PC Win: Frequently Asked Questions for Mail for Windows 3.2

Last reviewed: June 3, 1996
Article ID: Q111537
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Mail for Windows, versions 3.0, 3.0b, and 3.2

Below is a list of common questions and answers about versions 3.0, 3.0b, and 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for Windows.

 1. Q. Can I set the return receipt feature as the default for all
       messages?

    A. This is not possible. You must set return receipt on a message-by-
       message basis.

 2. Q. How can I create Group folders in the Windows client?

    A. You cannot create or delete Group folders in the Windows client. You
       must create or delete them using the MS-DOS client. If you have Mail
       for Windows version 3.0b or later, you can access Group folders that
       were created using the MS-DOS client. However, the Group folder will
       show up under Shared folders for everyone to see, but only members
       of the group will be permitted to access the folder.

 3. Q. What is MMF Recovery and how do I invoke it?

    A. MMF Recovery is a procedure you can use to repair minor corruption
       in the Mail message file (MMF). If you have Mail for Windows version
       3.0b or later, the MMF Recovery routine is built in. You can invoke
       it by holding down the SHIFT key as Mail is being loaded into
       memory.

       NOTE: Do not invoke this process unless you have problems with your
       MMF. A side effect of this process is that it will create a backup
       file on each run. You will have to delete the backup manually. For
       more information about this backup file, please refer to article
       Q104362 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

 4. Q. On Novell NetWare, do I need File Scan to run MMF Recovery?

    A. File Scan is not necessary as long as you have STORE.DLL version
       3.2.0.4051 or later, which is provided in version 3.2a of Microsoft
       Mail for PC Networks.

       For information on obtaining this update, query on the following
       word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

          m a i l u p d

 5. Q. Why don't I see my private folders that I created in the MS-DOS
       client?

    A. Versions 3.0 and 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for Windows and Microsoft
       Mail for PC Networks, MS-DOS workstation, implement private folder
       storage in different ways. Mail for Windows stores private folders
       in the MMF and the MS-DOS client stores folders in the .FLD files
       within the postoffice database structure.

       There is a Convert utility (CONVERT.EXE) you can run to convert your
       private folders from the MS-DOS client. Once converted, the private
       folders are stored in the MMF. Private folders created in Mail for
       Windows cannot be accessed using the MS-DOS client.

 6. Q. How can I force automatic compression of my MMF?

    A. This is not compression per se; it is in effect an excess space
       collection routine, and by default it is already enabled to run in
       the background. To automatically begin this excess space collection
       routine (run in the foreground), hold down the F5 key as Mail is
       being loaded into memory. For more information about MMF
       compression, please refer to article Q93134 in the Microsoft
       Knowledge Base.

 7. Q. How can I change the print font in the Windows client?

    A. You cannot control the print font. It will always print in Helvetica
       if you are looking at the normal view. If you choose View, Change
       Font, it will change to a fixed pitch font and will also print out
       in a fixed pitch font from this view. You can, however, change the
       font size by inserting PrintFont=x in the [Microsoft Mail] section
       of the MSMAIL.INI file. For more information about the PrintFont
       parameter, please refer to either of the following sources:

        - Article Q86100 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base

          -or-

        - Pages 85-89 in Chapter 6 of the Microsoft Windows for Workgroups
          version 3.1 Resource Kit.

 8. Q. Can I prevent importing the original message in my reply?

    A. There is no way to disable the automatic import of the original
       message in your reply. If you want to delete the original message,
       press SHIFT+CTRL+END and then DELETE.

 9. Q. Attachments disappear when I do a Reply. How can I preserve them?

    A. To preserve attachments, do a Forward rather than a Reply.

10. Q. When I run the Setup program to install Mail for Windows, the blue
       screen flashes and nothing happens. Why?

    A. If you run _MSSETUP.EXE instead of SETUP.EXE to install Mail for
       Windows, the file will delete itself and will not run the setup
       process. If you then run SETUP.EXE and _MSSETUP.EXE is not present
       in the same directory as SETUP.EXE, the blue setup screen will
       momentarily flash on the screen and quickly disappear because the
       Setup program is unable to find _MSSETUP.EXE. For more information
       about this Setup issue, please refer to article Q105107 in the
       Microsoft Knowledge Base.

11. Q. How do I move my MMF to my local computer?

    A. Log in to Mail. From the Mail menu, choose Options and select the
       Server button. Select Local and specify a name for the Mail message
       file. Then select the OK button.

12. Q. When I try to export a folder to a local drive, I am prompted for a
       password. Why?

    A. To export your folders, you can do either of the following:

        - Load SHARE.EXE into memory.

        - Save the export file to the file server.

13. Q. How can I install version 3.2 of Mail for Windows to run from the
       network?

    A. The Microsoft Software Library file, SETUPD.EXE, outlines the
       procedure to install the Windows client on the Network. You can
       download SETUPD.EXE, a self-extracting file, on the following
       services:

  • Microsoft's World Wide Web Site on the Internet

          On the www.microsoft.com home page, click the Support icon.
          Click Knowledge Base, and select the product.
    
          Enter kbfile SETUPD.EXE (size: 49134 bytes) 
                                 , and click GO!
          Open the article, and click the button to download the file.
    
    
  • Internet (anonymous FTP)

          ftp ftp.microsoft.com
          Change to the Softlib/Mslfiles folder.
          Get SETUPD.EXE (size: 49134 bytes) 
    
  • The Microsoft Network

          On the Edit menu, click Go To, and then click Other Location.
          Type "mssupport" (without the quotation marks).
          Double-click the MS Software Library icon.
          Find the appropriate product area.
          Locate and Download SETUPD.EXE.
    
  • Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)

          Dial (206) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
          Download SETUPD.EXE (size: 49134 bytes) 
    

    For additional information about downloading, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

       ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
       TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online
                   Services
    
    14. Q. Where is the Polling Interval setting picked up from?
    
        A. The first time you sign into mail, the setting in the Polling
           Interval=<entry> parameter in the MSMAIL.INI file comes into effect.
           Once you change the setting by choosing Options from the Mail menu,
           the value is stored in the MMF and is used from then on.
    
    15. Q. When I use the Send option in Word, it sends the document as
           unformatted text in the body of the mail message.
    
        A. When you use Microsoft Word version 2.0 or 2.0a for Windows in
           conjunction with version 3.0 or 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for Windows,
           the Word Send option (from the File menu) sends the document as an
           attachment in icon form. If you use Word 2.0b or 2.0c for Windows,
           the Send option sends the document as unformatted text in the body
           of the mail message.
    
           Word versions 2.0 and 2.0a use a macro to send documents as an
           attachment in icon form. Word versions 2.0b and later are MAPI aware
           applications and, for purposes of sending attachments, make calls to
           the Mail Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI). The
           Word document is not sent as an icon; it is converted to ASCII text
           and is sent as unformatted text in the body of the mail message.
           This is the default setting for Word 2.0b and later.
    
           To change the default setting and enable you to send documents as an
           attachment in icon form, do the following:
    
           1. In Microsoft Word, choose Options from the Tools menu and select
              General.
    
           2. Under Settings, select the Send Mail As Attachment check box.
              Making this selection will force Word to send the document to
              Mail as an attachment in icon form, thus retaining the document's
              original formatting.
    
    16. Q. Where can I find details about the entries in the MSMAIL.INI file?
    
        A. For more information about the entries in the MSMAIL.INI file,
           please refer to the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge
           Base:
    
              Article ID      Contains information about entries in the
              -----------------------------------------------------------------
    
              Q86094          [Address Book] section
    
              Q86095          [Custom Commands] section
    
              Q86096          [Custom Messages] section
    
              Q86097          [MAC File Types] section
    
              Q86098          [MS Proofing Tools] section
    
              Q86099          [Custom Menus] section
    
              Q86100          [Microsoft Mail] section
    
              Q86101          [MMF] section
    
              Q86102          [Providers] section
    
           The Help file in the Windows Mail client is also a good source of
           information.
    
    17. Q. What are the means of notification available in the Windows client?
    
        A. Version 3.0 of Microsoft Mail for Windows notifies you of new mail
           in three ways:
    
           - The mouse arrow turns into an envelope. For example, if you are
             in a Windows application and new mail arrives, you'll see the
             arrow momentarily change to an envelope, then back to an arrow.
             In other words, the envelope flashes.
    
           - When you have Mail minimized and new mail arrives, you will
             notice a letter sticking out of the slot of the Mail icon. If the
             slot is empty, no new mail has arrived.
    
           - You can have your computer sound a wave file when new mail
             arrives. To do this, choose Options from the Mail menu and select
             Sound Chime. If you have a sound board, you should then choose
             the Sound icon from the Windows Control Panel. You will see an
             option for New Mail Notification, where you can assign a .WAV
             sound file. Then your computer will play the .WAV file when new
             mail arrives.
    
    18. Q. How can I get new messages on login?
    
        A. Include "NewMsgsAtStartup=1" in the [Microsoft Mail] section of the
           MSMAIL.INI. If this entry is 1 Mail will download new messages on
           startup. The default is 0.
    
    19. Q. Why does the offline symbol(network disconnect icon) appear in the
           status bar?
    
        A. An ownerless MMF on the postoffice of a Novell NetWare server may
           cause this symbol to appear. To assign ownership, the supervisor
           must run Filer (select the root of the postoffice when all users are
           off Mail) and change the entire directory tree to supervisor
           ownership.
    
           Network problems that prevent Mail for Windows from writing to the
           MMF can bring up the network disconnect icon as well.
    
    20. Q. What is inbox shadowing?
    
        A. Version 3.0 or later of Microsoft Mail for Windows has a feature
           named Inbox Shadowing. This feature is enabled in Mail for Windows
           when you selection Options from the Mail menu and choose the Server
           button. Then select the "Copy Inbox on Postoffice for Dialin Access"
           option and choose the OK button. The Copy Inbox option instructs
           Mail for Windows to synchronize its inbox with the inbox on the
           postoffice.
    
           When you send a mail message, Microsoft Mail adds a header to the
           recipient's .MBG file that includes a pointer to the corresponding
           .MAI file. The .MBG file is the inbox for MS-DOS and Macintosh
           clients. Inbox Shadowing is necessary because Mail for Windows moves
           all messages in an individual's .MBG file into the user's MMF file.
           If Inbox Shadowing is not active when Mail for Windows moves a
           message into the MMF file, it flags the headers in the .MBG file as
           if the message was deleted and it deletes the corresponding .MAI
           files. In this case, the Inboxes for the MS-DOS and Macintosh
           clients are empty.
    
    21. Q. Is DDE supported?
    
        A. Versions 3.0, 3.0b, and 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for Windows do not
           support Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) calls. Mail for Windows is not
           designed to support DDE calls, as indicated in the Windows
           registration database.
    
    22. Q. How can I read a Word 6.0 attachment if I have Word 2.0?
    
        A. Knowledge Base Article Q105773 contains information about converting
           from Microsoft Word for Windows, version 2.0, to Microsoft Word for
           Windows, version 6.0.
    
           Word 2.0 will read your Word 6.0 documents, but you must first
           install the Word 6.0 converter, supplied with your Word 6.0 package,
           using the following instructions. (If you do not have the Word 6.0
           package, see below for instructions on how to get the converter).
    
           a. If you did not install all the text converters when you installed
              Word 6.0, run Setup again and install them.
    
           b. Copy the MSWORD6.CNV file from the <WINDOWS>\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV
              subdirectory (where <WINDOWS> is the name of your Windows program
              directory) to your Word 2.0 program directory.
    
           c. Start Word 2.0.
    
           d. Open your Word 6.0 document. Word 2.0 automatically searches
              for and installs the Word 6.0 converter and converts your
              document. If the following error message appears, choose OK to
              continue:
    
                 The document template is not valid.
    
           If you do not have the Word 6.0 package, you can obtain the Word 6.0
           converter through any of the following options:
    
            - Phone the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400.
              If you are outside the United States, contact the Microsoft
              subsidiary for your area. To locate your subsidiary, call
              Microsoft International Customer Service at (206) 936-8661.
    
            - If you have a modem, you can download these converters from
              the Microsoft Download Service (MSDL) at (206) 936-6735.
    
                 Important Points
    
            - This converter is intended for users of Word 2.0 for Windows who
              do not have access to Word 6.0. The converter has its own Setup
              program; setup instructions are included in the cover letter.
    
            - This converter will not run under Windows version 3.0.
    
            - The formatting features added in Word 6.0 that do not exist in
              Word 2.0 will not be retained during the conversion. A complete
              list of these features is included in the WRD6CONV.DOC file,
              which is installed with the converter.
    
            - This converter allows Word 2.0 to read documents created by
              Word 6.0.
    

  • Additional reference words: 3.00 3.00b 3.20 most frequently asked top ten
    KBCategory: kbref kbfile kbtlc
    KBSubCategory: MailPCWin


    THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

    Last reviewed: June 3, 1996
    © 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.