OL98: Unable to Expand Offline Folder After You Disconnect from the Network (296148)

NOTE: The procedures in this article only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Corporate or Workgroup option. With this option, you can use Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) services. To determine your installation type, click About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu. If you have the Corporate or Workgroup installation, you see "Corporate or Workgroup".

SYMPTOMS

In Windows 98, when you configure Outlook 98(CW) to work offline and have an offline folder set up, you may not be able to expand that folder. There may be no difficulty while you are connected to the network, even when you are offline, but when you physically disconnect from the network and try to work offline, the following error message may appear:

Unable to open your default e-mail folders. You must connect to your Microsoft Exchange Server computer with the current profile before you can synchronize your folders with your offline folder file.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, after you disconnect from the network, when you log on to Windows 98, do not click Cancel during Windows 98 authentication. Type the necessary credentials, and then start Outlook to work offline.