"Operation failed" when sending secure message with attached message in Outlook 2000 (218207)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
This article was previously published under Q218207
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".
Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you use Microsoft Exchange Security to send a signed or encrypted message with an attachment that is a second e-mail message, you receive the following message:
The operation failed. An object could not be found.

You may also see this message when you drag another e-mail message into the message that you are creating, or when you press CTRL+V to paste another e-mail message into the message that you are creating. The attachment is lost when the message is sent.

RESOLUTION

Use one of the following methods to resolve this problem.

Configure Outlook to sign or encrypt first

  1. Create a new message.
  2. On the View menu, click Options.
  3. Click to select the Encrypt message contents and attachments or Add digital signature to outgoing message check box, and then click Close.
  4. on the Insert menu, click Item.
  5. Click Send.

Set Encrypt Message Contents and Add Digital Signature as defaults

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. Click the Security tab.
  3. Click to select the Encrypt contents and attachments for outgoing messages or Add digital signature to outgoing messages check box, and click OK.

Set the registry entry

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. Type regedit, and then click OK.
  3. Locate the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Outlook\Security
  4. With the Security folder selected, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
  5. Type EMSMDBMsgRefCnt, and then press ENTER.
  6. Double-click to open the new DWORD value. In the Edit DWORD Value box, type 1.
  7. Quit Registry Editor.
Warning Do not add this registry entry on computers that have Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 SP2 or earlier installed. This may cause server corruptions or other problems on those server computers.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/20/2004
Keywords:kbbug kbfix KB218207
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.