Microsoft KB Archive/221783

= "Fax Device Cannot Be Managed" Error Message During BackOffice Small Business Server Startup =

Article ID: 221783

Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0
 * Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0a
 * Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.5

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This article was previously published under Q221783



IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



SYMPTOMS
When BackOffice Small Business Server (SBS) 4.0 starts, you may receive the following error message:

Fax devices cannot be managed from the printers folder. Please use the appropriate fax configuration applet from the control panel.

You may receive more than one instance of the error message after you click OK. There is no change in the error message if you uninstall and reinstall the modems currently attached to the computer. After the computer has finished starting, all fax functions appear to work correctly.



CAUSE
This behavior occurs because registry entries for deleted modems may not have been removed, or the registry entries for the installed modems may be corrupted.



RESOLUTION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:  Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe). Click the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Fax\Devices

 If the number of unique devices listed in the Devices key matches the number of installed modems, the registry entries may be corrupted. If this is the case, refer to the "Reinstalling Modems" section in this article. If there are more device ID keys listed in the Devices key than there are installed modems, refer to the "Refreshing Modem Devices Entries" section below. Quit Registry Editor.</ol>

Reinstalling Modems
To remove and reinstall modems on Small Business Server 4.0, follow these steps: <ol> Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Modems.</li> Click the first installed modem, click Remove, and then click Yes. Repeat this step as necessary to remove all installed modems.</li> Click Close, and then restart the computer.</li> Reinstall the attached modems.For additional information about installing modems in Microsoft Windows NT, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

171015 How to Install and Configure Windows NT 4.0 Dial-Up Networking

</li> Follow the steps in the "Refreshing Modem Devices Entries" section below.</li></ol>

After you reinstall the modems, you can reconfigure fax services, Remote Access Service installations, and modem sharing for your computer.

Refreshing Modem Device Entries
To refresh the modem device entries in the registry, follow these steps: <ol> Stop the fax service. To do this click, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Services. Highlight the Microsoft Fax Service entry, and then click Stop.</li> Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).</li> Locate the Devices key under the following key in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Fax\

</li> Delete all of the folders in the Devices key (these all have a hexadecimal number for a name).</li> Quit Registry Editor.</li> Start the fax service. To do this, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Services. Highlight the Microsoft Fax Service entry, and then click Start.</li> Reconfigure your fax service Send and Receive settings.NOTE: The hex-numbered keys in the Devices folder represent any modem or modems that have ever been installed when the fax services were started. When you delete these keys and restart the fax service, only the keys for the currently installed modems are created.</li></ol>

Keywords: kbprb KB221783

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