Outlook Express doesn't open

The last time that I had a similar problem with OE, I found a virus. Just a thought in case you haven't updated your virus software and then run a scan of the system.

>Somebody said I should re-install Windows 98 SE which is my OS but isn't that a bit too much?

Perhaps.
If you uninstalled / reinstalled OE and it still doesn't start then most likely there are leftover registry problems...specifically in the Identity entries. The 'workaround' is pretty entailed but I'd try this first before reinstalling Windows.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q245419

I too had that problem, and i hadn't been using Norton in awhile, since i had never gotten or saw a virus. So i unistalled it. Bad decision! I installed Norton again, and my entire computer was infected with the W95.cih virus. With is a really bad virus. Since i installed Norton after the virus infected my computer, the virus spread to EVERYTHING. So, i reformatted, and everything is fine.

Dell Dimension 4100
Windows ME
1.0 Ghz Intel Pentium III
BIOS VersionAO10
128MB 133MHz SDRAM
32MB ATI ALL IN WONDER 128 PRO
20.4 GB ULTRA ATA-100 HARD DRIVE
3Com V.90/56kTelephony Modem
NEC 16X DVD Rom/ LG 8x24x32x CD-RW
SB Live!1024
Altec Lansing ACS340-Speakers/HK-695
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro Dell Edition
Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical USB
19' P991 Trintiron

I had the same problem a few years back, Mine was not a virus. But format/reinstall was the only fix. I myself called MS and they walked me through a registry hack and then a reinstall to no avil I still ended up formatting/reinstall..

matsku wrote:
- I tried to open Outlook Express but it didn't open
- but froze (is that the right word?).
- I closed it with ctrl-alt-delete and since that OE
- hasn't worked. I got advice to remove and re-install
- OE which I did but it still doesn't work. What is
- wrong here? No other program has ever done this.
- Somebody said I should re-install Windows 98 SE
- which is my OS but isn't that a bit too much? OE
- version is 5.
- Thank you.
-
-

Just wondering, but is there a reason why you can just d/l OE6 instead? That's what I had to do (after I discovered my NAV from Dell had never been properly installed and working and had consequently contracted a virus). The OE6 worked fine and I regained all the previous info I had in here from the other version.

Dimension 4100, P III, 866 MHz
128MB SDRAM 133 MHz, 20.4GB 7200 rpm ultra ATA HD
Windows ME, using IE 6
48x Max Var CD-Rom
LG 16x10x40x CD-R/RW
AltecLansing ACS-340 Speakers
17" Sony Trinitron
NAV (factory)
HP750 Printer/Scanner/Copier
Internet connection: cable
blah blah blah
blah blah
blah

I didn't have the courage to try what chuck in austin said... I don't know much about computers.
Finally I just downloaded OE6 and it works fine. Everything I had (messages, addresses) is still there.

Thank you to you all!