Outlook 2002 cannot find Word 2002 as email editor

[PKHarmon]

I'm running XP Pro, Office XP, and CA Internet Security Suite 2007. All
updates are current. In fact, I just installed XP SP3 a few days ago, and
since that installation, I've lost my address bar in my task bar in addition
to the problem that I'm now having with Outlook/Word. I don't know if this
XP SP3 caused the problem I'm having with Outlook/Word, but I noticed the
problem soon after I completed that update.

Word is set as my email editor in Outlook. I have closed Outlook and
re-opened. But if I try to reply to an email, I get the following message:
"This form requires Word as your email editor, but Word is either busy or
cannot be found. The form will be opened in Outlook editor instead."

I've run Detect and Repair a number of times today. I've followed advice
from several articles on how to fix this problem. I've deleted from the
registry and added to the registry. Scary, huh? Nothing has solved the
problem even though various solutions appear to have worked for other people
with this problem.

And just a few minutes ago, I discovered something that may be a bit unusual
about this. So far, I'm finding that I only have this problem when replying
to a certain associate who happens to use a hotmail address -- just in case
that's important. I've tried replying to at least 10 other email addresses,
and Word pops up as the editor without issues. None of them are hotmail
addresses, however. You would know that this particular associate is the one
person that I must correspond with by email regularly throughout each working
day.

Any suggestions as to what I can try that I haven't already tried -- other
than shooting myself?

Thanks in advance!
Pam Harmon

 

[PKHarmon]

One other thing that I just saw:

When I click on the properties of the email address to which I have trouble
replying, the following items display in addition to the display name and
email address:

(1) Internet format: Let Outlook decide the best sending format

(2) E-mail type: SMTP (grayed out)

I tried changing SMTP to HTTP just in case... But it reverts to SMTP and
grays out again.

 

[allen_ja]

One other thing that I just saw:

When I click on the properties of the email address to which I have trouble
replying,  the following items display in addition to the display name and
email address:

(1) Internet format: LetOutlookdecide the best sending format

(2) E-mail type: SMTP (grayed out)

I tried changing SMTP to HTTP just in case...  But it reverts to SMTP and
grays out again.

I had this and managed to fix it doing the following :
1/ from outlook, tolls/options
2/ select the 'mail format' tab
3/ uncheck the box 'use word to edit e-mail messages' and click APPLY
4/ start a new email and confirm that it just uses simple editor -
scrap that email
4b/ [I can't remember whether or not i closed and restarted Word at
this point - I don't think I did]
5/ and go back to tool/options/mail format
6/ reselect the 'use word to edit e-mail messages' and click APPLY
WORD should work OK now as the default Outlook editor

hth,
John

 

[thedorp]

One other thing that I just saw:

When I click on the properties of the email address to which I have trouble
replying, the following items display in addition to the display name and
email address:

(1) Internet format: LetOutlookdecide the best sending format

(2) E-mail type: SMTP (grayed out)

I tried changing SMTP to HTTP just in case... But it reverts to SMTP and
grays out again.

I had this and managed to fix it doing the following :
1/ from outlook, tolls/options
2/ select the 'mail format' tab
3/ uncheck the box 'use word to edit e-mail messages' and click APPLY
4/ start a new email and confirm that it just uses simple editor -
scrap that email
4b/ [I can't remember whether or not i closed and restarted Word at
this point - I don't think I did]
5/ and go back to tool/options/mail format
6/ reselect the 'use word to edit e-mail messages' and click APPLY
WORD should work OK now as the default Outlook editor

hth,
John

I have been having the same problem lately ( since Service Pack 3 was
installed as an automatic update?). It happens intermitently and just when I
try and reply to e-mails sent from Hotmail users. After a brief delay, I get
a message saying that Outlook Mail can't find Word or Word is busy and it
then uses Outlook's e-mail editor. This problem somtimes "hoses" my system
and I must reboot. I have Word set and saved in my Mail preferences as my
mail editor and when this problem occurs, that preference has always been
undone unchecked). Very annoying!

Does anyone know if there is a link to a Microsoft Support posting that
addresses this problem specifically? I use XP Home Ed. and Outlook 2002 with
all MCSF updates. Thanks. Mike