Windows Fax and Scan and Outlook contacts

I can't get Windows Fax and Scan (WFS) to use the contacts from
Outlook 2007. Running Vista Ultimate 64 on an SBS 2003 network. Using
the server's shared fax. This worked when I had Vista Ultimate 32
installed.

Unsuccesful steps I have tried.

I have run a repair install of Office. I have deleted my old profile
and created a new one. Please note that since I am running on SBS 2003
premium I use Exchange 2003 so I don't lose my contacts, e-mails, etc.
when I delete the profile. I have rebooted. I have deleted the fax
account and added it back.

When I click on the address book icon my contacts appear and those
with fax numbers are listed.

What I get for contacts are the one created by Windows Mail for me. I
have never used Windows Mail on this PC.

At the OS level: Make sure you set Outlook for all its capabilities and
Windows Mail for none of its. Reboot.

Also, could you check and make sure your WFS client is able to connect to
and send through your server's fax printer?
Outlook has all its defaults. Windows Mail only has .eml. Unfortunately it is grayed out and I am unable to change it.

Why can't you change it? You must. Otherwise, you may have identified your
problem. You are not running with sufficient privileges.

I am running as an Administrator. There does not appear to be a way to
select "run as adminstrator" when changing default programs. When I
click on the .eml protocol nothing happens. The same thing happens
when I try to uncheck the box with the space bar.

If it is any help, Windows Contacts has 4 of 5 defaults. I cannot
uncheck them - .contact, .group, .p7c, and LDAP.

I have taken my laptop home and am unable to send a fax via the server
at this time.

I don't have a host of problems. When I open up WFS and click on the
"To:" button the Windows Mail list of contacts opens. Only I am listed
as a contact in the Windows Mail contacts. I use Outlook 2007 for all
my e-mail and Forte Agent for my newsgroups. I thought that Outlook
contacts would be the default for WFS as it was on my old Vista 32
bit.

I can connect to the fax server and can send faxes via Outlook but
that is not the way I want to fax.

The "problem" with setting the defaults was that I didn't realize that
some defaults have to be set via "associate a file type or protocol
with a program" instead of the "set your default programs" link.

I will try to do as you suggest. I installed Windows Vista 64 bit to
the laptop. Connected to our SBS 2003 server and downloaded all the
Windows updates. Installed MS Office 2007. Added my Exchange account
to Outlook 2007. Now when I try to select contacts from within WFS I
get the Windows Mail contacts not the Outlook contacts.

As a side note, it is impossible to click on the Windows icon in the
task bar and then right click on "Default Programs" and select run as
Administrator. My problem with setting the defaults was I did not
understand that some have to be set via "set program access and
computer defaults" instead of via "set your default programs."

Are you running Vista 64 bit? Is anyone running Vista 64 bit and
getting Outlook contacts in WFS?

I'm not running 64 bit, but I've seen no reports of its not being able to
run WFS and connect to Outlook. You appear to have a problem at the OS
level. Windows Mail must be set for none of its defaults and Outlook for all
of its. Normally , simply installing Outlook will accomplish that.

No, I apologize. I meant I have two separate contact lists -
1 is in the shared public folder and the other is a contact
list of friends and family. Outlook still calls them
"address books" when I hover over the "book icon" and in the
"search address books" input box so that is what I called
them.

Don't forget that in Vista all of the messaging components that were in
Outlook Express are now separate in Windows Mail. So you need to be looking
at the Contacts component ("Windows Contacts") not the transports component.
Make sure Windows Contacts is not set for any of the defaults that Outlook
can handle.
I have no doubt that this may very well be a 64 bit problem. It's just not
one I've seen documented or reproduced. Usually this problem arises if the
Outlook profile is corrupt or not properly configured for its address book
service. Configuring an Outlook profile most definitely requires a 32 bit
app. Enable 32 bit apps and configure a new Outlook profile from scratch.
Make sure the Outlook Address Book Service is installed and working
correctly in this profile.

Windows Mail now has only SNEWS protocol of its defaults and
Outlook has all its defaults. Still no joy. SNEWS protocol
cannot be changed. Before you say this is the problem,
please see if you can change the SNEWS protocol.

From my Google searches all the posts that have specified 32
bit vs. 64 bit that have this problem have all said they
were using Vista 64 bit. On the other hand, how often does
one see someone specify Vista 32 bit? Not often, so my
anecdotal evidence may be wrong.

Other than the one protocol, I changed all to Outlook.
Rebooted and the problem still exists. I can't change the
one protocol.

Outlook is able to fully access the address books I have. We
have one address book shared via a public folder on the SBS
2003 server and I have a personal address book. I can access
both completely from within Outlook.

No, but Vista 32 WFS worked perfectly with the Outlook
contacts when I had it installed on the same laptop. When I
installed Vista 64 it was a fresh install onto an erased
hard drive (same one the Vista 32 was on, just erased) and
the Outlook data came over from the Exchange server not from
an old PST file.

If it helps, I have Bitlocker turned on but that didn't seem
to effect WFS under Vista 32.

I can confirm that the problem only occurs with Vista x64 and Windows 7
x64 (haven't tried XP x64 or Server 2003 x64 to see if their fax clients
are affected yet).

A side-by-side comparison between a Windows 7 x86 virtual machine and
an x64 VM told me this much. Control Panel -> Default Programs under
Microsoft Outlook and Windows Contacts were identical.

Regardless, Win7 x86 has no problems using Outlook Address Book
Contacts for WF&S, but x64 does.

This also happens when using the Outlook 2010 x64 beta with Win7
x64--WF&S still can't pull Outlook Contacts.

Somewhat odd since Outlook contacts are in the same file in either version
of win.

I've also confirmed that this problem even predates Vista and Outlook
2007.

I just installed a Windows XP x64 VM and Outlook 2003. I tried to use
XP x64's fax client to our SBS 2008 Fax server. I can't pull up Outlook
Address Book contacts in XP x64 either.

So, to review:

XP x86 and Outlook 2003, 2007 = works.
XP x64 and Outlook 2003 = no dice (haven't tried 2007 in XP x64 yet, but
I don't think that'll tell us anything relevant).
Vista x86 and Outlook 2003, 2007 = works.
Vista x64 and Outlook 2003, 2007 = no.
Windows 7 x86 and Outlook 2007 = works.
Windows 7 x64 and Outlook 2007 = no.
Windows 7 x64 and Outlook 2010 x64 = no.

The bottom line is that there is a problem with the Outlook Address Book
communicating with the x64 fax client in NT5 AND Windows Fax & Scan in
NT6!!! Since Outlook 2010 has this problem as well, I think it's more
of a problem with Outlook in general than processor architecture.

I'm beginning to understand why you're thinking I didn't quote. These posts are crossposted all over the Internet, and depending on what forum, message board, or Usenet newsgroup you're reading this from, you may not see the original message.

I've also added that the problem occurs in 64-bit Windows XP as well, so it's not just a problem with Windows Fax & Scan exclusively. It seems that whatever connects Windows XP/Server 2003's fax client or Vista/7's WF&S to Outlook doesn't work in x64.

Now that Office 2010 has RTM'd, I downloaded and installed it from my TechNet subscription, and tried out the native x64 version. The problem still exists: Windows Fax & Scan does not use Outlook 2010 x64's Address Book as the default source of fax telephone numbers/contacts. It doesn't matter if Start -> Control Panel -> Default Programs are pointing to Outlook as the contact manager or not.

It just amazes me that Microsoft would let something like this slide for so long. Then again, Desktop faxing isn't exactly something that a large number of users in the consumer sector indulge in...

I apologize...I posted my reply to the original thread in another forum,
which, of course, is crossposted all over the place.

The best way to describe the problem is here:

http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/arch...-contacts.aspx

....and here:

http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/e...1-487e0c4405be

Are you certain the Outlook Address Book Service was configured correctly on
the x64 machines? Since that requires the 32 bit Mail applet, it may not
have been.
You didn't quote the beginning of the thread so your post is a bit hard to
follow.

Since you still haven't quoted the thread so we know what the actual problem
is, I'm not going to spend any time on this.

Ah. I see.
Yes. I can confirm that the problem will never be fixed. Outlook stopped
supporting integration with the fax module after Outlook 2003.

If that's the official word, then it looks like we will probably have to
nudge our clients toward using Fax Mail Transport within Outlook itself if
they want Outlook Address Book integration in x64 (and not use Outlook 2010
x64, as it doesn't have Fax Mail Transport yet).

So, in a nutshell, the following fax options are available on the following
operating systems:

Legend:
1: Native NT5 fax client with Windows Address Book
2: Native NT5 fax client with Outlook 2003, 2007, x86 2010 Address Book (if
Outlook is installed)
3: Windows Fax and Scan with Windows Contacts
4: Windows Fax and Scan with Outlook 2003, 2007, x86 2010 Address Book (if
Outlook is installed)
5: Fax Mail Transport (Outlook 2003, 2007, x86 2010)

Operating Systems: Fax Options Available

Windows XP Home, Professional, Media Center, Tablet PC x86: Options 1, 2,
and 5 above
Windows XP x64: Options 1 and 5
Windows Vista Home Basic and Home Premium x86 and x64: Option 5 only
Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, Ultimate x86: Options 3, 4, and 5
Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, Ultimate x64: Options 3 and 5
Windows 7 Starter and Home Premium x86 and x64: Option 5 only
Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate x86: Options 3, 4, and 5
Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate x64: Options 3 and 5

Is that about right?

Looks right to me. As a rule, the Fax Module will use whatever address book
service the user has selected as the default for the operating system.
Microsoft stopped any development of fax integration with Outlook 2003 and
no longer support it. Users still have the ability to add the Fax Mail
Transport on their own to Outlook if they want. It was easier to leave the
code that permits doing so than to remove it from versions after 2003.