OFF95: "Mail Is Not Installed On This System" Error (142956)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95
  • Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Access for Windows 95 7.0
This article was previously published under Q142956

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

When you send e-mail using Microsoft Exchange from any of the programs listed at the beginning of this article, you may receive the following error message:
Mail is not installed on this system.

CAUSE

This problem may occur because you have an incorrect registry setting. The Office Setup program scans the system for the existence of MAPI-compliant mail programs. If a compliant program is found, an entry is added to the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Office\95. If the registry key lists another file other than Mapi32.dll, you receive the error described above.

For example, if you have cc:Mail or Lotus Notes installed on your computer when you run the Setup program for any of the programs listed above, the Mapivi32.dll file is installed and registered in Windows.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

To resolve this problem, modify the following registry key: 
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Office\95

To modify the registry, use the following steps:
  1. Quit all programs.
  2. In Windows 95, click the Start button, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. Go to the following registry key: 
          HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Office\95

    NOTE: On the Status bar, the following is displayed: 
          My Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Office\95
  5. On the Registry menu, click Export Registry File, type a file name, and then click Save.
  6. Go to the following registry key: 
          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Office\95\Mapidll

    and then modify the following String Value: 
          Value Name: DLL32
      Value Data: C:\Windows\System\Mapi32.dll

    where C:\Windows is the folder to which you installed Microsoft Windows 95.
  7. Close the registry.
NOTE: You need to restart the Office programs you were using to enable them to read the new registry settings.

MORE INFORMATION

The Microsoft Office products will install a vendor independent messaging (VIM) compliant dynamic-link library (DLL) if Setup detects the existence of the program. Setup will check in the [mail] section of the Win.ini, in the registry, and in the path for the existence of the DLL. If Mapivi32.dll is needed (but not found in the \Windows\System folder), do the following:
  1. Make sure the folder containing the mail program is in the path statement in the Autoexec.bat.
  2. Rename the Mapi32.dll file (if it exists) in the \Windows\System folder.
  3. Verify that the [mail] section in the Win.ini contains the line mapi=1.
  4. Reinstall Office or one of the Office programs, if necessary.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/17/2005
Keywords:kberrmsg kbinterop kbprb KB142956
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.