Cannot Open or Compose Message in Windows Messaging

• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

NOTE: In this article, the term "Windows Messaging" refers to both Microsoft Exchange and Windows Messaging.

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start Windows Messaging or compose or open a message in Windows Messaging, you may receive one of the following error messages:

• EXCHNG32 caused an exception 05h in WMSFR32.DLL
• EXCHNG32 caused an invalid page fault in module WMSFR32.DLL
• EXCHNG32 caused an invalid page fault in module WMSUI32.DLL
• Some information could not be read. Microsoft Exchange Client - 9992 - [81002708]
• The item could not be displayed. The object could not be found. Microsoft Windows Messaging System Forms Registry - 13085 - [8004010F]
• The item could not be displayed [80004005]
• The item could not be displayed [81003355]
• The command you specified could not be carried out. The object could not be found. Microsoft Windows Messaging System Forms Registry - 13085 - [8004010F]
• The command you specified could not be carried out. The form cache file <frmcache> is not valid. Contact your administrator. Error code 0x81003364. Microsoft Windows Messaging System Forms Registry - 13156 - [80040119]
• The Mapi spooler has shut down unexpectedly.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if any of the following conditions exists:

• The Wmsfr32.dll, Wmsui32.dll, or Frmcache.dat file is missing or damaged.
• The long folder name associated with the Program Files\Microsoft Exchange folder is damaged or the Program Files folder has been renamed to $!$!$!$!.$!$.
• The Exchange or MlSet values under the Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\ Microsoft registry key are missing or damaged.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, perform the following steps. After performing each step, check to see if the problem has been resolved.

1. Verify that the Frmcache.dat file is not missing or damaged. To do so, perform the following steps. Before performing each step, rename the Frmcache.dat file in the Windows\Forms folder, if it exists. After performing each step, check to see if the problem has been resolved.

   a. Double-click the Mlset32.exe file in the Program Files\Microsoft

         Exchange folder.
   

   b. Copy the Frmcache.bak file in the Windows\Forms folder to

         Frmcache.dat.
   

   c. Obtain a copy of the Frmcache.dat file from a computer on which

         Windows Messaging is functioning properly and then copy the file to
         the Windows\Forms folder on your computer.
   

2. Verify that the Program Files\Microsoft Exchange folder exists. To do so, attempt to locate the folder using Windows Explorer. If the folder name that appears in Windows Explorer is Program Files\Micros~1 or Progra~1\Microsoft Exchange, or if the Program Files folder has been renamed to $!$!$!$!.$!$, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

         ARTICLE-ID: Q143395
         TITLE     : Microsoft Exchange Folder Truncated to "Micros~1"
   
   

3. Rename all copies of the Wmsfr32.dll and Wmsui32.dll files on your hard disk, and then extract new copies of the Wmsfr32.dll and Wmsui32.dll files from your original Windows 95 disks or CD-ROM to the Windows\ System folder. The Wmsfr32.dll and Wmsui32.dll files are located in the Win95_06.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 CD-ROM or the Win95_07.cab cabinet file on disk 7 of your original Windows 95 disks.

   For information about using the Extract tool, type "extract" (without quotation marks) at a command prompt, or see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

         ARTICLE-ID: Q129605
         TITLE     : How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files
   
      NOTE: If you have installed the Microsoft Exchange Update for Windows
      95, you should not extract new copies of the Wmsfr32.dll and
      Wmsui32.dll files from your original Windows 95 disks or CD-ROM. After
      you rename all copies of the files on your hard disk, you should
      reinstall the Microsoft Exchange Update from the online source from
      which you originally installed it.
   
   

4. Verify that the Exchange and MlSet values under the following registry key are not missing or damaged:

         Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft
   

   WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

   For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

   The Exchange value should have the following value:

         C:\Progra~1\Micros~1\exchng32.exe
   

   The MlSet value should have the following value:

         C:\Progra~1\Micros~1\mlset32.exe
   

   If either of these values is missing or incorrect, create or modify the value manually.

5. Remove and reinstall Microsoft Exchange. To do so, follow these steps:

   a. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.

   b. Click the Windows Setup tab and then click the Microsoft Exchange

         check box to clear it. If you are prompted to remove Microsoft Fax
         also, do so.
   

   c. Click OK.

   d. After Microsoft Exchange is removed, remove all files in the

         Windows\Forms folder and then restart Windows 95.
   

   e. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.

   f. Click the Windows Setup tab and then click the Microsoft Exchange

         check box to select it. If you also removed Microsoft Fax, click
         that check box to select it also.
   

   g. Click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

The Frmcache.dat file is created during the initial configuration of Windows Messaging, either by the Microsoft Exchange Setup Wizard or later when you add the first service. The Frmcache.dat file contains standard forms and other information that Windows Messaging uses to perform tasks such as displaying and sending messages. If the information associated with a particular task is missing or damaged, you receive an error message when you attempt to perform that task. If all other information in the file is not damaged, Windows Messaging appears to function properly when performing all other tasks.

The size of a valid Frmcache.dat file is usually 16K or larger. Many programs add information to the Frmcache.dat file when they are installed, causing the file to increase in size. The Frmcache.bak file is created when the Frmcache.dat file is first created and is typically not modified when a program adds information to Frmcache.dat file. Therefore, if you replace the Frmcache.dat file with the Frmcache.bak file, any information added to the Frmcache.dat file is lost. This information must be replaced manually by reinstalling the program that originally added it.

The following situations can cause the Frmcache.dat file to become damaged:

• You backed up and restored the files on your computer, but long file names were not recognized correctly. After the files were restored, the path for the Program Files\Microsoft Exchange folder did not match the associated registry entries.
• Your computer contains a preinstalled copy of Windows 95. When an image of Windows 95 is placed on a hard disk, Windows Messaging may appear to be installed correctly, but the Frmcache.dat file may not have been created correctly.