Choosing an Outlook 98 or Outlook 2000 Mode

Outlook 98 and Outlook 2000 are actually three programs in one:

• An Internet e-mailer with Personal Information Manager (PIM) features (Internet Mail Only or IMO mode)
• A standalone PIM with no e-mail (No E-mail mode)
• An e-mail client/PIM for Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Mail, cc:Mail, Internet mail servers and other servers with MAPI clients (Corporate/Workgroup mode)

When you install, the setup program will try to determine which mode is right for you, based on your machine’s configuration and some questions you answer.

To see what mode you installed, choose Help | About.

Which is the best mode? | Controlling the mode choice
Changing modes in Outlook 2000 | Changing modes in Outlook 98 | More Information

Which is the best mode?

If you have been using Eudora, Outlook Express or Netscape Communicator with just the Internet Mail transport, you should install Internet Mail Only (IMO) mode. This also applies if you have been using Outlook 97 or Exchange with only the Internet Mail transport (check Tools | Services). IMO mode supports POP3, LDAP and IMAP and is faster for Internet mail users than Corporate or Workgroup. It also includes Symantec WinFax Starter Edition, suited to occasional fax transmissions but not extensive sending or receiving. However, it does not allow multiple profiles (except through multiple Windows logons) or support the Personal Address Book. Its address book can also be very slow if you build a large Contacts folder.

If you have been using Outlook 97 or Exchange to connect to Microsoft Exchange Server or Microsoft Mail, you should choose Corporate or Workgroup (CW) mode, which will allow you to use any of the MAPI messaging, address book or other services that you might see in your Outlook or Exchange profile. Use Tools | Services to check for sure. If you see anything other than Internet Mail (or E-mail), Personal Folders, Personal Address Book or Outlook Address Book, you must install CW mode to retain those services. CW mode does not support IMAP. Microsoft’s ActiveSync utility apparently requires CW mode.

There is also a No E-mail mode, if you want to use Outlook 98 just for calendar, contacts and tasks, not for e-mail. Note that MAPI address books, such as Corel’s, do not work in No E-mail mode. You must install CW.

Controlling the mode choice

During Outlook 98 and Outlook 2000 setup, there are three different triggers that determine which mode gets installed:

1. If the machine currently has Outlook installed, you will be asked whether you are upgrading from a previous version of Outlook. If you want to reserve the right to make your own choice of mode, answer No. If you have been using the Internet Mail service and want to use IMO mode, answer Yes. Otherwise, if you answer Yes, the setup program will examine your Outlook 97 profile and decide what mode is "right" for you or, for Outlook 98 users, install the same mode you’re using now.
   
   
2. If you answer No to the first question or if you did not have Outlook 97 or 98 installed, the setup program looks for other e-mail programs, such as Eudora, Netscape Communicator, Outlook Express and Internet Mail and News. If it finds one of those, it asks which program you are upgrading from. If you want to use CW or No E-mail mode, choose None of the above. If you want to use IMO mode, pick the program you have been using.
   
   
3. If you answered No to the first question and None of the above to the second, you should finally see a screen where you can choose for yourself whether to install Outlook in Internet Mail Only, Corporate or Workgroup or No E-mail mode.

Changing modes in Outlook 2000

Choose Tools | Options, and on the Mail Services tab (CW mode) or Mail Delivery tab (IMO mode), click Reconfigure Mail Support. Also see:

• OL2000 – Switching from One Installation Type to Another
• OL2000 Some Exchange Folders Do Not Display When You Switch from CW to IMO

Changing modes in Outlook 98

To change modes after installing Outlook 98, you must install either the Internet Only or Corporate or Workgroup E-mail Service component, whichever you are not currently using. See Components for details on how to add components.

More Information

• OL2000 – How to Tell What Type of Outlook Setup You Have
• OL2000 What Setup Option Should I Choose When I Install Outlook
• OL98: How to Tell What Type of Outlook Setup You Have
• XCLN How to Disable the Reconfigure Mail Support Button
• OL2000 "Cannot Start Microsoft Outlook" Error Message When You Switch the Mail Support Setting in a Custom Outlook Installation — Either Omint.dll or Mapi32.dll may be listed as missing

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Last reviewed on Sep 14, 2011