Age of Mythology requires MSXML 4.0 to run properly. If you don’t have it installed you will encounter the following error when trying to start the game:
"MSXML 4.0 is not installed correctly. It is required to run the game."
MSXML 4.0 is a set of services that allow applications written in JScript, VBScript, and Microsoft development tools to build Windows-native XML-based applications. To fix this error you simply need to to download and install MSXML 4.0 from the Microsoft website:
- Download msxml.msi. Go to this Microsoft support page: http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=15697, click Download and download msxml.msi
- Run msxml.msi with Windows XP Service pack 2 compatibility. Right click on your msxml.msi and select properties. Select the compatibility tab and run the program under Windows XP (Service pack 2) compatibility. Once this is done double click on msxml.msi to install MSXML 4.0.
- Restart your computer. Restart the computer when you are prompted and try starting the game again.
IF AND ONLY IF after installing msxml.msi and restarting your computer you still experience this error there’s an alternate solution you can try:
- Download msxmlcab.exe. Go to this Microsoft support page: http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=15697, click Download and download msxmlcab.exe
- Run msxmlcab.exe. When the download is complete double-click msxmlcab.exe. When you are prompted, select the desktop as the location for the extracted file. Then, click OK.
- Extract Msmxml 4 into your System 32. On the desktop, right-click the msxml4.cab file, and then extract the new files to the desktop. Copy the files that are extracted in step 3 to the following folders:
<drive>:\Windows\System32
<drive>:\Windows\SysWOW64
Note – Only 64bit Windows users will have the SysWOW64 folder.
Note – In this path, <drive> represents the drive on which the operating system is installed. - (Optional) Register the MSXML 4 dll. Click Start
, and then click Run. In the Run box, type:
regsvr32 MSXML4.dll
and then click OK. If everything worked, you should receive the following message:
DllRegisterServer in msxml4.dll succeeded.
Note – this will likely NOT work on 64bit Windows, but also may not be necessary. - Restart the computer and try starting the game again.
For a full list of instructions you can check out the official Microsoft post on this error here. If you have any trouble installing MSXML 4.0 or are still experiencing this error, please post as much information as possible, including what you’ve tried already and what operating system you currently have installed.
It’s still not working no matter how many times I download it. It still comes up with the same problem
Just to clarify, you’ve done the following steps:
If the answer is yes and you’re still getting the “MSXML 4.0 is not installed correctly. It is required to run the game.” error. Please specify which operating system you’re using and which video card you are using. From some very quick googling it seems that if you are on Windows 8 you MAY need to also download and install MSXML 6 from here as well though I’m skeptical.
For a full official Microsoft solution to the problem see this Microsoft Support Thread. Best of luck!
it wont dowload… what am i doing wrong?? :(
What won’t download? msxml.msi? I just tried downloading using this link and it downloaded fine.
Are you trying to download on Windows 8? Also which country are you trying to download from, perhaps that matters.
Everything I try to do with MSMXL installnation it always stops at Publishing Product Information, any help?
Okay So I got that fixed, but I tried it with 6 it didn’t work, again, and I finally got MSXML4 into the system32 directory but now it tells me that it’s not compatible with windows 8
Just to clarify, have you tried downloading and installing MSXML 6.0?
You might not be able to install 4.0 on a Windows 8 machine, so try installing 6.0 first and running the game. If it doesn’t work can you post the error message that you get? Also if it doesn’t work be sure to check this support post for MSXML 4.0 from Microsoft.
i had the same problem how did you fix it
Run msxmlcab.exe to extract the dll and then copy MSXML4.dll into these folders:
C:\Windows\System32C:\Windows\SysWOW64
Once this is done try starting Age of Mythology again.
for the ppl who didn’t worked this, try selecting in compatibility (right click on the shortcut, then properties) ande select compatibility for windows xp service pack 2, or something similar (it is all right if it has something to see with windows xp) and then tick the tab, that worked for me
Thanks for the tip! I’ll add it to the steps above
i have installed msxml4.0. in windows 7 but same problem comes when i run the game. it starts for sometime and after that it hang my computer what should i do now???
My immediate guess for that would be either that your anti-virus is interfering with Age of Mythology or that you have a hardware issue. If the game hangs after a few minutes, something in your computer may be overheating/your power supply may be failing.
What video card are you running, and have you had problems like this with other games?
Hi! , i’m type regsvr32 MSXML4.dll at RUN MENU , and appear The Module ” MSXML4.dll ” may not compatible with the version of WIndows that you’ re running.check if the module compatible wuth an x86 (36-bit) or x64(64-bit) version of regvsr32.exe ! help i need solution you! :( , my operation system : Windows 7 Ultimate : x64 (64-bit) , help me!
If you couldn’t install the game via msxml.msi for 64 bit machines you have to do an extra step. Copy paste the MSXML4.dll file which should already be in you C:\Windows\System 32 directory to your C:\Windows\SysWOW64 directory. You may not even have to run the regsvr32 command for this to work.
Try that, try starting the game, and let me know if it works! I’ll update the post for other 64 bit users.
Thanks much ^_^
for me on 8.1 its working i had install this http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=15697 works fine at least!!
I also have Windows 8.1 but nothing works. What all did you do to make it work?
Hi, i have MSXML4.dll file is in both C:\Windows\System 32 directory and also in my C:\Windows\SysWOW64 directory. (and have tried all of the instructions above) but when i try to start the game (age of empires III) a pop up says “error MSXML 4.0 is not installed correctly. It is required to run the game”. I have also enabled the game viz my firewall and still the same error message appears? help? I am using windows 7 (my control panel says “flash player is 32-bit” but says “system type: 64-bit operating system”? help please :)?
The firewall likely isn’t an issue, instead there is probably something wrong with the way you installed MSXML4. Have you tried using the installer (msxml.msi) instead of extracting the files manually? Also when you extract the files manually there are two dlls (msxml4r.dll & msxml4.dll), make sure you copy both to your System 32 and SysWOW64 directories and then restart your computer and try again.
I have tried both manual and using the msxml.msi. I’m still having the same issue. I’m running windows 7 64bit. Super annoying. Any simple fix for this?
Yes so have I and I still have not found a solution yet.?
Hmm I’m not sure. I have 64 bit Win 7 and haven’t had any problems like this. A few more questions:
http://stackoverflow.com/a/13396451/740474
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810209
Thanks :)
Happy to help :)
Awesome. Thanks a ton for the tutorial.. It worked. I nearly gave up when I failed numerous times no thanks to a outdated version of the msi setup. The compatibility setting change worked.
I have a different problem… The game starts well, with the video and everything, and then, the blue loading bar appears, and apparently loads everything. But then the screen goes black and I can’t do nothing because I can’t see the menu. Can U help?
thanks for help
when i tried to install msxml 4.0..it appear to have been disturbed..how to solve this problem…sorry sucks english…please respond..
I wonder if you can help me…I have age of mythology and titans expansion both of which I can’t play now due to windows in their infinite wisdom upgrading my laptop to windows 8.1(was 8)…I tried system restore then downloading msxml.4 and 6 didn’t work…all I get now is …please login with administrator privileges and try again…..WHAT DOES THIS MEAN!!
will it work on windows 10?
would like to know this myself
I just tried it on my Windows 10 install and MXSML 4.0 installed without complaint. Are you seeing any errors when you try to install it?
I have Windows 8.1 and can’t play this Game. I tried MXSML 4.0 and I received error message. I tried MXSML 6.0 and also received error message. This sucks….
Hi Sabine,
What kind of error message did you see when you tried to install MSXML 4.0? I’ve been able to successfully install it on my current OS (Windows 10 Pro) and was able to install it on Windows 7 as well but I know some people have been unable to install it. An exact error message might help others narrow down the cause of the problem.
Thanks!
is this msxml4.0 works on windows 8?
thanks man, working !
That download link is not available anymore.
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