Password settings are not retained and a blank password is cached in Outlook 2000 that is installed with Internet Mail Only (IMO) mode (816481)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
Note These procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Internet Mail Only option. To determine your installation type, click About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu. If you have the Internet Mail Only option installed, you see "Internet Mail Only".

For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express


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 set up a new e-mail account in Outlook that connects to an Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) server, and you configure Outlook to not remember your password, you may find that the password settings that you configured are not retained after you send or check your e-mail for the first time. For example, after you check your e-mail for the first time, logon information and password settings are reset and the Remember password check box on the Server tab is selected.

As a result, Outlook may cache a blank password, and you may no longer have to access your e-mail account.

CAUSE

This issue occurs when Outlook changes the following registry entry from a value of 2 to a value of 3:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\OMI Account Manager\Accounts\<AccountNumber>\SMTP Use Sicily

When the SMTP Use Sicily entry is set to 3, Outlook uses Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) logon information instead of using logon information from the incoming server. When this issue occurs, the value that is set for the following registry entry does not change:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\OMI Account Manager\Accounts\<AccountNumber>\SMTP Prompt for Password

If the SMTP Prompt for Password entry is set to 0, Outlook caches the password. As a result, if no password is specified and the password is blank, Outlook remembers the blank password.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, set the SMTP Prompt for Password registry entry to 1 after you set up and configure your e-mail account. By doing so, Outlook does not try to remember a blank password even though your account settings are changed to use SMTP logon information. To set the SMTP Prompt for Password registry entry to 1:

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. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  3. Locate the following registry entry:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\OMI Account Manager\Accounts\<AccountNumber>

  4. In the right pane, double-click SMTP Prompt for Password.
  5. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
  6. Quit Registry Editor.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to set up e-mail accounts in Outlook with the Internet Mail Only option, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

195787 How to create a new e-mail account with Internet Only support

195578 OL2000: (IMO) How to Set Up Internet Mail Accounts

Steps to Reproduce the Problem

  1. Start Outlook and configure an e-mail account that uses IMAP to log on to a Microsoft Exchange Server computer. To do so:
    1. On the Tools menu, click Accounts.
    2. Click the Mail tab, and then double-click your e-mail account.
    3. Click the Servers tab.
    4. Click to clear the Password check box (if it is not already cleared).

      Under Incoming Mail Server, make sure that your account name appears in the Account name box and the Password box appears dimmed and is unavailable.
    5. Under Outgoing Mail Server Password, click to select the My server requires authentication check box, and then click Settings.
    6. Click to select the Use same settings as my incoming server check box, and then click OK.
  2. Compose and send an e-mail message.
  3. In the Internet E-mail dialog box, type your password in the Password box, and then click OK.
  4. On the Tools menu, click Accounts.
  5. Click the Mail tab, and then double-click your e-mail account.
  6. Click the Servers tab.
  7. Under Outgoing Mail Server, click Settings.

    The Log On using and the Remember password check boxes are selected.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/19/2004
Keywords:kbnofix kbBug KB816481
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