Fix CDO, Active X, or Unspecified error in Email

"CDO" stands for Collaboration Data Objects. A CDO error (or "unspecified" error) occurs when Microsoft Office Outlook is set as the default mail handler in Windows but it is missing Microsoft's Exchange CDO feature. Outlook needs its CDO code (or code to perform a similar function) installed to support collaborating (exchanging messaging code) with other programs. 

To be able to send email through Microsoft Outlook from programs (such as CTI Navigator) that are not part of Microsoft Office, you need to either install Outlook's Collaboration Data Objects (CDO) feature from Microsoft or install special files from CTI (see Outlook 2010-2016 below). Attempting to send email through Office Outlook without Microsoft's CDO code or CTI's fix installed can cause a CDO error, Active X error (429), or Unspecified error. (Note. If you are using an email program other than Outlook in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, see Unspecified Error in Windows 10/8/7/Visa Email.)

Click on the version of Office Outlook installed on your computer for appropriate instructions, patches or links to install its collaboration (CDO) or other feature to allow it to email messages (or MLS reports) from programs not part of Microsoft Office:


Outlook 2016, 2013 and 2010  

Unlike previous versions of Office Outlook, Microsoft does not provide collaboration code (CDO) to allow Outlook 2010 and later to accept e-mail messages created by Windows programs (like CTI Navigator) that are not part of the Microsoft Office suite.  Therefore CTI has created special programming for CTI Navigator to transfer MLS reports through Windows into the default (32-bit) version of Outlook 2010, 2013 or 2016 (for 64-bit Outlook 2010 see below). CTI's special code also works for most installations of Outlook 2007 or 2003 (after installing and activating the appropriate CDO feature as described below). These CTI files will only affect e-mail originating from CTI Navigator. After these special files have been installed on a computer where Outlook is the default mail handler, e-mail reports from CTI Navigator should send out through Outlook whether or not Outlook was already open. 

To install this special programming so that MLS reports or MLS contacts can be e-mailed through (32-bit) Outlook, first close both CTI Navigator and Office Outlook. Then download and unzip the CDO Fix file (below) appropriate for your version of Windows (CDO_Fix.exe for 32-bit Windows or CDOx86Fix.exe for 64-bit Windows). Do not change the "unzip to folder" from "C:\" unless you installed CTI Navigator in a non-standard location. 

Windows Version Note: To determine whether your Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit, go to Start > Control Panel > System > then in the System section under the "System Type", look for either 32-bit or 64-bit Operating System. The 32-bit version of Outlook is the default installation in both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows. (To determine the version of Outlook, see the Outlook Version note below.) 

Outlook 2013 and 2016 System Requirement. Office 2013 and later can be installed only on Windows 7 SP1 and later (8, 8.1 and 10). Installation in Windows Vista or XP is not supported. 

Windows 10, 8, 7 or Vista with User Account Control ON (the default setting)

Windows 10, 8, 7 or Vista with User Account Control OFF

If User Account Control is OFF in Windows Vista and later, you can install CTI's CDO Fix files either as described above, or using fewer steps as described for Windows XP below. 

Windows XP

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64-bit Office Outlook

Except for those using Excel spreadsheets greater than 2 GB (over 1 million cells), Microsoft recommends installing the 32-bit instead of the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office (which includes 32-bit Outlook). This is because "using the 64-bit version of Outlook does not have any direct benefits. The functionality within [32-bit] Outlook is the same and there is also no (noticeable) performance increase by using the 64-bit edition { www.msOutlook.info/question/461 }."  [In addition,] "the 64-bit version of Office 2010 is not compatible with any other 32-bit version of Office [or other] programs" (see Choose 32-bit (instead of 64-bit) Version of Office - Outlook in the related articles link at the end of this webpage). 

The 32-bit version of Microsoft Office is included in all Office 2010 and later packages. If the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office is pre-installed on a computer, users would gain maximum compatibility with other programs by un-installing the 64-bit and re-installing the 32-bit version of Office (even in 64-bit Windows). 

Outlook Version Note: To determine if Office Outlook is installed as 32-bit or 64-bit:

  • In Outlook 2013, click on File, "Office Account", then "About Outlook" and look for either 32-bit or 64-bit at the end of the version number. About Ofice 2013About Outlook 2013 32-bit
  • In Outlook 2010 or 2007, click on File, select Help or About, and look for (64-bit) at the end of the version number.

 About 64-bit version in Outlook 2010 

CTI Navigator users who have a special need to run a 64-bit version of Office 2010 instead of the recommended 32-bit version, can either 

Hotmail Connector Options

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Outlook 2007

Unlike Office 2003, Office 2007 and Exchange 2007 no longer include the Collaboration Data Objects (CDO) feature code in their installation media. However, the missing Collaboration Data Objects for Office 2007 can be downloaded from Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3671 .  If your email provider is using Exchange 2007 Server, the Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Client and Collaboration Data Objects can be downloaded from Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=1004 .

Consequently, to use Outlook 2007 as your default e-mail for all programs in Windows (not just for email created inside Microsoft Office) download the appropriate CDO file and follow Microsoft's installation instructions. (Basically you Save the ExchangeCdo.exe file to your Desktop > Open/Run this ExchangeCdo.exe file to extract to your Desktop > Open the ExchangeCdo FOLDER that is created when you run the "ExchangeCdo.exe" file > then Run the ExchangeCdo.MSI installer. Both the ExchangeCdo file and folder can be deleted off the desktop once you have confirmed that the CDO feature works to allow email files to transfer into Outlook. In Windows Vista and Windows 7 you may need to both ExchangeCdo files to "Run as Administrator". (For a description of "run as administrator", see Office Outlook 2007 in the related article "Using Windows Vista and Windows 7" at the bottom of this webpage.)

If installing Microsoft's ExchangeCdo files does not fix the CDO error when emailing messages from Navigator Desktop, download CTI's CDO fix that is appropriate for your 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows as described under Outlook 2010 and 2013 above. 

WARNING: Be sure to have Outlook closed when installing its CDO feature. If a CDO error persists after installing the CDO and/or MAPI client code into Office Outlook, re-start Windows

Windows 7 & Vista Note: If you have User Account Control (UAC) enabled in Windows Vista or Windows 7, even though the CDO feature has been added, Office Outlook may need to be closed before MLS reports can be transferred from CTI Navigator through Windows into Office Outlook. Also, the Outlook e-mail process (Outlook.exe) continues to run sometimes even though the Office Outlook program is closed. To close an open Outlook e-mail process so that MLS reports can be transferred into Outlook:  

  1. Close Office Outlook if it is open
  2. Open Windows Task Manager (see note below)
  3. Select the Processes tab
  4. Right-click on Outlook.exe > select "End Process"
  5. Also right-click on WinMail.exe and select "End Process", if it is listed under Processes. 

Task Manager note: To open the Windows Task Manger with your mouse, you can right-click on the Windows task bar (at the bottom of the screen) and select Task Manager. 

If you want to leave Office Outlook open continuously and also be able to send MLS reports, you can give Outlook administrative privileges during the current Windows session by right-clicking on its icon (or on the Outlook.exe file in Windows Explorer) and then set it to "Run as Administrator" (for details, see Set Program to Run with Administrative Privileges in the related article "Using Windows Vista and Windows 7" below). You can locate Outlook's program file (Outlook.exe) either by using the Windows Search function, or by opening Windows Explorer and browsing to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office ##. 

Otherwise, if you continue to encounter email errors after manually ending the email process (as described above), or if you prefer to leave your Office Outlook open, you may disable User Account Control (see Manage User Account Control in "Using Windows Vista and Windows 7" in the related articles below) and re-start Windows. Note that leaving User Account Control disabled lowers your system security level and essentially causes Windows 8, 7 or Vista to revert to the user security mode of Windows XP. As an alternative, you can install Windows Live Mail or Mozilla Thunderbird which do not require CDO code and can be left open. 

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Office Outlook 2003 (or 2002 in Office XP) 

To install the CDO feature: 

  1. Click on Windows Start
  2. Select Control Panel
  3. Click "Programs and Features" (or Add/Remove Programs)
  4. Select the appropriate edition of "Microsoft Office". (Note: Your screens may differ from those displayed below.)
    (click on image to enlarge)
  5. Click the Change button (at the top of the list in Windows Vista and later) 
  6. Select "Add or Remove Features" and click the Next button at the bottom of the screen
    (click on image to enlarge)
  7. In Outlook 2003 (and later) check "Choose Advanced Customization of applications" (earlier versions do not have an Advanced Customization option) and click the Next button
    (click on image to enlarge)
  8. Click the plus sign (+) beside "Microsoft Office Outlook" or "Microsoft Outlook for Windows"
  9. Click the down arrow beside the red X in front of Collaboration Data Objects
  10. Select Run from my computer (or Run All from my computer) 
      (click on image to enlarge)
  11. Click the Update button (if prompted, insert the Microsoft Office CD in your CD drive)
  12. Click OK.

Note 1: Even if you do not have the Microsoft Office disk, you can try the above. Some installations automatically include a backup copy of the Microsoft Office files on the computer. 

Note 2: If you are using Windows 7 or Vista and have already installed the CDO feature in Office Outlook, see the Windows 7 and Vista note under Outlook 2007. 

Note 3: If installing the CDO feature or CDO special code patch does not fix email problems through Office Outlook, open Outlook > click Help > select Detect and Repair. (If this is not available in your Windows, click Start > Control Panel > select “Programs & Features” > select Office > click Repair.) If the Repair function does not fix the problem, either uninstall and re-install Outlook, upgrade your Outlook to a newer edition, or set Windows to use a different email program such as Windows Live Mail Mozilla Thunderbird,  Windows Mail (only in Vista), or Outlook Express (only in XP) as its default Mail Handler (see "Setup Email in Windows" - also in the related articles below). If you re-install Outlook, be sure to add the CDO feature after re-installing. Setting Windows to use a different email program than Outlook as its default mail handler will not prevent you from emailing directly out of Office Outlook, but it would entail maintaining a separate address book in each email program.

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Outlook 2000 Unspecified Error

 

Microsoft Outlook 2000 should be installed for “Corporate or Workgroup” mail (see conversion instructions below) rather than for “Internet Mail Only”. When set to Internet Mail Only, Outlook 2000 can lockup CTI Navigator when Windows attempts to transfer MLS reports from CTI Navigator desktop into this version of Outlook. To determine if your installation of Outlook 2000 is set for Internet Mail Only, open Microsoft Outlook (not Outlook Express), click Help and then click "About Microsoft Outlook". Whether Outlook is installed for Internet Mail Only or for Corporate/Workgroup should show under the version and service pack (SP) title.

Warning: If you use Microsoft Office Outlook 2000 for client/server messaging and store information remotely on an Internet server, you should copy the contents of your IMAP folders to a new personal folder on your computer BEFORE you convert Outlook 2000 from “Internet Mail Only” to Corporate or Workgroup. Information in IMAP accounts will not be transferred into a Corporate/Workgroup installation of Outlook. See the related article at the bottom of this webpage, "Switch Outlook 200 'Internet Mail Only' to Corporate or Workgroup", for Microsoft's instructions on copying IMAP contents.

To change Office Outlook 2000 from "Internet Mail Only" to Corporate or Workgroup:

  1. Open Microsoft Office Outlook

  2. On the Tools menu, click Options.

  3. On the Mail Delivery tab, click Reconfigure Mail Support.

  4. In the E-Mail Service Options dialog box, click to select the Corporate or Workgroup support check box, and then click Next.

  5. Read the warning message, and then click Yes. Outlook will close.

  6. Start Outlook. The Windows Installer will start and install the required files. (It may need your Office 2000 disk for these files.)

  7. Close Outlook and install the Collaboration Data Objects feature to Outlook (described above).

You may need to re-start Windows for all these changes in Outlook to register properly.

Follow the instructions in note 3 above to repair Outlook if adding the CDO does not fix the email error.

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Outlook 1997 and 1998

Unfortunately, Office Outlook 1997 and 1998 do not include the collaboration feature and are no longer supported by Microsoft. This means that they will not process email not generated inside the Office. (For email alternatives, see "Email - how to  Setup and use email in Windows to send MLS reports" in related articles below.)

Unspecified Error in Windows 8/7/Vista Email 

The User Account Control (UAC) security feature in Windows 8, 7 or Vista may block the transfer of email code to your default email program (regardless or whether it is Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail, Office Outlook, or Thunderbird) if that program was already open before the email code was sent. This is to prevent programs or hackers from sending email out of your computer without your knowledge and permission. If your email program in Windows 8/7/Vista was already open when you attempted to email MLS reports from CTI Navigator, an "unspecified error" or a "...clsSendMail_Send" error may occur.  To fix such errors, close all open email processes as follows:

  1. Close the error message and close CTI Navigator Desktop 
  2. Close your Windows Email program (such as Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail, or Office Outlook) 
  3. Open the Windows Task Manager (in Windows Vista, 7 or 8 right-click on the task bar at the bottom of the screen and select "Task Manager" or "Start Task Manager")
  4. Select the Processes tab
  5. Select to highlight any email process (such as outlook.exe, WinMail.exe, or wlmail.exe) in the list 
  6. Either right-click on the process and select "End Process", or click the "End Process" button near the bottom of the screen
  7. Read Microsoft's warning and click OK (if you are sure you are stopping an email process)
  8. Minimize or close the Task Manager
  9. Open CTI Navigator (but do not open your email program), and send your MLS information. 

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Related articles and Internet links:

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rev.07.28.2016