Tuesday, September 9, 2008
OE gradually slows down
This is almost always a sign of folders in need of compaction and/or a fragmented disk. Clean up your newsgroups, compact your folders, then run Disk Defragmenter (Start Programs Accessories System Tools).
OE slow to open, slow to switch mail folders, slow in everything
This could be caused by a bloated Folders.dbx file. Compact your folders to see if performance improves. If not, run Scan Disk followed by Disk Defragmenter. If performance is still slow, rename or delete Folders.dbx. Please read the consequences of doing this first.
Another possible source is a corrupt or missing Protected Storage Service.
Replace the Protected Storage Service (Pstore)
This procedure applies only to Windows95 and Windows98.
Close Outlook Express, the Windows Address Book and all IE browser windows.
Create a new folder by right-clicking a blank spot on your desktop and name it Pstore. Double-click the Pstore folder to open it.
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System.
Move the following 4 files to the Pstore folder:
psbase.dllpstorec.dllpstorerc.dllpstores.exe
Extract new copies of the 4 files and place them in C:\Windows\System.If you are using the original Win98 version of IE5.0, click Start Run and type without quotes "SFC". Click "Extract one file from installation disk" and enter the name of the file. Extract all 4 files to C:\Windows\System, using the Win98 CD-ROM as the source.If you are using any other version of IE5, including IE5.01 and IE5.5, you will need to extract the files from the Windows Update Setup Files directory which contains the CAB files for IE5 or IE5.5. You can do this by opening a DOS window on the proper directory and typing the following commands. (Note that if you are using a CDROM as the source for the CAB files, you must first copy "ie_s4.cab" and "ie_s5.cab" to your hard disk, and extract from there).
extract /a ie_s4.cab ie_4.cabextract /a ie_s4.cab ie_5.cabextract /a ie_4.cab ps*.*
Since the ie_4.cab and ie_5.cab are not normally in the setup folder outside of their "containers", I suggest you now delete them using these:
delete ie_4.cabdelete ie_5.cabUnder Win98, you can also open the cab files directly to extract the files, or you can use Winzip and similar programs under any version of Windows. However in that case you will need to open ie_s4.cab, and then open the ie_4.cab that it contains in order to extract the files. On some versions of IE5.5, only 3 of the files are in ie_4.cab. In that case, you must also open the ie_s5.cab, open the contained ie_5.cab and then extract the final pstore file.
Restart your computer immediately.
Another possible source is a corrupt or missing Protected Storage Service.
Replace the Protected Storage Service (Pstore)
This procedure applies only to Windows95 and Windows98.
Close Outlook Express, the Windows Address Book and all IE browser windows.
Create a new folder by right-clicking a blank spot on your desktop and name it Pstore. Double-click the Pstore folder to open it.
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System.
Move the following 4 files to the Pstore folder:
psbase.dllpstorec.dllpstorerc.dllpstores.exe
Extract new copies of the 4 files and place them in C:\Windows\System.If you are using the original Win98 version of IE5.0, click Start Run and type without quotes "SFC". Click "Extract one file from installation disk" and enter the name of the file. Extract all 4 files to C:\Windows\System, using the Win98 CD-ROM as the source.If you are using any other version of IE5, including IE5.01 and IE5.5, you will need to extract the files from the Windows Update Setup Files directory which contains the CAB files for IE5 or IE5.5. You can do this by opening a DOS window on the proper directory and typing the following commands. (Note that if you are using a CDROM as the source for the CAB files, you must first copy "ie_s4.cab" and "ie_s5.cab" to your hard disk, and extract from there).
extract /a ie_s4.cab ie_4.cabextract /a ie_s4.cab ie_5.cabextract /a ie_4.cab ps*.*
Since the ie_4.cab and ie_5.cab are not normally in the setup folder outside of their "containers", I suggest you now delete them using these:
delete ie_4.cabdelete ie_5.cabUnder Win98, you can also open the cab files directly to extract the files, or you can use Winzip and similar programs under any version of Windows. However in that case you will need to open ie_s4.cab, and then open the ie_4.cab that it contains in order to extract the files. On some versions of IE5.5, only 3 of the files are in ie_4.cab. In that case, you must also open the ie_s5.cab, open the contained ie_5.cab and then extract the final pstore file.
Restart your computer immediately.
OE very slow when working in a news account
The usual cause is a very large local file with many news headers, even if marked as read and hidden from view. When you notice a group getting slower, it's time to clean up your newsgroups and compact your folders.
If the performance is slow when first opening a newsgroup, and when switching between newsgroups, it could be because the news account has a very large number of newsgroups. This is seldom a problem on systems with lots of memory, or on accounts with less than 25,000 or so newsgroups. If you suspect this is your problem, you can try my workaround.
If the performance is slow when first opening a newsgroup, and when switching between newsgroups, it could be because the news account has a very large number of newsgroups. This is seldom a problem on systems with lots of memory, or on accounts with less than 25,000 or so newsgroups. If you suspect this is your problem, you can try my workaround.
OE very slow when starting, and Internet Explorer forms slow
This is an indication of missing or corrupt settings or files for the Protected Storage Service. This is a Windows service that allows you to save passwords for your Identities. This MS Knowledge Base article describes the problem and gives several possible solutions:
Q251787 - Delayed Response When Editing Internet Explorer Forms and Outlook Express May Take a Long Time to Start
If the suggestions in the KB article do not solve the problem, you might also need to replace the Protected Storage files.
Q251787 - Delayed Response When Editing Internet Explorer Forms and Outlook Express May Take a Long Time to Start
If the suggestions in the KB article do not solve the problem, you might also need to replace the Protected Storage files.
OE very slow when starting, but everything else normal
The usual cause is a missing or corrupt "Imagehlp.dll" in C:\Windows\System. Without this file, OE will be very slow to open, although usually nothing else is affected. If you uninstall a version of McAfee VirusScan and then install a later version without first restarting your computer, the McAfee install routine will delete "Imagehlp.dll" by mistake. You can either extract this file from your Win98 CDROM (using Start Run, SFC.EXE, Extract a single file), or from your IE5/6 setup files using a command line at the setup folder like this:
extract win98_32.cab /a Imagehlp.dll
On some systems, it is found in win98_26.cab. For IE5 users on Win95/NT, it is found in setup295.cab.
Another cause of slow starts is opening OE at its home page, rather than the Inbox. Because that page is an HTML file, it is usually slower to display than is the Inbox. Click Tools Options and place a check mark for "When starting, go directly to my Inbox folder."
On the other hand, this might also cause the problem if the Inbox is very large. The Inbox is a very active folder, and I strongly recommend that you not use it to store messages. Create subfolders and move messages into them as soon as possible so that the Inbox stays small.
Leaving the Preview Pane open in combination with opening directly to the Inbox can result in a slower startup. You can turn the Preview Pane off under View Layout, or add the Preview button to the OE toolbar to toggle the pane on and off with a single click.
Sometimes removing or disabling Windows (or MSN) Messenger causes OE to open slowly. This will shown by an entry in the system error log: The server {FB7199AB-79BF-11D2-8D94-0000F875C541} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout. To fix this, open Regedit and navigate to this key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \CLSID \{FB7199AB-79BF-11d2-8D94-0000F875C541} \InProcServer32
In the right-hand pane, double-click on the (Default) value and delete whatever is entered there, leaving it blank. Click OK. Now perform exactly the same step with the key directly underneath, namely
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \CLSID \{FB7199AB-79BF-11d2-8D94-0000F875C541} \LocalServer32
Once both (Default) values are empty, OE will open normally.
extract win98_32.cab /a Imagehlp.dll
On some systems, it is found in win98_26.cab. For IE5 users on Win95/NT, it is found in setup295.cab.
Another cause of slow starts is opening OE at its home page, rather than the Inbox. Because that page is an HTML file, it is usually slower to display than is the Inbox. Click Tools Options and place a check mark for "When starting, go directly to my Inbox folder."
On the other hand, this might also cause the problem if the Inbox is very large. The Inbox is a very active folder, and I strongly recommend that you not use it to store messages. Create subfolders and move messages into them as soon as possible so that the Inbox stays small.
Leaving the Preview Pane open in combination with opening directly to the Inbox can result in a slower startup. You can turn the Preview Pane off under View Layout, or add the Preview button to the OE toolbar to toggle the pane on and off with a single click.
Sometimes removing or disabling Windows (or MSN) Messenger causes OE to open slowly. This will shown by an entry in the system error log: The server {FB7199AB-79BF-11D2-8D94-0000F875C541} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout. To fix this, open Regedit and navigate to this key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \CLSID \{FB7199AB-79BF-11d2-8D94-0000F875C541} \InProcServer32
In the right-hand pane, double-click on the (Default) value and delete whatever is entered there, leaving it blank. Click OK. Now perform exactly the same step with the key directly underneath, namely
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \CLSID \{FB7199AB-79BF-11d2-8D94-0000F875C541} \LocalServer32
Once both (Default) values are empty, OE will open normally.
When OE crashes or won't start
Most crashes and failed starts are the result of one or more of OE's *.dbx files being damaged, or being marked as Read-only. So begin trouble-shooting by verifying none are marked as Read-only.
Close OE and open the store folder in Windows Explorer.
Select all files (Edit Select All, or CTRL-A), then right-click on any selected file and select Properties. Clear the checkbox for the Read-only attribute.
If OE will start, try compacting all your folders as this often repairs minor damage.
Click File Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving.
In the Folder list, click on Outlook Express so that no folder or newsgroup is open, then close the Folder list (View Layout).
Click File Folder Compact All Folders. Do not use your computer until the process is complete, which might take several minutes. If an error occurs, close OE, re-open it, and begin the process again from the top. If the same error occurs again, close OE, restart your computer (or logoff and then logon again), open OE and then begin the whole process again.
If Outlook Express will not start, move the *.dbx files from your store folder and into a new empty folder.
Download this small script that will open the store folder of the currently logged-on Identity. Alternatively you can find it be searching in Windows Explorer for files named *.dbx. Be sure to include hidden files in your search, as OE user files are marked as hidden by default. To view hidden files:
In Windows Explorer, click Tools Folder Options then click theView tab.
Click the button for Show hidden files and folders.
On your desktop, right-click and point to New Folder.
In the store folder window, click Edit Select All, or press CTRL-A.
Drag the selected files and drop them into the New Folder on your desktop.
Try opening OE again. If it starts without error, try importing your mail folders.
Click File Import Messages Microsoft Outlook Express 6.
Select Import from a store folder and click Browse.
Navigate to the New Folder on the Desktop.
If OE cannot import the mail folders, it means the file Folders.dbx is probably damaged. In that case, close OE and move all the other *.dbx files back into the store folder. When you re-start OE, it will build a new index of all the *.dbx files it can read, and create a new Folders.dbx. Understand though that you will lose the mail tree structure, all lists of newsgroups, and all synchronization options, and that message rules will likely need to be edited.
If any *.dbx file fails to be imported, you can buy DBXtract or download the free Macallan Outlook Express Extraction in order to extract individual *.eml files for each message it finds in the damaged *.dbx file. You can then drag those *.eml files and drop them into an OE mail folder in the OE Folder list.
If you still cannot start OE, your Identity in the registry is probably damaged.
Download the Force Identity Logon script.
Run the script to access the Identities Manager.
Create a new Identity, then switch to it when prompted.
If you have previously exported your accounts settings to Internet Account files (*.iaf), cancel the Add Account wizard that will start automatically. Then click Tools Accounts and use the Import button to import each of your exported *.iaf files.
If you have not previously exported your account settings, follow the wizard to set up your basic email account.
If you cannot run the Identities Manager and OE still will not start, the damage in the registry is more extensive and requires more drastic steps. Open Regedit and export the entire HKCU\Identities key, then delete it. Double-click the saved *.reg file you exported and then try opening OE. If OE still fails to open, export each sub key HKCU\Identities\{GUID} sub-key to its own *.reg file, then delete the entire HKCU\Identities key again. Double-click each of the GUID *.reg files and then Open OE. The New Account wizard will begin, but just click cancel, as you are going to bypass this first default Identity. Click File Identities Manage Identities and try switching to your old Identity. If this is successful, you can then delete the new empty Identity from the Manage Identities dialogue. If this fails and OE will still not start, you will have to again delete the HKCU\Identities key, open OE, set up a new Identity and import your mail folders from the previous Identity. More information, including detailed instructions, can be found in the MS Knowledge Base article Cannot Start Outlook Express .
Close OE and open the store folder in Windows Explorer.
Select all files (Edit Select All, or CTRL-A), then right-click on any selected file and select Properties. Clear the checkbox for the Read-only attribute.
If OE will start, try compacting all your folders as this often repairs minor damage.
Click File Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving.
In the Folder list, click on Outlook Express so that no folder or newsgroup is open, then close the Folder list (View Layout).
Click File Folder Compact All Folders. Do not use your computer until the process is complete, which might take several minutes. If an error occurs, close OE, re-open it, and begin the process again from the top. If the same error occurs again, close OE, restart your computer (or logoff and then logon again), open OE and then begin the whole process again.
If Outlook Express will not start, move the *.dbx files from your store folder and into a new empty folder.
Download this small script that will open the store folder of the currently logged-on Identity. Alternatively you can find it be searching in Windows Explorer for files named *.dbx. Be sure to include hidden files in your search, as OE user files are marked as hidden by default. To view hidden files:
In Windows Explorer, click Tools Folder Options then click theView tab.
Click the button for Show hidden files and folders.
On your desktop, right-click and point to New Folder.
In the store folder window, click Edit Select All, or press CTRL-A.
Drag the selected files and drop them into the New Folder on your desktop.
Try opening OE again. If it starts without error, try importing your mail folders.
Click File Import Messages Microsoft Outlook Express 6.
Select Import from a store folder and click Browse.
Navigate to the New Folder on the Desktop.
If OE cannot import the mail folders, it means the file Folders.dbx is probably damaged. In that case, close OE and move all the other *.dbx files back into the store folder. When you re-start OE, it will build a new index of all the *.dbx files it can read, and create a new Folders.dbx. Understand though that you will lose the mail tree structure, all lists of newsgroups, and all synchronization options, and that message rules will likely need to be edited.
If any *.dbx file fails to be imported, you can buy DBXtract or download the free Macallan Outlook Express Extraction in order to extract individual *.eml files for each message it finds in the damaged *.dbx file. You can then drag those *.eml files and drop them into an OE mail folder in the OE Folder list.
If you still cannot start OE, your Identity in the registry is probably damaged.
Download the Force Identity Logon script.
Run the script to access the Identities Manager.
Create a new Identity, then switch to it when prompted.
If you have previously exported your accounts settings to Internet Account files (*.iaf), cancel the Add Account wizard that will start automatically. Then click Tools Accounts and use the Import button to import each of your exported *.iaf files.
If you have not previously exported your account settings, follow the wizard to set up your basic email account.
If you cannot run the Identities Manager and OE still will not start, the damage in the registry is more extensive and requires more drastic steps. Open Regedit and export the entire HKCU\Identities key, then delete it. Double-click the saved *.reg file you exported and then try opening OE. If OE still fails to open, export each sub key HKCU\Identities\{GUID} sub-key to its own *.reg file, then delete the entire HKCU\Identities key again. Double-click each of the GUID *.reg files and then Open OE. The New Account wizard will begin, but just click cancel, as you are going to bypass this first default Identity. Click File Identities Manage Identities and try switching to your old Identity. If this is successful, you can then delete the new empty Identity from the Manage Identities dialogue. If this fails and OE will still not start, you will have to again delete the HKCU\Identities key, open OE, set up a new Identity and import your mail folders from the previous Identity. More information, including detailed instructions, can be found in the MS Knowledge Base article Cannot Start Outlook Express .
Malformed message ID: Line 3 References too long
This error message occurs when you reply to a deep thread in newsgroups. Line 3 is the References header. It contains the message ID of every message in the thread. When this line becomes too long, Outlook Express adds a carriage return instead of removing some of the IDs in the middle. This makes the last message ID invalid and so your reply is blocked from being sent.
Important Update
This workaround relies upon an *.eml file on your disk that includes the X-UNSENT: 1 header. If you install Security Update KB911567 this header is disabled for all saved *.eml files. To use this workaround you must first uninstall this update. Read more..
To work around this bug, save your reply to your desktop by clicking Save as on the File menu. Open the saved *.eml file in Notepad and edit line 3, References, by removing some of the message IDs in the middle. Be sure to leave the first and last IDs so that your reply will thread properly once it is posted. Saved your edited file, then double-click it to open and click Send.
An alternate method is to save, not your reply, but the message to which you want to reply. Edit the saved message to remove some of the message IDs, save the changes, then open the edited file and click Reply.
Important Update
This workaround relies upon an *.eml file on your disk that includes the X-UNSENT: 1 header. If you install Security Update KB911567 this header is disabled for all saved *.eml files. To use this workaround you must first uninstall this update. Read more..
To work around this bug, save your reply to your desktop by clicking Save as on the File menu. Open the saved *.eml file in Notepad and edit line 3, References, by removing some of the message IDs in the middle. Be sure to leave the first and last IDs so that your reply will thread properly once it is posted. Saved your edited file, then double-click it to open and click Send.
An alternate method is to save, not your reply, but the message to which you want to reply. Edit the saved message to remove some of the message IDs, save the changes, then open the edited file and click Reply.
550 - Relaying not allowed
This error message is coming from the mail server, not from OE itself. It means that the SMTP (outgoing) mail server did not recognize you as an authorized user and so rejected your message. Most ISPs configure their SMTP servers to recognize only those whose IP address is on the accepted list, meaning that you are connected directly to that ISP. If you use multiple ISPs, you are likely to encounter this problem. The solution is to change the SMTP server for that mail account under Tools Accounts Properties Servers.
Another possible reason for this error is anti-virus software that configures OE to use a local proxy for the SMTP server. Since scanning e-mail is not necessary to protect your computer, you should disable the e-mail scan in your anti-virus product, and then re-enter the correct name for your SMTP server.
Another possible reason for this error is anti-virus software that configures OE to use a local proxy for the SMTP server. Since scanning e-mail is not necessary to protect your computer, you should disable the e-mail scan in your anti-virus product, and then re-enter the correct name for your SMTP server.
Errors when sending messages outlook
This indicates missing or corrupt information in the user information for a particular account. Click Tools Accounts Properties and delete then re-type the user name and email address, even if they appear correct. If the problem persists, remove the account, close and re-open OE, then create the account again.
Outlook and Outlook Express The similarities
The similarities
Both Outlook and Outlook Express handle the basics of Internet mail, including an address book, message rules, user-created folders, and support for POP3, IMAP, and HTTP mail accounts. Both were developed by Microsoft and so have a somewhat similar appearance. Both contain the word “Outlook” in their names. Believe it or not, that’s just about all they have in common.
They both handle e-mail, but even in that they differ.
Top of page
The differences
Outlook and Outlook Express were designed by different programming teams for different audiences with different needs. Outlook Express was developed as part of Internet Explorer with the home user in mind while Outlook was developed as part of Microsoft Office with the corporate user in mind. Outlook Express is a basic Internet mail program that is part of Internet Explorer and Windows. Outlook is a full-featured personal information manager that is available as a part of Microsoft Office and also as a stand-alone program.
Outlook Express handles not only Internet mail but also Internet news, a feature that Outlook does not natively possess. But Outlook has a host of features that Outlook Express does not have, such as a calendar, a task list, a journal, and automatic backup into archive files. The address book in Outlook is a very sophisticated contact management system unlike the simple address book used by Outlook Express. Outlook can be programmed using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) but Outlook Express cannot. Outlook is highly interoperable and so can be used in combination with Word, for example, to perform mail-merge in e-mail or to automate outgoing mail messages. Outlook Express does not interact with other programs in this way except for creating a new mail message when a program requests it.
Outlook also has a very powerful Junk Mail feature which has received high praise and is envied just as highly by many Outlook Express users. In a similar vein, Outlook has message rules for both incoming and outgoing mail, while Outlook Express can only filter incoming. Outlook rules also offer a much wider range of actions than do rules in Outlook Express.
Outlook has a powerful Junk Mail feature that is the envy of many Outlook Express users.
One important difference applies to network environments, whether an office intranet or a home network. Outlook Express was designed for use on a single computer and so its message store and settings cannot be stored on a server. Outlook however was tailor-made for networks, and so its message store can be on a central server that many machines can access. If you need to access your e-mail from more than one machine on your network, Outlook Express is just not the solution for you.
The list of differences could easily be extended to consume all the space for this column. For more details and help in choosing see Differences between Outlook and Outlook Express. The Crabby Office Lady, in her regular column on the Microsoft Office Web site, includes a handy table to compare features in Outlook and Outlook Express: Brothers, not twins.
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Choosing a default client
A default client is the application that Windows uses when some action you take requires a particular type of program to handle the action. Clicking a link on a Web page to send e-mail is an action that requires an e-mail program, so Windows will open a message window in whatever program is configured as the default e-mail client. Opening a vCard, that is, a virtual business card requires Windows to open the default contact list client. Clicking a link to a newsgroup or newsgroup article opens the default news client.
All of the default clients are controlled in a single location.
1.
On the Start menu, click Control Panel.
2.
In Category view, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Internet Options.
3.
Click the Programs tab.
Configure all the default clients in one easy location.
If you have both Outlook and Outlook Express installed, you will have to choose one or the other for the default client for e-mail, newsgroups and contact list.
If you choose Outlook for your e-mail client, you should also choose Outlook for the contact list. Likewise if you choose Outlook Express for e-mail, you should choose Address Book for contact list. In older versions of Outlook and Outlook Express, it was possible to configure Outlook Express to share the Contacts folder in Outlook. In that case Outlook Express can be the default e-mail client but Outlook must be the default contact list. This feature is no longer accessible in current versions, although it is possible to enable it by editing the registry. This is not recommended however since this feature might not work at all in future versions. For those advanced users who need this sharing ability now, instructions can be found at Inside Outlook Express.
Tip: The default client settings apply to all Windows User Accounts, and it requires administrator rights to change them, so consider how your choice will affect other users of your computer. If Dad wants Outlook as the default client but Mom wants Outlook Express, each will need administrator rights so that each can change the default after logging on to Windows. To avoid conflicts it is best that all users agree on the default selection.
The default newsgroup client is Outlook Express in a normal Windows installation. Older versions of Outlook also show as possible newsgroup clients. But as I said earlier, Outlook does not have native support for newsgroups, so this requires a bit of explanation. If Outlook is set as the default here, it causes Outlook Express to run in a special Outlook Newsreader mode. This mode removes access to Outlook Express mail functions unless you have already created a mail account in Outlook Express. It also adds a Newsgroups item to Outlook's Go menu. But the truth is the Outlook Newsreader is really Outlook Express.
Tip: You don’t have to install Outlook to see what the Outlook Newsreader looks like.
1.
Make sure Outlook Express is closed.
2.
Click Start, and then click Run.
3.
In the Open box, type msimn /outnews.
4.
Click OK.
There is one thing I should point out about newsgroups and the default e-mail client. If you are reading a news message and click Reply to Author, this will invoke your default e-mail client. This surprises many people who expect the reply to be sent by Outlook Express since they are already in that program to read the news message. But doing that would be inconsistent with how default clients are supposed to operate. When Outlook Express is in news mode, it looks to the default client for any e-mail functions that are required. Likewise when Outlook Express is in mail mode, clicking a link to a newsgroup will open that group in the default news client, which may or may not be Outlook Express.
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Best of both worlds
Once you have configured default clients, you are still able to use both Outlook and Outlook Express, even at the same time. In fact this is what I do all day long. All my work-related e-mail accounts are configured in Outlook so that I can keep better track of business correspondence and link it to appointments and contacts. My personal e-mail accounts that I use in combination with newsgroups are configured in Outlook Express. Since I love the ease and simplicity of Outlook Express, and also love the information management and Junk Mail of Outlook, the combination truly lets me enjoy the best of both worlds.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/outlookvsoe.mspx
Both Outlook and Outlook Express handle the basics of Internet mail, including an address book, message rules, user-created folders, and support for POP3, IMAP, and HTTP mail accounts. Both were developed by Microsoft and so have a somewhat similar appearance. Both contain the word “Outlook” in their names. Believe it or not, that’s just about all they have in common.
They both handle e-mail, but even in that they differ.
Top of page
The differences
Outlook and Outlook Express were designed by different programming teams for different audiences with different needs. Outlook Express was developed as part of Internet Explorer with the home user in mind while Outlook was developed as part of Microsoft Office with the corporate user in mind. Outlook Express is a basic Internet mail program that is part of Internet Explorer and Windows. Outlook is a full-featured personal information manager that is available as a part of Microsoft Office and also as a stand-alone program.
Outlook Express handles not only Internet mail but also Internet news, a feature that Outlook does not natively possess. But Outlook has a host of features that Outlook Express does not have, such as a calendar, a task list, a journal, and automatic backup into archive files. The address book in Outlook is a very sophisticated contact management system unlike the simple address book used by Outlook Express. Outlook can be programmed using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) but Outlook Express cannot. Outlook is highly interoperable and so can be used in combination with Word, for example, to perform mail-merge in e-mail or to automate outgoing mail messages. Outlook Express does not interact with other programs in this way except for creating a new mail message when a program requests it.
Outlook also has a very powerful Junk Mail feature which has received high praise and is envied just as highly by many Outlook Express users. In a similar vein, Outlook has message rules for both incoming and outgoing mail, while Outlook Express can only filter incoming. Outlook rules also offer a much wider range of actions than do rules in Outlook Express.
Outlook has a powerful Junk Mail feature that is the envy of many Outlook Express users.
One important difference applies to network environments, whether an office intranet or a home network. Outlook Express was designed for use on a single computer and so its message store and settings cannot be stored on a server. Outlook however was tailor-made for networks, and so its message store can be on a central server that many machines can access. If you need to access your e-mail from more than one machine on your network, Outlook Express is just not the solution for you.
The list of differences could easily be extended to consume all the space for this column. For more details and help in choosing see Differences between Outlook and Outlook Express. The Crabby Office Lady, in her regular column on the Microsoft Office Web site, includes a handy table to compare features in Outlook and Outlook Express: Brothers, not twins.
Top of page
Choosing a default client
A default client is the application that Windows uses when some action you take requires a particular type of program to handle the action. Clicking a link on a Web page to send e-mail is an action that requires an e-mail program, so Windows will open a message window in whatever program is configured as the default e-mail client. Opening a vCard, that is, a virtual business card requires Windows to open the default contact list client. Clicking a link to a newsgroup or newsgroup article opens the default news client.
All of the default clients are controlled in a single location.
1.
On the Start menu, click Control Panel.
2.
In Category view, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Internet Options.
3.
Click the Programs tab.
Configure all the default clients in one easy location.
If you have both Outlook and Outlook Express installed, you will have to choose one or the other for the default client for e-mail, newsgroups and contact list.
If you choose Outlook for your e-mail client, you should also choose Outlook for the contact list. Likewise if you choose Outlook Express for e-mail, you should choose Address Book for contact list. In older versions of Outlook and Outlook Express, it was possible to configure Outlook Express to share the Contacts folder in Outlook. In that case Outlook Express can be the default e-mail client but Outlook must be the default contact list. This feature is no longer accessible in current versions, although it is possible to enable it by editing the registry. This is not recommended however since this feature might not work at all in future versions. For those advanced users who need this sharing ability now, instructions can be found at Inside Outlook Express.
Tip: The default client settings apply to all Windows User Accounts, and it requires administrator rights to change them, so consider how your choice will affect other users of your computer. If Dad wants Outlook as the default client but Mom wants Outlook Express, each will need administrator rights so that each can change the default after logging on to Windows. To avoid conflicts it is best that all users agree on the default selection.
The default newsgroup client is Outlook Express in a normal Windows installation. Older versions of Outlook also show as possible newsgroup clients. But as I said earlier, Outlook does not have native support for newsgroups, so this requires a bit of explanation. If Outlook is set as the default here, it causes Outlook Express to run in a special Outlook Newsreader mode. This mode removes access to Outlook Express mail functions unless you have already created a mail account in Outlook Express. It also adds a Newsgroups item to Outlook's Go menu. But the truth is the Outlook Newsreader is really Outlook Express.
Tip: You don’t have to install Outlook to see what the Outlook Newsreader looks like.
1.
Make sure Outlook Express is closed.
2.
Click Start, and then click Run.
3.
In the Open box, type msimn /outnews.
4.
Click OK.
There is one thing I should point out about newsgroups and the default e-mail client. If you are reading a news message and click Reply to Author, this will invoke your default e-mail client. This surprises many people who expect the reply to be sent by Outlook Express since they are already in that program to read the news message. But doing that would be inconsistent with how default clients are supposed to operate. When Outlook Express is in news mode, it looks to the default client for any e-mail functions that are required. Likewise when Outlook Express is in mail mode, clicking a link to a newsgroup will open that group in the default news client, which may or may not be Outlook Express.
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Best of both worlds
Once you have configured default clients, you are still able to use both Outlook and Outlook Express, even at the same time. In fact this is what I do all day long. All my work-related e-mail accounts are configured in Outlook so that I can keep better track of business correspondence and link it to appointments and contacts. My personal e-mail accounts that I use in combination with newsgroups are configured in Outlook Express. Since I love the ease and simplicity of Outlook Express, and also love the information management and Junk Mail of Outlook, the combination truly lets me enjoy the best of both worlds.
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