Word & Outlook disconnected (2000 SR1)

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I have been using these apps for several years but suddenly have a problem. No recent installs, except XP doing its update thing on a regular basis.

I use Word as my emal editor, but now when I hit the send button, Word replies with an “Unspecified Error” and wont send the mail. Nay ideas anyone?

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Is this a straightforward single email, or a merged mail?

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Leif, it is a straight forward single email, no mail merge. I just want Word to be my mail editor. I have completely uninstalled Office and re-installed it but to no avail.

Also to answer Johns post, Unspecified Error is the total text of the error message from Word.

Thanks for the almost instant response guys.

Looking at other threads across the internet, there seems to be a consensus that MAPI may have something to do with it but no answers. Apart from knowing what it stands for, I wouldn’t know where to start to fix the problem.

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This could be a number of things. Have you run scanpst.exe, aka the Inbox repair tool, on your PST? Do you encounter any problems if you stop using Word as your Editor? Do you have more than 16,000 messages in your Sent folder?

If there are no problems with those first items, I’d start by clearing the forms cache, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 232314. If that doesn’t help, try reinstalling the MAPI files per the appropriate section in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 283175.

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Thanks John for the suggestions.

No errors with SCANPST.EXE. I also do not have corporate or workgroup functions set up so I don’t get a forms cache.

The MAPI solution also only pertains to Corporate or Workgroup settings.

With windows XP as well, I don’t get the option to drop into MSDOS to rename the MAPI files.

Anything else to try would be most welcome.

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I’ll double check, but I think the forms cache KB applies to IMO (standalone Outlook apps) as well as CoW.

Also you can drop to a command prompt in XP by opening the Start | Run box and typing (without the slashes, and using the percent symbol*) /percent symbol/comspec/percent symbol/ and hitting enter.

I have been busy with other things, and I think there is a simpler way to refresh the MAPI service, I just can’t find or remember it; perhaps another Lounger with a sharper memory can jump in. But I’ll be back.

* for security reasons the Lounge has special handling of percent symbols, so I can’t enter them directly in post text.

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I’ll double check, but I think the forms cache KB applies to IMO (standalone Outlook apps) as well as CoW.

Also you can drop to a command prompt in XP by opening the Start | Run box and typing (without the slashes, and using the percent symbol*) /percent symbol/comspec/percent symbol/ and hitting enter.

I have been busy with other things, and I think there is a simpler way to refresh the MAPI service, I just can’t find or remember it; perhaps another Lounger with a sharper memory can jump in. But I’ll be back.

* for security reasons the Lounge has special handling of percent symbols, so I can’t enter them directly in post text.

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If you can find it in WindowsSystem, run fixmapi.exe as explained in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 228457.

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I’ve tried that too now but still no luck. I’m getting close to a total rebuild of this PC. It’s very frustrating.
Thanks for the help so far.

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You mention XP “doing its regular Update thing”. Have you also visited the Office Update site. This is a completely different Update cycle. It is possible that a recent XP update has assumed that you have a relevant Office Update installed – when in fact you have not. HTH

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Sounds like a possibility. One I shall look into. Thanks UNK

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Sounds like a possibility. One I shall look into. Thanks UNK

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You mention XP “doing its regular Update thing”. Have you also visited the Office Update site. This is a completely different Update cycle. It is possible that a recent XP update has assumed that you have a relevant Office Update installed – when in fact you have not. HTH

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I’ve tried that too now but still no luck. I’m getting close to a total rebuild of this PC. It’s very frustrating.
Thanks for the help so far.

Reply | Quote

If you can find it in WindowsSystem, run fixmapi.exe as explained in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 228457.

Reply | Quote

Thanks John for the suggestions.

No errors with SCANPST.EXE. I also do not have corporate or workgroup functions set up so I don’t get a forms cache.

The MAPI solution also only pertains to Corporate or Workgroup settings.

With windows XP as well, I don’t get the option to drop into MSDOS to rename the MAPI files.

Anything else to try would be most welcome.

Reply | Quote

This could be a number of things. Have you run scanpst.exe, aka the Inbox repair tool, on your PST? Do you encounter any problems if you stop using Word as your Editor? Do you have more than 16,000 messages in your Sent folder?

If there are no problems with those first items, I’d start by clearing the forms cache, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 232314. If that doesn’t help, try reinstalling the MAPI files per the appropriate section in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 283175.

Reply | Quote

Leif, it is a straight forward single email, no mail merge. I just want Word to be my mail editor. I have completely uninstalled Office and re-installed it but to no avail.

Also to answer Johns post, Unspecified Error is the total text of the error message from Word.

Thanks for the almost instant response guys.

Looking at other threads across the internet, there seems to be a consensus that MAPI may have something to do with it but no answers. Apart from knowing what it stands for, I wouldn’t know where to start to fix the problem.

Reply | Quote

Is this a straightforward single email, or a merged mail?

Reply | Quote

EVERY message, or just some messages? And is “Unspecified Error” the entire text of the error message? (I was hoping wistfully for something more specific such as “The messaging system has returned an unknown error” .)

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EVERY message, or just some messages? And is “Unspecified Error” the entire text of the error message? (I was hoping wistfully for something more specific such as “The messaging system has returned an unknown error” .)

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