Repair or Reinstall Outlook Express

If an error occurs using Outlook Express, follow the steps to fix the particular error as described on CTI's "Instructions to Fix Errors" website. Otherwise, if Outlook Express files are damaged and do not function correctly, proceed through the following steps in sequence until the problem is resolved.

Restart the computer.

Close all other programs in Windows except Outlook Express (and Internet Explorer).

Delete Temporary Internet Files:
1. In Internet Explorer 7 or 8, click Tools >Delete Browsing History > Delete Files (or Delete All) > Confirm
2. In Internet Explorer 6 click Tools > Internet Options > under Temporary Internet files panel, click Delete files > check "Delete all off-line content" > OK (Note: the temporary files used by Outlook Express will not be removed unless you delete all off-line content.)
Compact all Folders in Outlook Express:
1. On the File Menu click Work Offline
2. In the Folder List, click on Outlook Express (to ensure that no e-mail or news folder are open)
3. Close the Folder List by clicking the X in the upper right-hand corner of the list pane.
4. On the File menu, select Folder, and click Compact All Folders.
  - Do not try to use your computer until Compact completes.
  - If an error occurs during compacting, close Outlook Express, re-open it, and repeat the process. If the same error occurs again, restart your computer and try compacting again.
Re-register Outlook Express:
1. In Windows select Start > Run (or hold down the Windows logo key and press the "R" key)
2. In the "Open" box, type msimn /reg, and then click OK (Note that the registration does not appear on screen)
3. In Internet Explorer select Tools > Options > Programs tab > set Outlook Express as the default e-mail client (see related article, "Email Service Setup in Windows").

Re-register the DLL Library Files Used by Outlook Express:
1. In Windows select Start > Run (or hold down the Windows logo key and press the "R" key)
2. In the "Open" box, type regsvr32 urlmon.dll, and then click OK (see related article, "Register or Unregister dll or ocx Files)
3. Repeat the registration process to Run:
  - regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
  - regsvr32 browseui.dll
In Outlook Express Create a New Identity (which will use Outlook Express' original default settings):
1. Export your e-mail and news accounts in Outlook Express so you can import them into a new Identity:
  1. On the Outlook Express Tools menu, click Accounts
  2. Click the Mail tab and select the default account
  3. Click the Export button and select a location to send the exported file. Make sure the extension for the exported file is “iaf” (for Internet account file)
  4. Repeat steps a through c for all mail accounts
  5. Click the News tab and repeat steps a through c for all news accounts
  6. After all mail and news accounts have been exported, click Close.
2. On the File menu, click Identities, and then click Add New Identity.
3. Type a Name for the new Identity, and then click OK.
4. Click Yes to switch to the new Identity.
5. Click Cancel to close the New Account wizard. If you are prompted to import settings or messages, select “Do not import at this time” or select Cancel.
6. Click Accounts on the Tools menu.
7. Click the Import button and select the first *.iaf file from step 1. Repeat until all accounts have been imported.
8. Import the mail messages from your old Identity:
  1. On the File menu, click Import, and then click Messages
  2. Select Microsoft Outlook Express 6 from the list of programs, and then click Next
  3. Select the name of the Identity to import, and then click OK.

Repair Internet Explorer by using the System File Checker in Windows XP:
1. Click Start, click Run type sfc /scanNow, and then press ENTER
2. Follow the System File Checker prompts (this can take several minutes)
3. Restart the computer after the System File Checker process is complete.

Reinstall Internet Explorer 6 by using the Ie.inf file (see below to install or reset IE 7 or IE 8):
1. Click Start, click Run, type %systemroot%\inf, and then press Enter
2. Browse the Ie.inf file that is located in Windows\Inf folder.
3. Right-click the Ie.inf file, and then click Install.
4. Restart the computer when the file copy process is complete.
If Internet Explorer will not re-install, first edit the Windows Registry (see warning below) to indicate IE is not already installed, and then repeat installing (as described above):
1. Click Start, click Run type regEdit and then press ENTER
2. Browse to Registry Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{44BBA840-CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}
3. In the right pane under Name, select IsIntalled > Change the Value Data from 1 to O > Exit the Registry.

Warning: Before making any registry changes, Microsoft highly recommends that you make a backup of your registry (see related article below, "How to Back up and Restore the Registry in Windows XP and Vista").

Upgrade to Internet Explorer 7 or 8 (see related article below, "Internet Explorer Downloads"); or if IE 8 is already installed, Reset Internet Explorer:
1. Start Internet Explorer
2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options
3. On the Advanced tab, click Reset
4. In the Rest Internet Explorer Settings dialog box, click Reset to confirm.

Install and configure Windows Live Mail to use instead of Outlook Express (see related article below, "Email - How to Setup and Use in Windows").

Reinstall Windows in-place (see related article, "How to perform an in-place upgrade/reinstallation of Windows XP").

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