outlook express 5 problems

[pelao]

Nothing happened when I clicked the OE 5 icon, so I checked for viruses with mcafee and found that the class.sys file had to be deleted, so I did, but still can't use OE 5. I installed office 2000 but still couldn't use OE 5. When I uninstalled OE 5 the OE icon led to OE 4.72 which is usable. Also when I initiate my computer it tells me that the vcd is duplicated in the system.ini file or that it is in conflict with a controller. I didn't make a copy of my configuration. I have windows 98 and use IE 5. Any help will be appreciated.

[Glynn R Harris]

Pelao;
I have no direct experience with problems as you describe, but can offer two rather simplistic suggestions.

One, when Windows actually goes to the trouble of displaying a HELPFUL message on a problem, this is rare enough that you oughta heed it... http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif Try looking at your System.ini file and maybe modifying it to get rid of that fault Windows is finding in it.

Go to your Run box at the start menu, type in MSCONFIG as the name of the program you want to run, and OK. MSCONFIG is all your startup scripts, and by choosing the System.ini tab and then clicking on the Plus signs next to the various folders in it, you can see what System.ini tells the computer to do at startup.

Now of course, there should probably be ONE entry there for bootup, that says DEVICE=*vcd or something like that, but if you see a second one, or a OutlookExpress related vcd, uncheck the checkmark by that box, and Apply.

Next time you boot up your computer, that line won't be processed, and computer should be happier. If you find you eliminated the wrong vcd, this method (MSCONFIG) allows you to put things back as they were by simply rechecking that box.

Point number Two:
Now that you are running OE4.51, and Windows is otherwise happy, would be a good time to visit Windows Update (that start menu shows it right up there at the top.) You can get the latest, greatest OutlookExpress, and it will lead you through an AutoInstall.

I think this is your best avenue for getting a bug-free install, but others may have more experience in this-- I have never had to uninstall or reinstall OE myself.

Take care and Good Luck.

[psyklone]

if i'm understanding this correctly, your problem is that you click on the outlook express icon and nothing happens ... oe5 doesn't open. if this is the case, the fix is very simple and i have clients that run into this from time to time. here's whatcha do:

close OE5

go into regedit

go to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key and click on the plus sign.

go down to the Identities key and click on the folder to the left of it, this will bring up a bunch of data values on the right.

on the right, delete everything except for the 'default' (first on the list) entry.

close out of regedit and then open up OE5 and it should start right up and bring up your identity login screen.

let us know how that works for ya!


cheers,

psyklone

[pelao]

Thank you both Glynn and psyklone. Glynn: I now have a happy computer, although it was psyklone´s advice that got my OE5 going again. Still, I have a question, when I opened OE 5 again I didn't get a flood of mail (I specified to leave a copy of the messages on the server). I was getting my email from Microsoft Outlook when OE5 wasn't working, but still that shouldn't prevent me from getting tardy messages in OE5 or should it?

[psyklone]

well if you specified for Outlook to leave a copy of the messages on the server, then you should get those messages in Outlook Express now that you can log in. BUT ... if you only specified to leave a copy of the messages on the server via Outlook Express and not Outlook and you've been checking your mail via Outlook then nope, you won't have a copy of them left on the server for Outlook Express to retrieve. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

glad you're back up and running ...

cheers,

psyklone