OFF2000: Unexpected Prompt to Install Import/Export Engine Feature (246669)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Premium
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Small Business
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Standard
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Developer
This article was previously published under Q246669

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to import into or export from Microsoft Outlook, you may receive the following message:

Microsoft Outlook cannot start the Import/Export engine.
This feature is not currently installed. Would you like to install it now?

CAUSE

You may receive this message if all of the following conditions are true:
  • You created a transform by using the Custom Installation Wizard (CIW). -and-

  • You did not specifically set the Microsoft Outlook for Windows feature or the Importers and Exporters feature to Run all from My Computer. -and-

  • You installed Office by using this transform.
There are hidden child features of the Importers and Exporters feature that default to the Installed on First Use state. Unless you set either the Microsoft Outlook for Windows feature or the Importers and Exporters feature to Run all from My Computer, these hidden features remain at their default installation state (Installed on First Use).

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods as appropriate.

If You Have Not Installed Office

If you have not installed Office, you may want to install Outlook so that you never encounter this issue. In this case, you need to create a new transform or modify an existing one.
  1. Start the CIW.
  2. If you want to use your existing transform, select the Open an existing MST file option in the Open the MST File dialog box. Then click Browse to locate and select your .mst file. Otherwise, select the Do not open an existing MST file option.
  3. Click Next in the Open the MST File dialog box.
  4. When you get to the Set Feature Installation States dialog box, click the plus sign next to Microsoft Outlook for Windows to expand it.
  5. Click the icon next to the Importers and Exporters feature, and then click Run all from My Computer. This sets the hidden child features to Run all from My Computer.

  6. Apply any other changes you want to your transform.
  7. When you finish configuring your transform, click Finish.
  8. Note the Setup command line in the last dialog box of the CIW and click Exit.
  9. Run Setup using the transform you just created.

If You Already Installed Office

If you already installed Office and you are experiencing this problem, you can use the Custom Maintenance Wizard (CMW) to update the existing installation.
  1. Start the Custom Maintenance Wizard.
  2. Open the .msi file used to install your Office product. In the Open the MSI File dialog box, click Browse to locate and select the .msi file for the Office product you want to update. For example, the .msi file for Office 2000 Premium is Data1.msi. Click Next.
  3. Select Do not open an existing CMW file (the default setting) and click Next.
  4. In the next step, Select the CMW File to Save, specify the name you want to use for your .cmw file. Click Next.
  5. In the next step, Set Feature Installation States, click the plus sign next to the Microsoft Outlook for Windows feature to expand it.
  6. Click the icon next to the Importers and Exporters feature, and then click Run all from My Computer.
  7. Click Next or Finish. When you click Finish, your .cmw file is created with all of your settings, and the final dialog box displays a sample command line to run the Custom Maintenance Wizard with the .cmw file. The sample command line uses the /C, /Q, and /L switches; however, only the /C switch is required to apply a .cmw file to your Office installation.
  8. Apply the .cmw file you just created to your existing Office installation. For example, your command line to do this may be similar to:

    \\server\share\Maintwiz.exe /c \\server\share\Outlookfix.cmw

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about the Custom Maintenance Wizard, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

242216 OFF2000: How to Use the Custom Maintenance Wizard

To read more about hidden features in the Office 2000 Setup, open Filelist.xls in Microsoft Excel and then activate the Feature List sheet tab.

You can obtain Filelist.xls from the Office 2000 Resource Kit Web site. To do this:
  1. Enter the following URL in your Web browser: http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/2000/appndx/toolbox.htm
  2. Scroll down the page and locate the link for Offinfo.exe.
  3. Right-click the link for Offinfo.exe.
  4. Click Save Target As in the shortcut menu.
  5. Select a download location in the Save As dialog box, and click Save.
  6. After the download is complete, double-click Offinfo.exe and follow the instructions in the dialog boxes.NOTE: The default installation location for the files in Offinfo.exe is

    C:\Program Files\ORKTools\Download\Documents\Office

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/17/2006
Keywords:kbprb KB246669
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