Recently a reader using Windows XP wrote in with the following question:
"In the last couple of weeks, I have started getting an annoying message that says "OUTLOOK.EXE – Bad Image. The application or DLL C:WINDOWSSystem32msimtf.dll is not a valid Windows image. Please check this against your installation diskette." I have restored the system back to before I started getting the message, but it is still there. Would it be safe for me to find that file and delete it?"
In my experience, it is generally a bad idea to delete any system file. You certainly shouldn’t delete it until you have done some research to find out what it is. You can look up any error message in the Microsoft Knowledgebase on-line at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx
I looked up the msimtf.dll file and as it turned out the file was one that is involved in Office XP, not Windows XP as the reader had originally thought. The article said that she needed to download an update to Office XP. If that doesn’t work, I also suggested that she might try uninstalling and reinstalling Office XP. It may be that the file got corrupted somehow.
Sometimes, however, there are no good answers. The other thing that occurred to me is that the error message could have to do with the new licensing scheme Microsoft is using on their products. I’ve read that if you change your hardware configuration too much, the licensing can get confused and think the software is running (illegally) on a different computer.
In that case, it would be necessary to call Microsoft and hash it out with them. The sad reality of software is that sometimes the only solution is to just call the vendor to find out what is going on.