Windows 2000 does not include Windows Messaging by default

View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q254458

For a Microsoft Windows XP version of this article, see 314491 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314491/EN-US/ ) .

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SYMPTOMS

When you install Windows or upgrade to Windows, you may experience any of the following symptoms:

During the upgrade procedure, you receive the following error message:
Setup has detected a version of the Messaging application programming interface that does not function on Windows. You will have to obtain an upgrade pack for your e-mail program, or reinstall it after upgrading to Windows.
A program that uses Microsoft Windows Messaging does not work.
The Microsoft Mail PostOffice and Mail icons are not listed in Control Panel.
The Start menu contains a shortcut for Windows Messaging, but the shortcut does not work.

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CAUSE

This issue occurs because Windows does not install Windows Messaging, and Microsoft Mail PostOffice and Mail icons are removed during an upgrade.

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To resolve this issue, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain Windows Messaging for Windows 2000. For information about how to contact Product Support Services, see the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=supportquestion.asp?sd=gn&fr=0 (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=supportquestion.asp?sd=gn&fr=0)

NOTE: Windows Messaging is supplied as is with no product support. It is supplied to aid in migrating to later technologies that replace Simple MAPI. You can also get MAPI support by installing a client such as Microsoft Outlook 2000 in Corporate or Workgroup mode.

It is recommended that vendors upgrade their programs to use Collaboration Data Objects (CDO), which is available in Windows 2000. View the following Microsoft Web site for more information:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms998655.aspx (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms998655.aspx)

The package that Product Service Support sends to you is an updated version of the package that was included on the Windows 2000 Beta 3 CD-ROM. The package contains an updated license agreement that informs users that Windows Messaging is not year 2000 compliant, and that the use of the software is at their own risk.

NOTE: This package was not included because of year 2000 compliance issues. The package you receive has a modified End User Licensing Agreement (EULA).

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MORE INFORMATION

After you install Windows Messaging for Windows 2000, you can administer a Post Office and create, delete, and edit users by using the Microsoft Mail PostOffice tool in Control Panel. You can also create, delete, and edit mail profiles by using the Mail tool in Control Panel. Programs that use MAPI also work.

The Windows 2000 Readme.txt file states that Windows Messaging is available in the Valudeadd\Legacy folder on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. This is a documentation error.

MAPI is a set of functions that mail-enabled and mail-aware programs can use to create, manipulate, transfer, and store mail messages. It contains tools that program developers can use to define the purpose and content of mail messages, and provides flexibility in the management of stored mail messages. MAPI also provides a common interface that program developers can use to create mail-enabled and mail-aware programs independent of the underlying messaging system. Messaging clients provide an interface for interaction with the Microsoft Windows Messaging System (WMS). This interaction typically includes requesting services from MAPI-compliant providers such as message stores and address books.

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