Restore Outlook 2007 color categories

After you have upgraded to Outlook 2007 from the earlier outlook versions, you will get suprise to see that all categories from contacts, have been converted to color categories globally.

So you will see in calendar, tasks, and you’ve been so annoyed that, you want to reset to default color categories? You can’t find any options in Outlook 2007 to reset to default categories. If you delete one by one, it could take a long long time.

So, the easiest way is :
Start menu–>> RUN—>> and enter “c:program filesmicrosoft officeoffice12outlook.exe” /cleancategories“

Enjoy your journey with new stylish Outlook 2007!

Reference : Microsoft

Minimize Outlook to system tray

Ever wanted to minimize your outlook to system tray, without leaving window minimize on the taskbar? I’ve googled and found a lot of sites explaining how to edit registry for that. The funny thing is that, it’s not that difficult at all. You can simply click outlook icon in system tray and choose “Hide When Minimized”.

That’s it! Whenever you minimize the outlook, it would go straight to the system tray, not left on the system tray at all.

Reference : Microsoft

How to enable Change Password in OWA

I am using Exchange Server 2003 on Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition. I want my users to let them change their passwords.

Here is the list of steps that I took:

To configure the IISADMPWD virtual directory, do the following:
1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Services Manager.
2. Right-click the default Web site, point to New, and then click Virtual Directory.
3. In the Virtual Directory Creation wizard, type IISADMPWD in the Alias box, and then click Next.
4. In the Directory box, type :winntsystem32inetsrviisadmpwd or the location where your hard disk is your default hard disk, and then click Next.
5. Verify that only the Read and Run script check boxes are selected, such as the ASP check box, click Next, and then click Finish.
6. Verify that the IISADMPWD virtual directory has only basic authentication set and, if you use Windows 2003/IIS 6.0, verify that the application pool is set to ExchangeApplicationPool.

After that I need to tweak something in registry.

1. Start Registry Editor, and then locate the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSet
ServicesMSExchangeWeb
2. If an OWA key is not present under MSExchangeWeb, click the Edit menu, click New, and then click Key to add a new key named OWA.
3. Locate the DisablePassword value and change the data to “0.” If this value is not present, click the Edit menu, click New, click DWORD_Value to add the following value to the OWA registry subkey if you want the Change Password button to appear:

Value name: DisablePassword
Value type: REG_DWORD
Data: 0

If you want to hide the Change Password button, change the DisablePassword value data to “1.”

After that, you need to stop and then restart the Exchange Information Store Service and the IIS Admin Service. This stops and restarts the World Wide Web Publishing Services (W3SVC).
Make sure that you all the dependent services that you require are restarted, such as IMAP4, POP3, Microsoft Exchange Routing Engine, W3SVC, MTA Stacks.
For my case, I forgot to write down the list of services, so I don’t know which services left to run, that leads me to restart the whole server.

Anyway, for the moment, I don’t need to do any troubleshooting yet.

Source : Microsoft

Outlook 2007 with Exchange 2003

Have you guys always tried Outlook 2007 with exchange 2003 over internet by using RPC(Now Microsoft called it Outlook Anywhere)? If so, you might face these kinds of errors:

• If your Outlook profile has been automatically configured, you may receive the following error message:
The action cannot be completed. The connection to the Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable. Your network adapter does not have a default gateway.
• If your Outlook profile has been manually configured, you may receive the following error message:
Your Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable
For example, this error may occur when you have an existing profile that was previously connected to the Exchange Server, and then you lose the setting for your default gateway. In this scenario, if you click Check Name to verify your settings in the E-mail Accounts dialog box, you may receive the following error message:
Outlook cannot log on. Verify that you are connected to the network and are using the proper server and mailbox name. The connection to the Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable. Your network adapter does not have a default gateway.
When you try to connect Outlook 2007 to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 by using RPC over HTTPS, you may receive the following error message:
Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window. The set of folders cannot be opened. The attempt to log on to Microsoft Exchange has failed.

Well there is a simple solution for this:

You can work around this problem by adding a DWORD value to the following registry subkey:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0OutlookRPC
To add this DWORD value, follow these steps.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. Locate and then click the following subkey:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0OutlookRPC
3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
4. Type DefConnectOpts, and then press ENTER.
5. Right-click DefConnectOpts, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. Exit Registry Editor.

Source : Microsft

IRC Chat in comic mode ( Microsoft Chat v2.5 )

Well, I really like this program. This program ( Microsoft Chat v 2.5 ) could create comic character according to chosen words in your conversation. So, you can see yourself like comic character.

I recommend you to download and try this program. I guarantee you that there is no spyware as this is from Microsoft.

The cutiest thing about this program is that it even create story title for your chat. Have fun!

The screenshot is that just me playing. It seems that both parties need to use Microsoft Chat v 2.5 to work.

If you want more info, you can go here.

Funny MS note says Java can kill you!

It is quite odd that Microsoft add this EULA clause no.8 for Java. No wonder why some people hates M$ too much.

NOTE ON JAVA SUPPORT. THE SOFTWARE PRODUCT MAY CONTAIN SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMS WRITTEN IN JAVA. JAVA TECHNOLOGY IS NOT FAULT TOLERANT AND IS NOT DESIGNED, MANUFACTURED, OR INTENDED FOR USE OR RESALE AS ON-LINE CONTROL EQUIPMENT IN HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS REQUIRING FAIL-SAFE PERFORMANCE, SUCH AS IN THE OPERATION OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES, AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION OR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, DIRECT LIFE SUPPORT MACHINES, OR WEAPONS SYSTEMS, IN WHICH THE FAILURE OF JAVA TECHNOLOGY COULD LEAD DIRECTLY TO DEATH, PERSONAL INJURY, OR SEVERE PHYSICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.

Source : Microsoft, Yakov Fain

Windows Live Messenger MSN 8 Beta without Invites

Well, well, once again, the same story repeats. Just like Gmail invites, now Windows Live Messenger invites got a way to eBay. Some ask for US$ 9.50 for one invite.

I would love to get an invite to the Windows Live Messenger MSN 8 beta, but I’m not desperate enough to pay my $$ for one. If you have extra invites and want to invite me, I would be really happppppppyy.

Updated: I just got a link to download MSN Messenger 8. Here is the link or here.

After you download it and install, you can’t sign in yet if you don’t have official invite. You need to download a patch to trick the MSN service into thinking you’re running Messenger 7.5 if your account hasn’t been enabled for the beta. Here is the link(site1, site2, site3) for the patch. Use at your own risk, I am not responsible for anything that may happen.

If you install and run these beta, you are exposing yourself to spyware and viruses for a version of Messenger 8 that is not even fully functional. I recommend you to be patient and wait for your beta invite.