Setting Default mail client in Windows 2000/XP

There is great confusion about having a "default mail program" on Windows computers in CHFA. Since there are no less than five mail programs in use by various faculty (Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Netscape Messenger, Eudora) and various versions of each - the confusion is understandable.

There are at least three different things that can be described as constituting your default mail client program on a computer running Microsoft Windows XP:

1. The mailto: Uniform Resource Identifier (when you click on a web link)
2. Programs that make Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) calls. This includes the "read mail" toolbar icon in Internet Explorer, the Send Page by Email command in Internet Explorer, or the "Send to-> Mail recipient" when you right click a file in Windows Explorer.
3.Windows XP also adds a show on Start Menu if you are using the “new” Windows XP Shell. This places your preferred mail application in the upper left column when you click the start button.

Historically, these settings were set "per computer" - that is all users on the same computer all would have the same default mail program. The Windows XP start menu entry is the first item that is available as a "per user" characteristic. Any user can set that preference by right clicking the start button, choosing properties, the to the right of start menu click the customize button and at the bottom under Show on Start menu choose your preferred E-mail program.

We have recently encountered an issue: when Outlook 2003 (part of Office 2003) is installed, it registers itself as the default program for mailto: URIs and as the MAPI default program. Given our restrictions on installing software, Windows has not normally allowed users to change this back to their previous E-mail program. As of this morning we have modified Windows XP machines in faculty, staff, and departmental offices to allow you to change this setting.

If you share a departmental computer with someone else, keep in mind that each user has the ability to change these preferences for everyone using that machine.

Users will not be able to change this setting in CHFA computer labs. Outlook Express will be the default email program for all purposes in CHFA labs and classrooms.

Information posted by Chris Conklin, 7/6/2004 10:46:20 AM.