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Summary: Outlook Express shouldn't disappear from your system, and might not have. We'll examine places to look, and steps to take if it's gone.
Thunderbird remains my choice over Outlook Express. In fact it's what I use every day now. But I can certainly understand wanting to have Outlook Express around, perhaps for old email or to answer questions about it like I do. I believe Outlook Express's days to be numbered. But that might not be as bad as you think. • First, under Windows XP, installing Internet Explorer 7 should not have caused Outlook Express to disappear. The Mail menu item in Internet Explorer might disappear but Outlook Express should still be around. Since so many people have gotten used to using that Mail menu item in Internet Explorer, most don't realize that Outlook Express is also on your Start Menu. Look for Outlook Express, probably in the Programs or All Programs sub menu. Here's an example from one of my machines where Outlook Express is right there at the top of the Start menu, as well as in All Programs:
Now, if it really is gone from all these places, then the only way I know of to truly reinstall is to download and reinstall Internet Explorer. Unfortunately because Microsoft appears to be decoupling Outlook Express from Internet Explorer 7, it's unclear if downloading and reinstalling IE7 will help. If you can't revert to IE6, that puts you between a rock and a hard place. "... my recommendation for dealing with most Outlook Express issues remains:
switch to Thunderbird."
One thing I would try is to run the System File Checker. Since Internet Explorer is so closely integrated with the operating system, the System File Checker includes IE,and presumably OE in its checks. • As I said I believe Outlook Express's days to be numbered. As we've seen it's already been decoupled from Internet Explorer. But in Vista you won't find Outlook Express at all! Not unless you look closely that is. In Windows Vista you'll find something called Windows Mail. Fire that up, and you'll see something that looks strikingly familiar. I fired it up, electing not to set up any accounts just yet, and in the welcome screen saw this:
So if you're running Vista, one reason you might not find Outlook Express is that it's now (finally) going by a different name. Though no one has said so, it's my hope that Windows Mail might someday be made available as a download for Windows XP. At this point it's just a hope. • Until then, my recommendation for dealing with most Outlook Express issues remains: switch to Thunderbird. Related:
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Leo, on a similar note, I fussed and fought to get my Outlook Express back. While I got it re-installed, it tells me "The Address Book failed to load. Outlook Express is incorrectly configured, please re-install." Unfortunately, no matter what or how I re-install, I end up with this same error message and have yet to figure out a successful way to get the Address Book to load. I have been using a number of different email clients to meet my needs. Outlook Express was real handy and I am sorry to see it go. On the other hand, I look forward to Microsoft Mail becoming available for XP. Thanks for all you do. Posted by: Jim Baldwin at May 29, 2007 03:33 AMI love Thunderbird, and use it as my only email client. I have noticed however, that I get a lot of weird spam with it (some of it in a really weird language). I wish it would stop! Posted by: Carl R. Goodwin at June 1, 2007 07:16 PMIf you don't have any shortcuts to Outlook Express, there are a few ways to get them back. The simplest test is to do start, run and type in "msimn" (without the quotes) and hit enter. This will bring up Outlook Express unless you've really managed to delete it somehow. If you have managed to delete it somehow then you will be able to find it in the Add/Remove Windows components wizard, which can be found from the Add/Remove Programs control panel. Windows Live Mail Desktop is/will be available for Windows XP, and apart from the fact that you need a Windows Live ID to sign into it, you can use it just like Outlook Express, as it does support (mostly) the same options, however it does look radically different. Alternatively, just stick with Thunderbird. Its better than Outlook Express in every way, and even looks similar enough to it that a familiar Outlook Express user shouldn't have to re-learn how to email. Posted by: Eli Coten at June 2, 2007 04:03 PMI just cannot get SFC to work. Cannot open it in any way. Any remedies? Posted by: jan sanders at June 2, 2007 05:21 PM-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Depends entirely on what you mean by "cannot open it". What happens? How are Leo iD8DBQFGYgr6CMEe9B/8oqERAqJVAJsE7QGEzU3ZMPZeLQZZqC7HP0ITdgCeMNmM Moreover, if you'd like to get the outlook express button back on your Internet Explorer 7 toolbar, just right click over a blank area around your various browser's toolbars, and highlight "customize command bar." Then click on "add or remove commands;" from here, you can add "read mail." That will add it to your command bar. To give you an idea about where your command bar is, it includes your homepage and print buttons. Now, you should be able to load outlook express from within your browser. I had to figure that one out for myself. Posted by: Michael at September 2, 2007 11:31 AMMoreover, if you'd like to get the outlook express button back on your Internet Explorer 7 toolbar, just right click over a blank area around your various browser's toolbars, and highlight "customize command bar." Then click on "add or remove commands;" from here, you can add "read mail." That will add it to your command bar. To give you an idea about where your command bar is, it includes your homepage and print buttons. Now, you should be able to load outlook express from within your browser. I had to figure that one out for myself.
Got a puzzler .. I been running Outlook Express under Windows XP..been working fine till the other morning. I turned on my computer, went to my email to check it..and noticed my contact/address book was gone..as in blank no entires..Is there a way to get my email contacts/address book back without having to go thru the process of entering them all over again? Tahnks Posted by: Doug at January 17, 2008 01:25 AMI have the same problem as Doug, but I deleted the email contacts/address biik. So how do I get them back. I am running Outlook Express in Windows XP. And yes I read the article. Paul Posted by: Paul H. Bartnek at February 22, 2008 04:39 PMDear Sir, Post a comment on "I lost Outlook Express, how do I get it back?":
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