OL2000: ErrMsg: "The Specified protocol is unknown"

ID: Q218332

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Outlook 2000

SYMPTOMS

When opening a folder on the Outlook Today page you receive the following error message:

Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site Outlook:\\<Personal/folder name>/Calendar. The specified protocol is unknown.

In the above example, <Personal/folder name> is the name of your personal folder which includes the single slash character (/).

CAUSE

The single slash character is interpreted as a folder separator when used in folder names. This is also true for the backslash character (\).

RESOLUTION

Rename the folder using a different name separator, such as the underscore character (_).

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

The Outlook Today page is created with HTML. The characters, / or \ when used in a folder name are interpreted as a folder separator by the HTML parser. If you include these characters in the folder name you will receive the error message. To rename the folder use the following steps:

On the Folder List, right-click Outlook Today.

Click Advanced.

On the General tab, type the name of the folder and change the / character to an underscore _. Click OK and OK.

NOTE: The following list of characters may be used in folder names.

*
?
<
>
|

NOTE: The following is from an unconfirmed customer report.

You may also be able to workaround this issue by clearing the URL paths located in the following registry key:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Outlook\Today\Folders

The only reference needed is the folder name, not the complete URL.

Additional query words: OFF2000 OL2K

Keywords : kbdta
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug