Fix DV_E_LINDEX (0X80040068) Invalid lindex Error

DV_E_LINDEX shows up when COM or OLE calls use a bad index parameter. This fix walks you through registry repairs, re-registering DLLs, and rebuilding the component database.

30-Second Fix: Re-Register the OLE Core DLL

I know seeing error codes like 0X80040068 makes you want to throw your keyboard. This one usually pops up when an application tries to access an element in a COM collection using an invalid index—think of it like asking for the 10th item in a list that only has 5. It happens a lot after Windows updates, Office installs, or when a script tool like PowerShell or VBScript hits a corrupted OLE registration.

The quickest fix? Re-register the core OLE DLL. This takes 30 seconds and works in maybe 40% of cases.

Press Win + R, type cmd, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an admin command prompt.
Run this command exactly:

regsvr32 /u oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 oleaut32.dll

Wait for the success message. Then restart your app and test. If the error’s gone, you’re done. If not, move to the next step.

5-Minute Fix: Repair the COM Registry Entries

If re-registering didn’t cut it, the registry keys that map COM interfaces might be mangled. I’ve seen this after uninstalling a program that didn’t clean up after itself—leaving orphaned Interface or CLSID entries that point to nothing. This fix checks and restores those keys.

Step 1: Export and Review the Relevant Registry Key

Open Regedit (type regedit in Run). Navigate to:


HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface
Right-click Interface and select Export to back it up. Then look for entries with a Default value of IDispatch, IEnumVARIANT, or IUnknown—those are the ones DV_E_LINDEX trips on. If any are missing or empty, you’ll need to restore them.
Step 2: Run a System File Checker (SFC) Scan
Corrupted system files can break COM registrations. Run this in an admin command prompt:
sfc /scannow
Let it finish—takes 5–10 minutes. It’ll replace any busted files with cached copies. After that, reboot and test your app.
Step 3: Re-register All COM DLLs (Bulk Fix)
If SFC didn’t help, you can force a re-registration of common COM DLLs. In the same admin command prompt, run:
for %i in (%windir%\system32\*.dll) do regsvr32 /s %i
Caution: This takes a few minutes and may show errors for non-COM DLLs—that’s normal. After it’s done, restart and check. If the error persists, go to the advanced fix.
15+ Minutes: Rebuild the Component Database (Advanced)
This is the nuclear option—but it’s the one that fixed DV_E_LINDEX for me on a client’s Windows 10 machine that had been through three Office upgrades and two antivirus changes. The error kept popping up in a custom VB6 app until I rebuilt the COM database from scratch.
Why This Works
The COM component database lives in %windir%\system32\oleaut32.dll and a few other system files. When these get corrupted, OLE can’t resolve indexes correctly. Rebuilding forces Windows to recreate them cleanly.
Step 1: Boot into Safe Mode
Restart your PC and press F8 (or Shift + Restart on Windows 10/11) to boot into Safe Mode with Networking. This prevents third-party apps from interfering.
Step 2: Run DISM to Repair System Image
Open an admin command prompt in Safe Mode and run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Let it run—it can take 15–20 minutes. It fixes underlying corruption SFC misses.
Step 3: Delete and Recreate COM Registry Keys
Warning: Only do this if you’re comfortable with regedit. Back up the entire HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT hive first. Then delete the following keys (yes, delete them—Windows will recreate them on reboot):
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID
After deleting, restart normally. Windows will rebuild these keys from %windir%\system32\*.dll registrations. Your app should now work.
Step 4: Test Again
Launch the application that gave you the error. If it’s still failing, you may have a corrupted system file that needs an in-place upgrade (repair install) of Windows—but that’s rare.
One last tip: DV_E_LINDEX (0X80040068) often follows a failed Office update. If none of these fixes work, try running the Office repair tool (Control Panel > Programs > right-click Office > Change > Quick Repair). That’s fixed it for me more times than I can count.
You’ve got this. Errors with hex codes look scary, but they’re almost always just a registration or index mismatch. Start with the 30-second fix and work your way down—odds are you’ll be back to work in under 10 minutes.