PC Win: Error Messages Associated with STORE.DLL & MSMAIL.EXE (122761)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Mail for Windows 3.2
  • Microsoft Mail for Windows 3.2a
This article was previously published under Q122761

SYMPTOMS

Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 Mail users may encounter various error messages if they have a combination of Windows for Workgroups Mail and Microsoft Mail for Windows files installed on their computer.

Two errors can result from the mixed files:
Application Error - Call to an Undefined Dynalink

-or-

This version of mail is too old to access your message file.

CAUSE

The first error message can occur if the STORE.DLL file is updated to version 3.2 or 3.2a of Microsoft Mail for Windows, but the MSMAIL.EXE file remains a Windows for Workgroups version. In this circumstance, if the user chooses Options from the Mail menu, the first error message will appear, and Mail will terminate.

This error message can also be generated if the MSSFS.DLL did not get updated from the Windows for Workgroups Mail version. To ensure you have the correct version, check the date of the MSSFS.DLL. It should be dated 11- 1-93 or later.

The second error message can occur if the user picked the DoubleSpace option (from the Mail menu, choose Options. Then choose Optimize Local Mail File) in Windows for Workgroups Mail and the user updated the Windows for Workgroups versions of STORE.DLL and MSMAIL.EXE to version 3.2 or 3.2a of Mail for Windows.

The second error can also be an indication of a corrupt mail message file (MMF).

RESOLUTION

To resolve the first error, replace any copy of MSMAIL.EXE on the hard disk dated 11-1-93 (Windows for Workgroups version) with a Microsoft Mail 3.2 or 3.2a version. (These files can be dated 3-9-93, 3-24-93, 4-6-93, or 5-26-93.)

To resolve the second error, restore the .MMF file to a format compatible with Microsoft Mail 3.2 and 3.2a, as follows:

  1. Temporarily return the user to using the Windows for Workgroups Mail files: 
          STORE    DLL       235,072 11-01-93   4:11a
      MSMAIL   EXE       302,528 11-01-93   4:11a
  2. Exit and Sign Out of Mail.
  3. Exit Windows for Workgroups.
  4. Scan the user's hard disk for the above filenames. Note the location and rename both files.

    Typically, the STORE.DLL file is located in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory. The MSMAIL.EXE file can be in the WINDOWS, WINDOWS\MSMAIL\..., or MSMAIL subdirectory.
  5. Install a copy of the Windows for Workgroups version of MSMAIL.EXE to the client computer's WINDOWS subdirectory. A copy may be available from another Windows for Workgroups machine, or you can expand a new copy from the original Windows for Workgroups disks by completing the following steps:

    1. Insert the Windows for Workgroups disk containing MSMAIL.EX_ in the floppy disk drive. (MSMAIL.EX_ is located on Disk 3 for 3.5-inch disks.)
    2. At the MS-DOS prompt, change to the WINDOWS subdirectory and type:

      expand a:\msmail.ex_ c:\windows\msmail.exe

      (This example assumes drive A is the source, and drive C is the destination.)
  6. Install a copy of the Windows for Workgroups version of STORE.DLL to the client computer's WINDOWS subdirectory. A copy may be available from another Windows for Workgroups machine, or you can expand a new copy from the original Windows for Workgroups disks by completing the following steps:

    1. Insert the Windows for Workgroups disk containing STORE.DL_ in the floppy disk drive. (STORE.DL_ is located on Disk 3 for 3.5-inch disks.)
    2. At the MS-DOS prompt, change to the WINDOWS subdirectory and type:

      expand a:\store.dl_ c:\windows\store.dll



      (This example assumes drive A is the source, and drive C is the destination.)
  7. Start Windows for Workgroups. From File Manager, double-click the MSMAIL.EXE file in the Windows folder. This will start Mail using the Windows for Workgroups version of MSMAIL.EXE.
  8. Sign in to Mail.
  9. From the Mail menu, choose Options. Select the Highest Security option under Optimize Local Mail File.

    Mail will convert the .MMF file to the security format required by Microsoft Mail 3.2 and 3.2a.
  10. Exit and Sign Out of Mail.
  11. Exit Windows for Workgroups.
  12. Delete or rename the MSMAIL.EXE and STORE.DLL files in the WINDOWS subdirectory.
  13. Restore the original names of the files renamed in step 2.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows for Workgroups Mail has three features that are unsupported by versions 3.2 and 3.2a of Mail for Windows:

  1. Microsoft At Work PC Fax technology is designed for use with Windows for Workgroups Mail.
  2. The Windows for Workgroups Mail user's password can be cached in the Windows for Workgroups user's USERNAME.PWL file. This prevents the user from having to enter a password when Mail is started.
  3. The local mail file can be optimized in Windows for Workgroups Mail. This is used for optimizing performance when the .MMF file is stored locally (the Windows for Workgroups default) on a compressed volume, such as DoubleSpace, Drivespace, or Stacker.
The combination of Windows for Workgroups Mail files and Microsoft Mail 3.2 or 3.2a files is not supported. For a list of the files Microsoft Mail installs under Windows for Workgroups, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

110467 PC Win: Description of 3.2 Setup Process

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/30/2003
Keywords:KB122761
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.