topic Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message in ArcGIS Desktop Installation Support Questions

"ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

StavrosKarapanos — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:27:57 GMT

I am getting the following image when I try to open ArcMap

What can I do to fix it?

Thank you in advance

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:38:43 GMT

As it says... but go to Windows Control panel, find 'Install/remove programs' and invoke it and try a 'Repair' on the installation.

More importantly, assuming it worked at some time, you might be advised to uninstall whatever you installed prior to the failure or at least see if you can track down what happened between the good times and the bad times.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

StavrosKarapanos — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 07:03:24 GMT

Thank you very much for your immediate response,

Windows 10 have been updated to my laptop, so I think that has something to do with it.

I just wanted to avoid the process of unistalling and installing the whole package of software.

I hoped that there would have been some kind of repair tool.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 07:58:33 GMT

The windows 10 update didn't affect my computers at all. The repair process is painless and hopefully it works. It is the 'repair tool'

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 15:14:40 GMT

When you download media from My Esri, I always save the file to disk (sometimes a *.exe or a *.msi ... back them up somewhere else).

This just saves you the time of having to download it again. It is then a simple uninstall/reinstall if you backup any other settings associated with your profile.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

Michael_ArmandCanilao — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 01:18:27 GMT

I have the same issue in my machine. The very same message. Recently had a windows update also (took around 30-40 mins).

I solved the issue (i hope for good) by running the original ArcGIS Desktop 10.5 installation exe file and when I presented options (i.e., install/ repair/ modify etc...) I chose repair. It took around 15 minutes.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

StavrosKarapanos — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 09:13:04 GMT

I have already obliged to do the "repair" procedure twice. The first time the problem has been "solved" for one day and then appered again. I will inform the community for the development of it. I hope that soon ESRI is going to realese some kind of Service Pack that will include solution for this problem.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

Michael_ArmandCanilao — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 11:57:46 GMT

Unfortunately, mine failed again-- I get the same "bad image message." I will try to run the "repair" function again, which I reckon will fail after a while. But indeed a service pack is needed ASAP.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

Michael_ArmandCanilao — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 17:01:16 GMT

Still the same issue. I had to reinstall everything but now the same issue. I will try to uninstall the most recent windows 10 update then reinstall ArcMap again.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

MarceloLago — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 14:43:55 GMT

We had a similar issue. Reinstalling ArcMap 10.5.1 many times worked for one day or so, and then again, the same bad image error.

Following the advise of an ESRI support analyst, we uninstalled ArcMap one more time and made a deeper cleaning by deleting folders and registry keys at

1. C:\ Program Files(*86) \ common files \ ArcGIS

2. C:\ program files(*86) \ ArcGIS \Desktop 3

3. C:\ users \ <User profile> \ AppData \ Roaming \ ESRI,

4. C:\ users \ <User profile> \ Documents \ ArcGIS,

5. Open your registry editor, HKEY_LocalMachine \ Software \ Wow6432Node \ ESRI

6. HKEY_CurrentUser \ Software \ ESRI
After that, we installed a previous version (10.4.1), which has been working without issues for a few days now.

In summary, we think that we have fixed the issue, but we are not sure if it was the deeper cleaning after uninstalling or just using the older version of ArcMap what solved the problem.

I hope this helps.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

Michael_ArmandCanilao — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 16:16:25 GMT

Thank you Marcelo. I will attempt this on my machine and will provide updates. Last week I also replaced the 10.5 version with the 10.4 version but the same bad image message popped up the following day. I am inclined to believe your method (aka the deep cleaning method ) maybe a better solution.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

MichaelVolz — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 16:42:26 GMT

For those who had this issue, did this error ever occur with ArcMap on a Windows 7 machine?

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

Michael_ArmandCanilao — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 16:54:58 GMT

I encountered the problem running Windows 10. I have not heard of anyone yet who had the problem on a Windows 7 machine

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

Michael_ArmandCanilao — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 02:28:23 GMT

Probably did the install-uninstall route far too many times. Tried something new...

After a fresh reinstall and everything is working fine, I created a back-up bin folder with the exact contents of C😕 Program Files(x86) \ ArcGIS \ Desktop 10._ \ bin. If the bad times roll-in again, I patch- up whatever application extension has an error in C😕 Program Files(x86) \ ArcGIS \ Desktop 10._ \ bin with the version from the back-up bin folder (i.e., DisplayLib.dll or ImageAccessLib.dll, etc...).

It works for now but I will provide updates.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

MarceloLago — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 13:47:33 GMT

The steps above did not work. After one week or so I am back to the bad image message by using the 10.4.1 version. On top of that, another PC with ArcMap 10.5.1 just displayed also the bad image message. We are in crisis mode around here ...

One weird thing is that we have similar configuration in several computers and not all of them have the bad image issue. So far, only the two newest PCs displayed the message.

We are using McAfee antivirus (All Access-Total Protection). Do you guys have the same antivirus?

Just as a try, I have turned off the QuickClean schedule inside McAfee. This QuickClean by default remove things like "Temporary files", "Lost file fragments", and "ActiveX controls"; which scares me.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

Michael_ArmandCanilao — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 23:39:40 GMT

Yes I am on McAfee also

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

MarceloLago — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 22:32:59 GMT

Thank you Michael. We ended creating also a backup of the bin directory in each PC, as you suggested.

Re: "ArcMap.exe - Bad Image" message

Michael_ArmandCanilao — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 17:09:33 GMT

Hi Marcelo this information that the McAfee software may be part of the issue is very useful.

I am running McAfee Livesafe.

Several weeks ago I went into the Real Time Scanning option under settings and included each and every (frequently) deleted application extension files in the "Excluded Files." SO far everything works OK-- haven't had to copy paste items from my back-up bin.

Today, I want to report back that this more permanent solution seems to work.