OL97: SETUP Error Message: Profile Name Not Valid (165203)

SYMPTOMS

If you install Office 97 or Outlook 97, the first time you run Outlook you may receive the following error message in the Inbox Setup Wizard:

This profile name is not valid. Select a different profile name.

The wizard does not provide the means for manually entering the profile name.

CAUSE

An invalid character in the profile name may cause this problem. If you have not previously run the Inbox Setup Wizard, the first time you start Outlook the Inbox Setup Wizard starts, to create a user profile. The wizard may automatically assign the user name you entered during the Office or Outlook setup as the new profile name. If your user name contains a special character, such as ampersand (&) or underscore (__) characters, the profile name is not valid and you receive the error message.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem you must manually configure a profile. When you start Outlook for the first time, the Inbox Setup Wizard starts. In the wizard's first dialog box, click to select "Manually configure information services" and click Next. The next dialog box allows you to type a valid profile name in the Profile Name box. Type a name without any special characters, and click Next to complete the Inbox Setup Wizard.

NOTE: If you do not choose the option, "Manually configure information services," you never get an opportunity to name the profile.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Office 97 for Windows and Microsoft Outlook 97. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem occurs most often under the following circumstances:

You have never created a mail profile.
You used special characters for the user name during the Office or Outlook setup.

REFERENCES

For more information about setting up profiles, search the Outlook Help Index for "profiles," or ask the Microsoft Access 97 Office Assistant.