PC Win WRmt: Err Msg: Mail Driver Could Not Be Deactivated... (130318)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Mail for Windows 3.2
  • Microsoft Mail Remote for Windows 3.2
This article was previously published under Q130318

SYMPTOMS

When you use version 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for Windows, and you attempt to switch between the Windows client and the Remote client, the System Selector may fail with the following error:
The mail driver could not be deactivated because the file
C:\windows\system\xxxxxxxx.xxx could not be found.
where xxxxxxxx.xxx is one or more of the Mail client components referenced in the following section of the FILES.INI file for the currently active client:

[Transport]
FILES=

CAUSE

The problem occurs because the file that the System Selector is attempting to deactivate is in a directory other than WINDOWS\SYSTEM (typically in the WINDOWS directory). The System Selector fails because the file is not at the expected location.

WORKAROUND

When you activate a Mail client with the System Selector, the mail client's DLLs and other files are moved to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. The previously active client's DLL and other files are moved to the WINDOWS\MSMAIL\PROVIDER directory.

NOTE: The PROVIDER is a placeholder for the specific mail driver subdirectory name. For example, the driver subdirectory for Microsoft Mail is WINDOWS\MSMAIL\MSMAIL.

For the System Selector to complete the procedure properly, Windows should be invoked from the drive on which it is installed. If the client has invoked Windows from a batch file that does not execute Windows from the local drive and directory where Windows is installed, this procedure may fail. If a batch file is being utilized to invoke Windows, the user should ensure that the batch file makes this drive and directory active when executing WIN.COM.

For example, if the following batch file commands are executed to start Windows, the System Selector may copy files to the WINDOWS directory instead of WINDOWS\SYSTEM, which would result in the above stated error condition:

WRONG.BAT

F:Login
C:\WINDOWS\WIN

The following batch file would execute the procedure correctly:

RIGHT.BAT

F:Login
C:
CD WINDOWS
WIN

MORE INFORMATION

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

119415 PC WRmt: How the System Selector Works

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/23/2003
Keywords:KB130318
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.