What's New  


Click here to subscribe
to our weekly newsletter
Exchange Messaging Outlook
EMO back issues

Microsoft Fax

MS Fax, also known as Microsoft At Work Fax, is a free component that comes with Windows 95 and, if you know where to look, Windows 98. It is not available as a download.

MS Fax is essentially unsupported and has seen no new features added since its release with Windows 95. Microsoft does not provide a version of Microsoft Fax for Windows NT or Windows Millenium Edition. For Windows 2000, see Windows 2000 Fax

 

Setup | Usage | Notes | Limitations | Problems | More Information

Setup

 The order in which you install Microsoft Fax depends on your version of Windows and the version of Exchange, Windows Messaging or Microsoft Outlook.

For Windows 98:

You must first install Windows Messaging, unless you are planning to use Microsoft Fax with Outlook 2000 :

  • Look in the \Tools\Oldwin95\Message folder, in the \Intl or \Us subfolder (as appropriate), for the file Wms.exe. Run this program.
    •

    After installing Windows Messaging, in the \Tools\Oldwin95\Message folder, in the \Intl or \Us subfolder (as appropriate), locate the file Awfax.exe.  Run this program to install the Microsoft Fax components. Follow the suggested installation order for your mail client:

    For Windows Messaging:

    1. Install Windows Messaging, as described above.
    2. Install Microsoft Fax.

    For Microsoft Outlook 97:

    1. Install Windows Messaging, as described above.
    2. Install Microsoft Fax and test to make sure it is operating correctly before proceeding.
    3. Install Outlook 97.

    For Microsoft Outlook 98 :

    1. Install Windows Messaging, as described above.
    2. Install Microsoft Fax and test.
    3. Install Outlook 98 in Corporate/Workgroup mode. See Choosing a Mode.
    4. Install the Fax Update for Corporate or Workgroup E-mail Service. See Outlook 98 Components for details on how to do this either with the Outlook 98 CD or by connecting to the components site on the Internet..

    For Microsoft Outlook 2000:

    1. Install Microsoft Fax.
    2. Install Outlook in Corporate/Workgroup mode. See Choosing a Mode.
    3. If you reverse the above order (installing Microsoft Fax after Outlook 2000), you'll need to run Help | Detect and Repair to update some components of Outlook.

    If Microsoft Fax does not work in Outlook 2000 after the above steps, follow the instructions in the MSKB article OL2000 (CW) Microsoft Fax Compatibility Issues with Outlook 2000 to find and run the Fixmapi.exe utility.

    For Windows 95:

  • See Microsoft Fax - How to make it work
    •
    Back to Top

    Usage

    		 You can send a fax with the Compose New Fax command on the Programs menu or Outlook/Exchange/Windows Messaging menu or by printing to the Microsoft Fax printer driver. If you don't see a Microsoft Fax printer driver, run Awadpr32.exe to build one. This problem is sometimes seen when you set up Microsoft Fax on a workstation that's going to use a network fax modem.

    For more information on usage, limitations and known problems in Microsoft Fax, please download the Exchange Client FAQ. This searchable Help file also includes instructions for setting up Microsoft Fax as a network fax server.
    Back to Top

    Notes

    		 If your fax modem needs a particular setup string to work, you must enter it through the Windows Registry. Make a backup of the registry first, then run Regedit and look for the key

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\At Work Fax\Local Modems

    Under that key, you should see a key that begins with TAPI for each of the modems installed on your system. Under that TAPI* key, you can enter values for PreAnswerCommand, PreDialCommand, ResetCommand and SetupCommand.
    Back to Top

    Limitations

    		 Microsoft Fax faxes use the .awd file format, which can be read only by the original Fax Viewer that shipped with Windows 95, the version of Imaging for Windows that ships with Windows 95 and Windows 98, Imaging for Windows Professional Edition and possibly some other OCR programs. It is also possible to hack the original Fax Viewer to make it work on Windows NT; see To view faxes received with Microsoft Fax on an Windows NT system. This method does not work, however, for Windows 2000.  

    For more information on usage, limitations and known problems in Microsoft Fax, please download the Exchange Client FAQ.

    Also see:

  • OL2000 You Cannot Forward a Fax in Outlook
  • OL2000 (CW) Microsoft Fax Does Not Process Dialing Properties
    •
    Back to Top

    Problems

    		 The Windows 98 version of Microsoft Fax addresses the major known problems.

    For Windows 95 users, following the Microsoft Fax - How to make it work should resolve any known problems.
    Back to Top

    More Information
  • Personal Fax Services
  • To view faxes received with Microsoft Fax on an Windows NT system
  • OL98: (CW) ErrMsg: Cannnot Start Microsoft Outlook

  • Windows 98 Wms-fax.txt -- Readme for Windows 98

  • Windows 95 Resource Kit - Chapter 27

    •
    Updated Jul 15 2008
    Copyright Slipstick Systems. All rights reserved.
    Send comments using our Feedback page

    Home | What's New | Exchange Server | Outlook | Utilities | Bookstore
    About Slipstick | Feedback | Privacy Policy | Site Map | Archived Pages | Link to Us | Advertise