Setting a signature in default outlook profile

[Mike D.]

Hello

I am trying to configure an Outlook profile using the CIW so that all
Outlook profiles in our department are set the same upon first use. In the
CIW I have set the following registry value below to be added. I know the
profile name will always be "My E-mail" so the registry path will always be
the same. However I cannot get Outlook to use the signature I want (which
is called DEFAULT). I have other registry values set, but only this one is
under the "Windows Messaging Subsystem" key. It appears on Outlooks first
run it sets this value, but then wipes all the values under the
\HKCU\...\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\My E-mail\... so this
Signature is never set. However I can import this reg hack after Outlook is
opened and the profile created and it works fine - the signature file is
selected. I could automate the configuration of the signature, but Outlook
would have to be opened once then closed then opened again. The problem
with that is (besides being inconvenient for the user) is that I am using XP
mandatory profiles so when a user logs off the computer all changes are
lost. Even if I could automate the importing of this reg key, the signature
file would not be selected on the first run of Outlook during the users
session.

I am using Outlook 2003 SP1.

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\My
E-Mail\9375CFF0413111d3B88A00104B2A6676\00000002]
"New Signature"=hex:44,00,65,00,66,00,61,00,75,00,6c,00,74,00,00,00

Any ideas on how to make this value 'stick' so a users default Outlook
profile is pointing to the correct signature?

The signature file exists and is in the correct spot in the Windows XP
profile.

Thx

-Mike

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Sounds like your configuration is creating a new mail profile for Outlook each time, which means your approach won't work. Instead, I'd suggest that you apply OFfice 2003 SP2 and use a Group Policy Object. KB 898076 explains the fix that makes this possible. http://www.winnetmag.com/Files/04/47211/47211.zip is an administrative template .adm file that asks for the name of a signature, rather than just disabling signatures as the Outlk11.adm file that comes with the ORK does.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"Mike D." <m...@you.com> wrote in message news:e%23jsH3UL...@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...

[Mike D.]

Good info! thx!

I wanted to avoid going the GPO route since 1) we do not have the ADM files
loaded on our DCs, and 2) I didn't want to configure the local GP on every
PC.

What I did was on a test machine I set the GP then exported the registry
setting it created. I then imported that reg setting into the CMW file via
the Custom Maintenance Wizard and will apply the CMW file as part of our
image process for new PCs. The default signature is now set.

Oh, and this worked in Outlook 2003 SP1.

Thanks again.

-Mike

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" <sue...@outlookcode.com> wrote in message
news:%23vRwREY...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Sounds like a good solution for your environment. I'm really surprised though that the setting worked in SP1, because it sure failed here. Maybe you have the hotfix, though?

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"Mike D." <m...@you.com> wrote in message news:OUgxvOaL...@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...

> Good info! thx!
>
> I wanted to avoid going the GPO route since 1) we do not have the ADM files
> loaded on our DCs, and 2) I didn't want to configure the local GP on every
> PC.
>
> What I did was on a test machine I set the GP then exported the registry
> setting it created. I then imported that reg setting into the CMW file via
> the Custom Maintenance Wizard and will apply the CMW file as part of our
> image process for new PCs. The default signature is now set.
>
> Oh, and this worked in Outlook 2003 SP1.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> -Mike
>
>
>
> "Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" <sue...@outlookcode.com> wrote in message
> news:%23vRwREY...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Sounds like your configuration is creating a new mail profile for Outlook
> each time, which means your approach won't work. Instead, I'd suggest that
> you apply OFfice 2003 SP2 and use a Group Policy Object. KB 898076 explains
> the fix that makes this possible.
> http://www.winnetmag.com/Files/04/47211/47211.zip is an administrative
> template .adm file that asks for the name of a signature, rather than just
> disabling signatures as the Outlk11.adm file that comes with the ORK does.
>

[Mike D.]

It's possible, I'd have to check. Our desktop engineering group provided me
with our Office 2003 build. I am not aware of what, if any, patches they
have installed beyond SP1. This is the registry setting I imported:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\office\11.0\Common\MailSettings]
"NewSignature"="Default"

-Mike

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" <sue...@outlookcode.com> wrote in message

news:etps4Sa...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...