Problems with Microsoft Outlook Express?

Question

About a week ago, give or take a few days, my Microsoft Outlook Express stopped working. I can't get into the emails or anything at all. Whenever I bring it up, all it says is "Microsoft Outlook has stopped working. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if there is a solution available." However, the only solution it provides is going into Windows Update and updating. There are only three updates, and I get an error trying to install all of them. I've run all my virus scans and they've come up with nothing. Any idea on what I could do? Would simply reinstalling it fix the problem? Thanks!

Answer 1

You should:



a) attempt to repair and use outlook express

- Backup your message folders. Look for files named 'folders.dbx' and 'inbox.dbx' on your hard disk. You should find one 'folders.dbx' per user/identity. Copy each container folder (including all the files) found in one folder somewhere in a safe location.

- [fix your windows]/[outlook express] by removing/reinstalling outlook express/repairing windows, etc

- Try to open Outlook Express. If the repair was successful, you should see your messages

- if you needed to reinstall windows, create a directory where you want to keep your mail (let's say c:\mail). Open Outlook express, go to 'Tools'/'Options'/'Maintainance'/'Store folder', and move your (now small sized) mail folders to 'c:\mail'. Close OE, open Windows Explorer and copy the files from the backup location to C:\Mail, overwriting the existing inbox.dbx, folders.dbx, etc. You should see your messages after reopening OE.



b) attempt to import the messages into another program, such 'Mozilla Thunderbird / Outlook

- backup your message folders as described above

- install Thunderbird, open it, select 'import messages' from the wizard's options when you run thunderbird for the first time

Answer 2

It seems you got a typica technical problem....

Leave that measures to correct the problem...



Reinstall the outlook or entire Ms office...

If you stored reminders, tasks etc and if you want to restore it copy the outlook datafile in a safe location before uninstalling the software.

After installation complete, open the file (File - Open - Outlook datafile), your reminders and other data will then be restored. But you have to reconfigure POP/IMAP settings in order to use as mail client.

Your outlook datafile may found some what in this location.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

the datafile would be outlook.pst

Try this....

Answer 3

Reinstalling might fix it. Or installing a good email program, like Thunderbird, would.