Frequently Asked Questions

A: OE stores all mail messages, folders, local IMAP folders, and subscribed newsgroups in one directory, called "store folder". The default location of the store folder is:
C:\Windows\Application Data\Outlook Express\{GUID}
or
C:\Documents and Settings\{User}\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{GUID}\Microsoft \Outlook Express where {GUID} is Global Unique IDentifier for your identity.

You can see and modify the store folder location inside OE. Use following Tools->Options-> Maintenance see Store Folder...

You can use Find File applet to find other store folders. Use Start button->Search->For Files or Folders... and search for *.dbx-files.

A: The following registry keys are used by Outlook Express for storing options and settings:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express - was used in OE4 to store user settings. OE versions 5 and higher uses it to track version history. But if you installed OE 5-6 as an upgrade of OE4 then it is possible that your settings are still stored in this key.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB - Windows address book key.
Key Synchronization is for tracking windows address book synchronization with Hotmail address book.
Key WAB Sort State stores address book storing order.
Key WAB4\LastFind stores function "Find People" history.
Key WAB4\Wab File Name stores current *.wab-file location. This key as well as *.wab-file are shared by all identities.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager - Account Manager key.
This key is created during OE installation and at first contains only one subkey Accounts with five default accounts- Bigfoot, Infospace, Infospace Business, Verisign, and WhoWhere. After you complete Internet Connection Wizard, two subkeys will appear - one for mail accounts and one for news accounts. Their names are usually 0001 è 0002. Key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager stores information about Main Identity accounts. If you have created a new identity and have deleted an initial identity then this key will not be used by your identity at all.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities - key for identities.
Key Identities stores a subkey for each identity. Windows generates a GUID (Global Unique IDentifier) for each identity and creates a subkey using GUID as a name for the subkey.
All identities data, except Main Identity which is created when installing OE, are stored in the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Identities\{GUID}.

A: By default OE stores all your contacts in the Windows Address Book file with extention *.wab. The location of this file depends on Windows version, system upgrade methods, etc.

To identify the *.wab-file location, open WAB application OE->Tools->Address Book... or type WAB in Start button->Run, in Address Book program use Help->About Address Book , See File field.

If the File box is empty, it means that OE is configured to share the Contacts folder with Outlook 2000/XP/2003, so the Windows Address Book doesn't use the *.wab-file.

A: To configure Outlook Express for Internet Mail (if your Internet provider is not AOL, MSN or Hotmail ):

1. On the Tools menu click Accounts...
2. On the Internet Accounts dialog click Add and then click Mail...
3. Type the name that your recipients will see in your messages in the Display name box, then click Next.
4. Type your e-mail address (for example my_name@provider.com) in the E-mail address box, then click Next.
5. Select type of your incoming mail server (type POP3 is selected by default) and type names of your incoming and outgoing mail servers. Click Next.

   Note: Contact your Internet provider to receive this information

6. Depending on logon mode type your account name and password in Account name and Password boxes or set Log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) flag. Click Next .

   Note: Contact your Internet provider to get to know logon mode.

7. Click Finish.

A:

1. On the Tools menu click Accounts...
2. On the Internet Accounts dialog click Add and then click News...
3. Type the name that your recipients will see in your messages in the Display name box, then click Next.
4. Type your e-mail address (for example my_name@provider.com) in the E-mail address box, then click Next.
5. Type a news server name in the News (NNTP) server box. If your news server requires you to log on then set My news server requires me to log on flag. Click Next.

   Note. Contact your Internet provider to receive this information.

   If your news server requires you to log on then type your account name and password in the Account name and Password boxes or set Log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) flag. Click Next. Use the method recommended by your Internet provider.

6. Click Next, then click Finish. You can now select a default news group or click Close .

7. To set a default news account: on the Tools menu click Accounts.... On the News tab select an account you want to use as default and click Set as Default.
8. To select a connection type for the account click Properties, select the Connection tab, then select local network or remote connection from the list.
9. Click OK, then click Close to save all settings.

A: To configure OR for storing messages on the mail server:

1. On the Tools menu click Accounts..., then select the Mail tab.
2. Select the account you want to configure, click Properties and select the Advanced tab.
3. Set Leave a copy of messages on server flag, click OK, then click Close.
4. Restart OE in order to changes take effect.

A: You can use several methods to backup your accounts settings:

• Backup automatically by using one of the backup programs for Outlook Express, for example ABF Outlook Express Backup

• Backup manually. In this case you need to create a separate file for each account:
  1. On the Tools menu click Accounts...
  2. Click Export... for each account you want to backup, and save received *.iaf-files to a safe place.
  3. To restore your accounts: on the Tools menu click Accounts... and then click Import... for each *.iaf-file you want to restore.

A: When you start OE for the first time, a default Main Identity is created. The Main Identity is used until you switch to another identity or until you set another identity as the default. When you switch to another identity you need to restart OE.

You can manage identities with Manage Identities. You can use Manage Identities to change existing identities, to create new identities, to set a default identity.

Use one of the following methods to start Manage Identities:

• On the File menu click Switch Identity... and then click Manage Identities.
• On the File menu select Identities, then click Manage Identities...

A: To create a new identity:

1. Open New Identity dialog by using one of the following methods:
   • On the File menu point to Identities, then click Add New Identity....
   • On the File menu point to Identities, click Manage Identities..., then clilck New.
   • On the File menu click Switch Identity..., click Manage Identities, then clilck New.

2. Type a name for a new identity in the Type your name box.
3. If you want to protect your identity with a password then clilck to select Require a password check box, type a password in the New Password and Confirm New Password boxes, click ÎÊ.
4. Click ÎÊ. Click Yes if you want to switch to the new identity, otherwise click No. Then click Close.

A: To switch to the another identity when OE is already running:

1. On the File menu click Switch Identity...
2. Select the identity you want to switch to. If the identity is protected with a password then type the password in the Password box.
3. Click ÎÊ. OE will automatically restart by using identity you selected.

A: To protect your identity with a password:

1. Start Manage Identities.
2. Select an identity you want to protect with a password and click Properties.
3. Click to select Require a password check box, type a password in the New Password and Confirm New Password boxes, click ÎÊ.
4. Click ÎÊ, then click Close.

A: To log off from the current identity:

1. On the File menu click Switch Identity...
2. Verify that the current identity is selected, click Log Off Identity, and then click Yes.

To log off from the current identity and close OE click Exit and Log Off Identity on the File menu.

A: To copy your identity to another computer you need to backup all identity settings stored in the registry, mail folders and messages, OE settings, address book, etc. and then restore them on a new computer.

You can use several methods to do that:

• The most easy and safe method is to use one of the backup programs for OE, for example ABF Outlook Express Backup

• If don't want to use a special program then you have to perform all backup and restore actions manually. Some of these actions can be easely performed with built-in OE functionality, to perform others you have to edit Windows registry.

  !!! Using the Windows registry editor incorrectly can cause serious problems requiring the reinstallation of your operating system and possible loss of data. Create a backup of your registry before editing it and make sure that you know how to restore it.

  1. Create a special folder for backed up data on your hard drive.

  2. Backup registry settings:
     1. With registry editor find the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft \Outlook Express \5.0 where {GUID} is Global Unique IDentifier for you identity.
     2. Find subkeys Block Senders, Rules, Signatures. Export each of these keys and save as *.reg-file to the backup folder.

  3. Backup mail folders:
     1. Identify your store folder location - on the OE Tools menu click Options..., select the Maintenance tab and click Store Folder...
     2. Copy all mail_folder.dbx-files and the Folders.dbx file to the backup folder.

        !!! Do not forget to copy Folders.dbx file! You will be unable to restore your mail folders without it.

  4. Backup accounts settings:
     1. On the Tools menu click Accounts...
     2. Click Export... for each account you want to backup, and save received *.iaf-files to the backup folder.

  5. Backup address book:
     1. Identify the address book location - on the OE Tools menu click Address Book.... Then on the Address Book Help menu click About Address Book.

        !!! If the File box is empty then OE is configured to share the Contacts folder with Outlook and the Address Book doesn't use the *.wab-file.

     2. Copy the address book file to the backup folder.

        !!! Create an emergency copy of your address book as a comma- separated-text file. To do that on the OE File menu point to Export, then click Address Book..., select Text File (Comma Separated Values), then click Export. Type a name for a backup file, select fields you want to backup and click Finish.

  6. Now your identity is backed up to the backup folder. You can copy it to any media.

  7. Restore address book:
     1. On the OE Tools menu click Address Book...
     2. On the Address Book File menu point to Import, click Address Book (WAB)... , then select *.wab-file from your backup folder.

  8. Restore accounts settings:
     1. On the OE Tools menu click Accounts...
     2. Click Import... for each *.iaf-file from your backup folder you want to restore.

  9. Restore mail folders:
     1. To restore mail folders, on the OE File menu point to Import and click Messages.... Then follow the the instructions of the Outlook Express Import wizard.

        !!! To import mail folders you need to copy stored *.dbx-files to your hard drive and make sure that all files are not read-only.

        !!! Do not copy stored *.dbx-files to the new store folder. Import will be impossible in this case.

  10. Restore registry settings:
      1. With a registry editor find the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}.
      2. Look over data of value Username in each subkey named {GUID}. Select the subkey where data of value Username is the same with the identity to which you want to restore settings.
      3. Copy the GUID of this key to the clipboard.
      4. Close OE.
      5. For every *.reg-file from the backup folder do:
         • Open *.reg-file in the Notepad.
         • Change all occurrences of the old GUID with the GUID of the identity to which you want to restore settings.
         • Save file. Make sure that it still has type *.reg.
      6. With a registry editor delete the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID} subkeys, that you are going to restore.
      7. Run *.reg-files from the backup folder.

A: You can delete the lost password from the registry to gain access to you identity.

!!! Using the Windows registry editor incorrectly can cause serious problems requiring the reinstallation of your operating system and possible loss of data. Create a backup of your registry before editing it and make sure that you know how to restore it.

To delete the lost password from the registry:

1. In the registry editor find the protected storage key:
   • If user profiles are not enabled on the computer then find key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider\*Default*\Data\89c39569-6841-11d2-9f59-0000f8085266 or key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider\\Data\89c39569-6841-11d2-9f59-0000f8085266.
   • If user profiles are enabled on the computer then find key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider\\Data\89c39569-6841-11d2-9f59-0000f8085266.

2. Find a subkey which name is the same with your identity GUID.
3. Delete this subkey.
4. Start OE and set a new password for your identity.

To identify your identity GUID:

1. In the registry editor find key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}.
2. Look over data of value Username in each subkey named {GUID}. Select the subkey where data of value Username is the same with your identity name.
3. This subkey name is your identity GUID.

Also, you can always restore Outlook Express identity password using our Password Recovery tool.

A: A new security option appeared in OE6 - Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus. To see it on menu Tools click Options..., select Security tab.
Begining from the OE6 Service Pack 1 this option is enabled by default.
You can disable it to open or save a blocked attachment, but it is recommended to have it enabled for everyday using.

!!! To open blocked attachment without disabling blocking just click Forward on the message. It will appear in a new window and attachment will be unblocked.

A: If the message to which you are answering was sent as MIME/Quoted Printable, then the message text is formated as paragraphs, not lines. That's why it is impossible to add reply characters to it.

A: This quotation method was the most convenient for a corporate correspondence so it was used in a corporate e-mail programs.
When creating OE, Microsoft didn't break this tradition. That's why OE still adds signatures added before quoted text.
You can't change this behaviour but you can avoid it:

1. On the Tools menu click Options..., then select the Signatures tab and turn off the Don't add signatures to Replies and Forwards flag or turn off the Add signatures to all outgoing messages flag.
2. Open a new message window, then double click the toolbar and add the Insert Signature button to the toolbar.

You can now add your signature wherever you have placed the cursor by clicking this button.

A: OE uses the Internet Explorer print engine. That's why you have to configure IE for printing before print somethig in OE.

To configure IE for printing, on the IE File menu click Page Setup...

Font size is also depends on IE settings. You can change it by clicking Text Size on the IE View menu.

A: It happens if the message was sent using character set different fron yours and Install On Demand is enafled for your OE.
To avoid it, install needed language or on the OE Tools menu click Options..., select the Read tab, click the International Settings... button and turn on the Use default encoding for all incoming messages flag.
This will disable Install On Demand in OE but it will be still enabled in Internet Explorer. If you want to disable Install On Demand in IE then on the IE Tools menu click Internet Options, select the Advanced tab and turn off the Enable Install On Demand (Internet Explorer) flag.

A: You can use two methods to save a message without saving its attachment:

• Click Forward on the message, delete an attachment and save the message by clicking Copy to Folder... on the File menu or just send the message to yourself. Inconvenience of this method is that you become a sender of the message instead of the original sender.

• Select or open the message, then on the File menu cllick Save As... and save the message as a *.eml-file or just drag&drop the message to the Desktop. Open the message with Notepad, scroll it down to the begining of an attachment and delete everything below that. Save the file and drag it back to the OE folder. Inconvenience of this method is that it takes a lot of time.

A: You can use several methods to backup your messages:

• Backup automatically by using one of the backup programs for OE, for example ABF Outlook Express Backup

• Manually:
  1. Identify your store folder location - on the OE Tools menu click Options..., select the Maintenance tab and click Store Folder...
  2. Copy all mail_folder.dbx-files and the Folders.dbx file to a safe place.

     !!! Do not forget to copy Folders.dbx file! You will be unable to restore your mail folders without it.

  3. To restore mail folders, on the OE File menu point to Import and click Messages.... Then follow the the instructions of the Outlook Express Import wizard.

     !!! To import mail folders you need to copy stored *.dbx-files to your hard drive and make sure that all files are not read-only.

     !!! Do not copy stored *.dbx-files to the new store folder. Import will be impossible in this case.

A: You can use several methods to backup your message rules:

• Backup automatically by using one of the backup programs for OE, for example ABF Outlook Express Backup

• Manually, by backing up and restoring registry keys:
  1. Start registry editor.
  2. Find the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express \5.0\Rules, where GUID is Global Unique IDentifier for your identity.
  3. The subkey Mail stores mail message rules, the subkey News stores news message rules, the subkey Filter stores custom views.
  4. Export needed keys and save them as *.reg-files to the safe place.
  5. To restore these keys, for every stored *.reg-file do:
     • Open *.reg-file in the Notepad.
     • Change all occurrences of the old GUID with the GUID of your current identity.
     • Save file. Make sure that it still has type *.reg.
     • Run the file.

!!! Using the Windows registry editor incorrectly can cause serious problems requiring the reinstallation of your operating system and possible loss of data. Create a backup of your registry before editing it and make sure that you know how to restore it.

A: You can use several methods to disable MS Messenger loading when starting OE:

• If you don't want to modify Windows registry:
  1. On the OE Tools menu click Options.... Select General tab and clear the Automatically log on to Windows Messenger flag.
  2. On the OE View menu click Layout... and clear the Contacts flag.

• If you agree to modify Windows registry:
  1. Start the registry editor and navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \Outlook Express.
  2. Right click on an empty space in the right pane of the registry editor and click New->DWORD value.
  3. Name new value Hide Messenger and set value data to 2.

If you want to stop MS Messenger from running at all:

1. Start registry editor.
2. Find the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client.
3. Create a new DWORD value in this key. Name it PreventRun, set value data to 1.
4. Create a new DWORD value in the same key. Name it PreventAutoRun, set value data to 1.
5. Find the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Outlook Express, create a new DWORD value in this key, name the value Hide Messenger, set value data to 2.

A: You can use several methods to identify the version of OE that is installed on your computer:

• Look information in the About Outlook Express dialog:
  1. On the OE Help menu click About Microsoft Outlook Express.
  2. In the dialog About Outlook Express note the version number above the copyright notice.

• Look information in the properties of the Msimn.exe file:
  1. Click Start, point to Search and then click For Files or Folders... and search for the Msimn.exe file.
  2. Right click on the Msimn.exe file and then click Properties.
  3. Go to Version tab. The version of OE is displayed in the File Version box.

A:

1. Start the registry editor.
2. Find the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express \5.0, where GUID is Global Unique IDentifier for your identity.
3. Right click on an empty space in the right pane of the registry editor, then click New->DWORD value.
4. Name the value NoSplash and set value data to 1.

A: This branding is usually added by those who provided you with your copy of IE (MS Internet Explorer) or OE. If you have branding in OE then most likely you have branding in IE too. You need to edit registry to remove branding:

1. Start registry editor.

2. Find the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express \5.0, where GUID is Global Unique IDentifier for your identity.
3. Right click on the WindowTitle value and click Delete. Or click Modify and type any title you want.

4. To remove branding from IE, find the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer \Main.
5. Right click on the Window Title value and click Delete. Or click Modify and type any title you want.

   If there is no Window Title value in this key then try to find it in the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.

6. To remove branded logo from IE, find the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar.
7. Right click on the BrandBitmap value and click Delete. Do the same for the SmBrandBitmap value.

   If there is no such values in this key then try to find them in the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software \Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar.

A:

1. Click Start->Run... and type a command line "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" /reg in the Open box (change it if your OE is installed to different location).
2. Click Start->Settings->Control Panel->Internet Options, select the Programs tab and make sure that OE is now a default e-mail client.
3. Start OE and on the Tools menu click Options..., select the General tab and make sure that the Make Default button is grayed (it means that OE is now a default e-mail client). If the button is not grayed - then click it.

A: OE synchronizes mail accounts alphabetically based on the "friendly name" of the accounts. To change the order in which the accounts are checked for new messages, rename one or more of the accounts.

To change the "friendly name" of the account:

1. On the OE Tools menu click Accounts...
2. Go to the Mail tab.
3. Select the account you want ot rename.
4. Click Properties.
5. On the General tab type the new "friendly name" in the Mail Account box.
6. Click ÎÊ.

A: To open Windows registry editor:

1. Click Start->Run...
2. Type regedit in the Open box, click ÎÊ.

!!! Using the Windows registry editor incorrectly can cause serious problems requiring the reinstallation of your operating system and possible loss of data. Create a backup of your registry before editing it and make sure that you know how to restore it.

A:

1. Start registry editor.
2. On the Help menu click Help Topics.
3. There are different ways to backup registry in different Windows versions. So read Help Topics to get to know how to backup the registry in your operating system.

A: Make a backup copy of any registry key before editing. If the change you made causes unexpected problems, you can easily restore the previous key.

To backup a registry key:

1. In the left pane of the registry editor select the key you want to backup.
2. On the File menu click Export...
3. Save selected branch to the safe place as a *.reg-file.

You can restore this registry key if you need. You can also edit this file with Notepad.

To restore a key after editing just run previously saved *.reg-file.