The owner of the e-mail message thread changes when an Outlook 2003 user responds to an Information Rights Management (IRM)-protected message that was sent from an Outlook 2007 user

A Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 user responds to a Microsoft Office Information Rights Management (IRM)-protected message that was sent from a Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 user. When the Outlook 2007 user opens the IRM-protected reply message that was sent from the Outlook 2003 user, the owner of the e-mail message thread changes to the Outlook 2003 user.

This problem occurs because Outlook 2003 does not use the concept of a message thread owner. When you respond to an IRM-protected message in Outlook 2003, the text and the attached files are removed from the message. Replies to IRM-protected messages in Outlook 2003 always start a new message thread.

Outlook 2007 does use the concept of a message thread owner. Therefore, you can respond to an IRM-protected message by quoting the text in the message in Outlook 2007.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

1. Create a policy on a Microsoft Windows Rights Management Services (RMS) server to prohibit responses to messages whose owner has unexpectedly changed. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Log on to the Windows RMS server.
   2. Click Start, point to Windows RMS, and then click Windows RMS Administration.
   3. Click Administer RMS on this Web site, click Rights policy templates, and then click Add a rights policy template.
   4. Type the appropriate name and an explanation so that you can recognize the template.
      
      Note For example, a template could have the following name and description:
      Name: Display only. Recipients cannot forward or reply to this message.
      
      Description: Display only. The recipients can view this message. However, they cannot forward, reply to, print, or copy the contents of this message.
   5. In the Add users or groups box, type Anyone, and then click Add.
   6. In the Current users or groups list, click Anyone.
   7. Click to select the View check box, and then make sure that the other check boxes are not selected.
   8. Change the rest of the policies if it is necessary, and then click Send.
   9. In the Template Location box, type the path of the created policy, and then click Save.
2. Add the AdminTemplatePath registry entry to use the new policy in Outlook 2007. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
   2. Locate the following registry subkey:
      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\DRM
   3. Right-click the registry subkey, point to New, and then click String Value or Expandable String Value.
   4. Type AdminTemplatePath, and then press ENTER.
   5. Right-click AdminTemplatePath, and then click Modify.
   6. In the Value data box, type the path of the policy that you created in step 1, and then click OK.
3. Use the new policy to send the messages Outlook 2007.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

When an Outlook 2007 user opens the IRM-protected reply to a message that was sent by an Outlook 2003 user, the owner of the mail thread is changed to the Outlook 2003 user. Then, when the Outlook 2007 user responds to the reply message, the following information appears in the quoted text: