The e-mail address of a recipient is displayed as "SMTP:????????" when you send an e-mail message to a recipient that is selected from the nickname cache file in Outlook 2002

When you send an e-mail message in Microsoft Outlook 2002 to a recipient that is selected from the Outlook nickname cache file, the e-mail address of the recipient is displayed as SMTP:????????.

Note This problem may spread to other recipients when the recipients reply to your e-mail message.

This problem may occur when the Outlook nickname cache file on the sender's client computer is corrupted.

Specifically, this problem may occur if the recipient's e-mail address is stored as an ANSI string in the Unicode PR_SMTP_ADDRESS_W (0x39fe001f) property field in the Outlook nickname cache file.

To resolve this problem, perform the following actions:

1. Apply hotfix 921615.
2. Enable the hotfix.
3. Reset the Outlook nickname cache file.

How to obtain the hotfix

This issue is fixed in the Outlook 2002 post-Service Pack 3 Hotfix Package that is dated July 18, 2006. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

How to enable the hotfix

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 your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

After you apply the hotfix, you must enable it. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Exit Outlook 2002.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Options\General
4. After you select the subkey that is specified in step 3, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
5. Type ValidateSmtpAddressForNNC, and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click ValidateSmtpAddressForNNC, and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
8. On the File menu, click Exit to exit Registry Editor.

How to reset the Outlook nickname cache file

For more information about how to reset the Outlook nickname cache, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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