thanks, again.

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Back when people were using Outlook 2000 IMO and when it was still
supported, all that was required was to rename any wab32.dll files on your
hard drive and then repair Outlook Express.
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;318378&spid=2578&sid=global

Hopefully that's still the procedure, but it's hard to know. Outlook 2000
has been out of development for so long and OE has continued to be updated
so this may not still apply.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kent" <Ke...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:9509FED7-F1FE-4FAA...@microsoft.com...

[Kent]

At least part of my problem is that my wab32.dll file is missing. A search
for it computer-wide was negative so I can't rename it. Further, the
Microsoft article you reference deals with this problem in the XP OS. I'm
using ME so I don't know if it would apply.

What do you think of using a registry cleaner/repair utility? They say they
resolve missing DLL problems. Is there one you prefer?

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I would use none of those utilities. I would simply search Online Help for
the correct method for repairing your version of OE.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kent" <Ke...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:6C65A8F5-EE54-4A06...@microsoft.com...

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

HAve you tried Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs->Windows Programs? Look
for Outlook Express and remove and reinstall from there.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Kent asked:

[Kent]

Fixed Missing WAB DLL !!!

Our system: Windows ME, Outlook 2000, Internet Explorer 6 and Outlook
Express 6. (IE 5.5 and OE 5.5 were on our system when we bought it and we
upgraded to IE 6 and OE 6.) After using Outlook 2000 for more than five
years, a few days ago we received an error message that our Windows Address
Book could not be accessed and that the WAB DLL file was missing. We were no
longer able to send emails. With the much-appreciated help of Microsoft
Discussion Groups participants Jim Pickering, PA Bear, Michael Santovec, Russ
Valentine, Hal Hostetler, Milly Staples and JoAnne Paules and after 3 ½ days
of my own research and work, the problem has been resolved. Below is the
final process I used. I hope it will help someone else.
1. Research revealed that Outlook 2000 requires Outlook Express to run. Our
Outlook Express 6 was (at that point) corrupt and would not launch. That
appeared to be our problem. IE 6 and OE 6 are, however, no longer available
on the MS website and cannot be purchased.
2. I used Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs and first uninstalled OE 6. I
then uninstalled IE 6 the same way. A window appeared saying that the
original IE 5.5 version would be reloaded. It was.
3. See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=278909 OLEXP: How to Manually
Uninstall and Reinstall Outlook Express on Windows Millennium. This article
states that a number of steps must be followed to completely remove OE before
the original version (5.5) is reloaded. Once I had carefully completed all
the removal steps it told me to go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs,
Windows Setup tab, to check the box next to Outlook Express and then click
Apply. This reinstalled OE 5.5.
4. With IE 6 and OE 6 removed and IE 5.5 and OE 5.5 reinstalled, I could
again use my Outlook 2000 to send mail.
5. After learning that IE 6 is more secure than IE 5.5, and after much
searching, I located a free downloadable copy of IE 6 and OE at
http://www.windowsdownloads.com/. I downloaded a setup.exe file that, when
executed downloaded and installed IE 6 and OE 5.5. I was concerned that there
might be a conflict since the versions of IE 6 and OE 5.5 did not match. So
far, I have not had a problem and my Outlook 2000 runs fine. (This download
also downloaded and installed [no choice] “Advanced Searchbar” that then
appeared at the top of my IE window. I scanned the downloaded setup.exe using
Norton Antivirus with no hits. I also scanned my computer after the IE 6
download and it came up clean. After the install, I located and removed the
Advanced Searchbar using Add/Remove Programs.)
6. I then downloaded all available updates for IE 6 and OE 5.5.

[Peter Brühmann]

Hi folks

I had a similar problem, using OL2003 on Exchange server (no OE installed),
but when I wanted to open a vcf.-file I got a message, that the wab32.dll
file is missing. But actually it was there > C:\Program Files\Common
Files\System\ and I had to register it again with regsvr32.exe.

HTH

Peter

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

You installed Outlook 2003 on an exchange server? That's not a supported
config.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Need Help with Common Tasks? http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/
Outlook 2007: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ol2007/

Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com
Subscribe to Exchange Messaging Outlook newsletter:
EMO-NEWSLETTER-S...@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM

"Peter Brühmann" <PeterB...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BE63D43D-28D4-42A9...@microsoft.com...

[Peter Brühmann]

"Diane Poremsky [MVP]" wrote:

Hi Diane, sorry for the confusion - i meant WITH Exchange server, to say,
that I dont¨t use POP3, IMAP or so

Peter

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

outlook requires OE for some files, so you need to reinstall it. It doesn't
need to have an account configured - but you should not uninistall.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Need Help with Common Tasks? http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/
Outlook 2007: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ol2007/

Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com
Subscribe to Exchange Messaging Outlook newsletter:
EMO-NEWSLETTER-S...@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM

"Peter Brühmann" <PeterB...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:BAF01DA6-F127-4BCC...@microsoft.com...

[mculbert]

Peter - YOU ARE A GENUIS!

I've been fighting this same problems for about a week now. Mine came after
a soft repair after replacing a motherboard. I'm running Win XP Pro - Office
2000 - Kept getting the Unable to open Address Book. Unable to Locate WAB DLL.

I ran regsvr32 from the command line in the common files directory and the
error disappeared.