Outlook is not automatically the default e-mail client after upgrade from Netscape e-mail client

Article ID: 284367 - View products that this article applies to.
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SYMPTOMS

You are using Netscape version 4.5 or a later version of Netscape as your default e-mail client. You install Microsoft Outlook 2002 or Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, and then start Outlook for the first time. When you do this, you may receive the following error message:
Outlook is not currently your default manager for Mail, News and contacts.
Would you like to register Outlook as the default manager?
To determine the unique number that is associated with the message that you receive, press CTRL+SHIFT+I. The following number appears in the lower-right corner of this message:
301468
You must click Yes in the message dialog box to make Outlook your default e-mail client.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur because when you start Outlook for the first time, the Fixmapi.exe utility updates the system Mail Application Program Interface (MAPI) core file that Netscape uses. This file is the Mapi32.dll file that is located in the C:\Winnt\System32 folder.

Outlook 2002 uses the Mapi32.dll file. This file is located in the following folder:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033
Outlook 2007 uses the MSmapi.dll file. This file is located in the following folder:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSmapi\1033
Because the Fixmapi.exe utility does not update these files, Netscape remains the default e-mail client.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, rename the Mapi32.dll file that Netscape uses, and then reinstall Outlook.

MORE INFORMATION

For system-wide upgrades from Netscape to Outlook, you can use the Custom Installation Wizard. In the wizard, add a dummy Mapi32.dll file to the installation image, and install that MAPI file to the Windows system directory.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
234370 How to configure Outlook settings in the Custom Installation Wizard in Outlook 2000

Properties

Article ID: 284367 - Last Review: March 27, 2007 - Revision: 2.1
APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Office Outlook 2007
  • Microsoft Outlook 2002 Standard Edition
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