My Outlook Express program has taken ill: My contacts list is gone (message: Address Book failed to load. Outlook Express is incorrectly configured, please re-install.) OE retrieves new messages and I can read inbound messages in the preview pane, but cannot launch the messages. (Message: There was an error opening this message. An error has occurred). Attempting to Create mail generates the same message.
I am able to move items between folders and empty my Deleted Items folder, for whatever that's worth.
>From browsing these posts, I understand that OE is intimately tied to
IE. I am running Internet Explorer 6.00.2800.1106 under Windows ME 4.90.3000. My OE version is 6.00.2800.1123. The OE functions appear to be running fine.
Is there any reasonable expectation of being able to cure Internet Explorer in place? Or do I need to wander down the scary path of uninstall/reinstall for IE/OE? If the former, what is suggested to attempt a quick fix?
If the latter, can someone direct me to the extensive discussion of this process that I know is somewhere on the net? I remember seeing a reference to this process someplace amongst these postings (from Noel Paton, perhaps?), but cannot find it now that I need it.
x-posted to a more expert OE group, for a more exact response!
A couple of questions - 1) Have you recently reinstalled ME over itself? 2) Have you had 'Compacting in background' enabled? 3) are you using the default Identity in OE? 4) Can you open emails properly from folders other than the Inbox??
Try this Open OE, and go to Tools | Options | Maintenance and turn off Compacting ( do it manually - and frequently!)
Create a new Identity and see if things work properly in that Identity - if so, then Import your files to the new Identity.
> My Outlook Express program has taken ill: My contacts list is gone > (message: Address Book failed to load. Outlook Express is incorrectly > configured, please re-install.) OE retrieves new messages and I can > read inbound messages in the preview pane, but cannot launch the > messages. (Message: There was an error opening this message. An > error has occurred). Attempting to Create mail generates the same > message.
> I am able to move items between folders and empty my Deleted Items > folder, for whatever that's worth.
>>From browsing these posts, I understand that OE is intimately tied to > IE. I am running Internet Explorer 6.00.2800.1106 under Windows ME > 4.90.3000. My OE version is 6.00.2800.1123. The OE functions appear > to be running fine.
> Is there any reasonable expectation of being able to cure Internet > Explorer in place? Or do I need to wander down the scary path of > uninstall/reinstall for IE/OE? If the former, what is suggested to > attempt a quick fix?
> If the latter, can someone direct me to the extensive discussion of > this process that I know is somewhere on the net? I remember seeing a > reference to this process someplace amongst these postings (from Noel > Paton, perhaps?), but cannot find it now that I need it.
Noel: Still no progress, but here are the answers to your questions/suggestions, as well as an added bit of intelligence(?).
1111. I have not reinstalled ME over itself. However, I did recently add MS Office 2000 Premium to my daughter's User Account. It had previously been installed to 3 other User Accounts on the WinME system (see below for info on this.)
2222. I did have Compacting in Background enabled. Check-offs (Chekhovs?) included (a) delete read messages and newsgroups; (b) delete news after 30 days; with (c) compact at 20%. I turned this off and ran manual compacting for all Users on the system.
3333. I was using default identity in OE. In fact, I deleted all identities in the user profile except one.
4444. I cannot open emails or news messages in folders other than Inbox, although I can move messages around in the folders easily.
I did create a new identity, but had no better luck with its email. However, in setting up the OE account, I also encountered my *MS2000 Problem* and wonder if this could be a root cause of both the Address Book and Create Mail Issues:
I recently added MSWord, MSExcel, MCAccess and Powerpoint to my daughter's User account. I did this by installing MS2000 Premium from a CD into her user account. I had long ago loaded these programs onto the other 3 Users' accounts. My understanding is that running the install program for a new user is the proper way to add programs already installed for other Users. I believe that Outlook comes as a part of this install.
When my daughter opened her User desktop, she dragged the Outlook Icon from the desktop to the trash.
I now see what I believe to be a residual impact of this install when I launch OE on the newly established User account. My wife gets the same impact when she accesses OE in her User account: When we try to open OE in these accounts (but not in my old User account), the Windows Installer launches. It asks us to insert the MS2000 Premium disk. We cancel out of the installer, and OE then opens.
As a corollary: When I set up the new User account, I saw that the system created both an "Outlook" and "Outlook Express" file in setting up the User account.
Is it possible that Outlook files and settings are lurking in the computer and getting in the way of proper operation of OE?
(More Info than you may want: 1)Outlook does not appear on the Start | Programs menu. 2)Under C:Program Files, I see both MSOffice and MSOffice2000 folders: *MSOffice->Office->Outlook->Backups->Windows is an empty folder. *MSOffice->Office->Outlook->Setup->Outlook folder has a series of files, many of which are .inf, as well as a setup.ini file. 3)MSOffice2000->Office fiolder has a Outlook.exe program.)
Hope any of this helps.
As always, I am appreciative and in awe of your understanding of this stuff.
Urgle!<g> It's unlikely that reinstalling Office (which is what you did) would do this - but it's possible. Installing Office for a new user is not usually necessary for any Win9x install, since all files are visible to all users - it's only necessary to create a new identity for the Outlook client(and only then if you need to). It's only when you get into secured NT installations that you may need to reinstall - and then often the option is given on the initial install to install for all users, or 'only this user'
I suspect that your problem is caused by a corrupted Folders.dbx file - so let's try it. Open OE, and go to Tools | Options - click on the Maintenance tab, and the OE Storage button - make a note of the path to the storage folder Close OE Open Explorer, and navigate to the OE storage file, and find the Folders.dbx file RENAME it to Folders.OLD Open OE try your OE now - you'll have lost any folder structure you had, but with luck your emails should open normally. If the symptoms are not gone, then close OE, delete the newly-created Folders.DBX file - and rename the .OLD file back to Folders.dbx
> Noel: > Still no progress, but here are the answers to your > questions/suggestions, as well as an added bit of intelligence(?).
> 1111. I have not reinstalled ME over itself. However, I did recently > add MS Office 2000 Premium to my daughter's User Account. It had > previously been installed to 3 other User Accounts on the WinME system > (see below for info on this.)
> 2222. I did have Compacting in Background enabled. Check-offs > (Chekhovs?) included (a) delete read messages and newsgroups; (b) > delete news after 30 days; with (c) compact at 20%. I turned this off > and ran manual compacting for all Users on the system.
> 3333. I was using default identity in OE. In fact, I deleted all > identities in the user profile except one.
> 4444. I cannot open emails or news messages in folders other than > Inbox, although I can move messages around in the folders easily.
> I did create a new identity, but had no better luck with its email. > However, in setting up the OE account, I also encountered my *MS2000 > Problem* and wonder if this could be a root cause of both the Address > Book and Create Mail Issues:
> I recently added MSWord, MSExcel, MCAccess and Powerpoint to my > daughter's User account. I did this by installing MS2000 Premium from > a CD into her user account. I had long ago loaded these programs onto > the other 3 Users' accounts. My understanding is that running the > install program for a new user is the proper way to add programs > already installed for other Users. I believe that Outlook comes as a > part of this install.
> When my daughter opened her User desktop, she dragged the Outlook Icon > from the desktop to the trash.
> I now see what I believe to be a residual impact of this install when I > launch OE on the newly established User account. My wife gets the same > impact when she accesses OE in her User account: When we try to open > OE in these accounts (but not in my old User account), the Windows > Installer launches. It asks us to insert the MS2000 Premium disk. We > cancel out of the installer, and OE then opens.
> As a corollary: When I set up the new User account, I saw that the > system created both an "Outlook" and "Outlook Express" file in setting > up the User account.
> Is it possible that Outlook files and settings are lurking in the > computer and getting in the way of proper operation of OE?
> (More Info than you may want: > 1)Outlook does not appear on the Start | Programs menu. > 2)Under C:Program Files, I see both MSOffice and MSOffice2000 folders: > *MSOffice->Office->Outlook->Backups->Windows is an empty folder. > *MSOffice->Office->Outlook->Setup->Outlook folder has a series of > files, many of which are .inf, as well as a setup.ini file. > 3)MSOffice2000->Office fiolder has a Outlook.exe program.)
> Hope any of this helps.
> As always, I am appreciative and in awe of your understanding of this > stuff.
Noel, I renamed the folder.dbx file, rebooted and tried again -- with the same results. This was true for both of the User accounts attempting to use OE. I sense myself edging towards the point where deinstall/reinstall is the next best option.
Since the deinstall/reinstall of IE/OE seems to be a bit of a high wire act, I am wondering whether it might be a better solution to load up Earthlink's MailBox, and move the email traffic over there. Then I can get back to the issues that were bugging me before OE went gitchy: (1) Figuring out why the Sound function disappears every time I reboot and (2) Finding a way (Gasp! Dare I hope?) to resurrect the System Restore function.
> My Outlook Express program has taken ill: My contacts list is gone > (message: Address Book failed to load. Outlook Express is > incorrectly configured, please re-install.)
Is part of the problem that when (re)installing perhaps MS Office, Outlook has hijacked the OE address book? Being one for whom no barge pole is long enough when it comes to Outlook you might want to consider this possibility. -- Mike Maltby mike.mal...@gmail.com
Noel Paton <NoelDPspaml...@crashfixpc.com> wrote: > Urgle!<g> > It's unlikely that reinstalling Office (which is what you did) would > do this - but it's possible. > Installing Office for a new user is not usually necessary for any > Win9x install, since all files are visible to all users - it's only > necessary to create a new identity for the Outlook client(and only > then if you need to). It's only when you get into secured NT > installations that you may need to reinstall - and then often the > option is given on the initial install to install for all users, or > 'only this user' > I suspect that your problem is caused by a corrupted Folders.dbx file > - so let's try it. > Open OE, and go to Tools | Options - click on the Maintenance tab, > and the OE Storage button - make a note of the path to the storage > folder Close OE > Open Explorer, and navigate to the OE storage file, and find the > Folders.dbx file > RENAME it to Folders.OLD > Open OE > try your OE now - you'll have lost any folder structure you had, but > with luck your emails should open normally. > If the symptoms are not gone, then close OE, delete the newly-created > Folders.DBX file - and rename the .OLD file back to Folders.dbx
>> My Outlook Express program has taken ill: My contacts list is gone >> (message: Address Book failed to load. Outlook Express is >> incorrectly configured, please re-install.)
> Is part of the problem that when (re)installing perhaps MS Office, Outlook > has hijacked the OE address book? Being one for whom no barge pole is > long enough when it comes to Outlook you might want to consider this > possibility. > -- > Mike Maltby > mike.mal...@gmail.com
>> Urgle!<g> >> It's unlikely that reinstalling Office (which is what you did) would >> do this - but it's possible. >> Installing Office for a new user is not usually necessary for any >> Win9x install, since all files are visible to all users - it's only >> necessary to create a new identity for the Outlook client(and only >> then if you need to). It's only when you get into secured NT >> installations that you may need to reinstall - and then often the >> option is given on the initial install to install for all users, or >> 'only this user' >> I suspect that your problem is caused by a corrupted Folders.dbx file >> - so let's try it. >> Open OE, and go to Tools | Options - click on the Maintenance tab, >> and the OE Storage button - make a note of the path to the storage >> folder Close OE >> Open Explorer, and navigate to the OE storage file, and find the >> Folders.dbx file >> RENAME it to Folders.OLD >> Open OE >> try your OE now - you'll have lost any folder structure you had, but >> with luck your emails should open normally. >> If the symptoms are not gone, then close OE, delete the newly-created >> Folders.DBX file - and rename the .OLD file back to Folders.dbx
Ah - SR - now you're on home territory! (for both Mike M and myself!) If you decide to go the uninstall/reinstall route with IE, then that may solve your SR problem along the way. :)
WRT to your Sound issues - try this Reboot to Safe Mode Open Device Manager Remove ALL Sound &Multimedia devices Remove ALL error-flagged devices Remove ALL entries in the 'Other Devices' branch - if present Reboot to Normal Mode - Windows will reinstall the required drivers, hopefully curing your problem.
Only you can make the decision about the address-book issue - I'm happy to continue working on it, if you want.
> Noel, > I renamed the folder.dbx file, rebooted and tried again -- with the > same results. This was true for both of the User accounts attempting > to use OE. I sense myself edging towards the point where > deinstall/reinstall is the next best option.
> Since the deinstall/reinstall of IE/OE seems to be a bit of a high wire > act, I am wondering whether it might be a better solution to load up > Earthlink's MailBox, and move the email traffic over there. Then I can > get back to the issues that were bugging me before OE went gitchy: (1) > Figuring out why the Sound function disappears every time I reboot and > (2) Finding a way (Gasp! Dare I hope?) to resurrect the System Restore > function.
> Would this be a viable option from where you sit?
Noel Paton <NoelDPspaml...@crashfixpc.com> wrote: > It's very rare that Outlook attacks an OE address book, AFAIK - > they're different beasts entirely, and you need to export/import to > move data.
Noel,
I believe you are mistaken. Perhaps hijack is the wrong word but installing Outlook can on occasion cripple OE and this is due to Address Book problems. I can't for the life of me put my hands on the details but I'm sure that if asked PABear could provide the necessary details. I seem to recall the problem is if the Address Book is configured to share contacts with Outlook. This can happen when installing Office and I believe this can then cause all manner of problems with OE including the inability to open messages. -- Mike Maltby mike.mal...@gmail.com
>> It's very rare that Outlook attacks an OE address book, AFAIK - >> they're different beasts entirely, and you need to export/import to >> move data.
> Noel,
> I believe you are mistaken. Perhaps hijack is the wrong word but > installing Outlook can on occasion cripple OE and this is due to > Address Book problems. I can't for the life of me put my hands on the > details but I'm sure that if asked PABear could provide the necessary > details. I seem to recall the problem is if the Address Book is > configured to share contacts with Outlook. This can happen when > installing Office and I believe this can then cause all manner of > problems with OE including the inability to open messages.
The office install routine asks if you want to import the contents of the WAB but never caused a problem; they integrate very well, so well that OE is the newsreader for outlook.
-- "Time will bring to light whatever is hidden; it will cover up and conceal what is now shining in splendor." Horace (65 - 8 BC); Roman poet.
>> It's very rare that Outlook attacks an OE address book, AFAIK - >> they're different beasts entirely, and you need to export/import to >> move data.
> Noel,
> I believe you are mistaken. Perhaps hijack is the wrong word but > installing Outlook can on occasion cripple OE and this is due to Address > Book problems. I can't for the life of me put my hands on the details but > I'm sure that if asked PABear could provide the necessary details. I seem > to recall the problem is if the Address Book is configured to share > contacts with Outlook. This can happen when installing Office and I > believe this can then cause all manner of problems with OE including the > inability to open messages. > -- > Mike Maltby > mike.mal...@gmail.com
I've pinged PABear - hopefully he'll appear like the 7th Cavalry......
> The office install routine asks if you want to import the contents of the > WAB but never caused a problem; they integrate very well, so well that OE > is the newsreader for outlook.
That depends on the version of Office being installed. Newer versions take over default mail assignments and sharing of contacts. Earlier versions of Address Book gave you the option of using your Microsoft Outlook Contacts folder in Outlook Express. If you accepted this option, Address Book became a front end to Outlook, visible in Outlook Express and any other applications that used Address Book. Contacts added via Outlook thus became accessible to Outlook Express, and contacts added to Address Book by means of Outlook Express options (such as Outlook Express’s option to add the names of people you reply to via e-mail) became usable in Outlook.
This integration with Outlook is still available in Address Book 6 (the version shipped with Windows XP), but only via an undocumented registry edit. To share contact information between Outlook and Address Book, open Registry Editor, and go to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4. Add the DWORD value UseOutlook to this key (if it isn’t already present), and set it to 1. To return to the unintegrated state, return to this registry value and either delete it or set it to 0.
The tradeoff for integration between Outlook and Address Book is that it precludes your using identities in Address Book. If you are using Outlook integration and you display the Folders And Groups pane in Address Book, you see the subfolders of your Outlook Contacts folder instead of your shared contacts and personal contacts. -- Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-117... Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped. Thanks.
BJ Honeycut <fr...@dontgothere.us> wrote: > The office install routine asks if you want to import the contents of > the WAB but never caused a problem; they integrate very well, so well > that OE is the newsreader for outlook.
The problem relates to sharing contacts, not importing the address book. See http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/files/wab.htm#share. With shared contacts the user is sometimes unable to access their messages in OE and sees the message "Unable to open address book, Outlook Express may be installed incorrectly" when starting OE. This is very similar to the message seen by the original poster. -- Mike Maltby mike.mal...@gmail.com
> The tradeoff for integration between Outlook and Address Book is that > it precludes your using identities in Address Book. If you are using > Outlook integration and you display the Folders And Groups pane in > Address Book, you see the subfolders of your Outlook Contacts folder > instead of your shared contacts and personal contacts.
Thanks for the clarification Jim. I never ran into that one because every user has a separate PST, but good to know.
-- "Time will bring to light whatever is hidden; it will cover up and conceal what is now shining in splendor." Horace (65 - 8 BC); Roman poet.
>> The tradeoff for integration between Outlook and Address Book is that >> it precludes your using identities in Address Book. If you are using >> Outlook integration and you display the Folders And Groups pane in >> Address Book, you see the subfolders of your Outlook Contacts folder >> instead of your shared contacts and personal contacts.
> Thanks for the clarification Jim. I never ran into that one because every > user has a separate PST, but good to know.
I don't run into that problem, I guess, 'cos I still use Outlook 2000! I've got the one address book shared between the two across three systems, it's great. Much better to do one's importing/exporting from OE though.
Mike M <No_Spam@Corned_Beef.Only> wrote: > The problem relates to sharing contacts, not importing the address > book. See http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/files/wab.htm#share. With > shared contacts the user is sometimes unable to access their messages > in OE and sees the message "Unable to open address book, Outlook > Express may be installed incorrectly" when starting OE. This is very > similar to the message seen by the original poster.
Shane <shanebeat...@gmail.com> wrote: > I don't run into that problem, I guess, 'cos I still use Outlook > 2000! I've got the one address book shared between the two across > three systems, it's great. Much better to do one's > importing/exporting from OE though.
> What's the advantage of Office XP anyway?
Office XP - Bloat Office 2003 - Even more bloat Office 12 - Extreme bloat, how much yet to be decided. -- Mike
Mike M may have found the solution! <quote> See KB269777 - "OLEXP: Error Message: Address Book Failed to Load" (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=269777). -- Mike Maltby mike.mal...@gmail.com </quote> -- Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)
> Noel, > I renamed the folder.dbx file, rebooted and tried again -- with the > same results. This was true for both of the User accounts attempting > to use OE. I sense myself edging towards the point where > deinstall/reinstall is the next best option.
> Since the deinstall/reinstall of IE/OE seems to be a bit of a high wire > act, I am wondering whether it might be a better solution to load up > Earthlink's MailBox, and move the email traffic over there. Then I can > get back to the issues that were bugging me before OE went gitchy: (1) > Figuring out why the Sound function disappears every time I reboot and > (2) Finding a way (Gasp! Dare I hope?) to resurrect the System Restore > function.
> Would this be a viable option from where you sit?
>>> The tradeoff for integration between Outlook and Address Book is >>> that it precludes your using identities in Address Book. If you are >>> using Outlook integration and you display the Folders And Groups >>> pane in Address Book, you see the subfolders of your Outlook >>> Contacts folder instead of your shared contacts and personal >>> contacts.
>> Thanks for the clarification Jim. I never ran into that one because >> every user has a separate PST, but good to know.
> I don't run into that problem, I guess, 'cos I still use Outlook 2000! > I've got the one address book shared between the two across three > systems, it's great. Much better to do one's importing/exporting from > OE though.
> What's the advantage of Office XP anyway?
> Shane
None to me, still on 2000 also. When I change it will be to open office or something similar. I just don't see the need for MS integration anymore.
-- "Time will bring to light whatever is hidden; it will cover up and conceal what is now shining in splendor." Horace (65 - 8 BC); Roman poet.
Noel Paton <NoelDPspaml...@crashfixpc.com> wrote: > Well done, Mike!! Nice catch! > (I'll make sure the OP sees it)
Noel,
I'm not sure that is the answer but I knew I had seen something about the address book, shared contacts with Outlook and being unable to open messages in OE. Hopefully one of the OE guys who has come across this will now be able to help the original poster. I've never experienced it and have next to zero experience of Outlook which although I have installed on a couple of boxes is never used. -- Mike
I understand MS Office (or MS Outlook) also installed.
Do you have this Registry key?...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Software \Microsoft \WAB \WAB4
If not, STOP; If so, is there a DWORD named UseOutlook (NB: no space) and is its value set to 1 (one)?
If not, STOP; If so, Address Book is configured to share contacts with Outlook, even if you don't use it (can happen with the install of Office or Office/Outlook Updates). Change the value to 0 (zero), Address Book should be available to you and all should be well. (If that DWORD is not present, don't create it, and don't alter any other DWORD values.)
Note that any changes (additions, deletions, edits) made while sharing was enabled will not be available (displayed) in Address Book when sharing is disabled.
BrianZ wrote: > Noel, > I renamed the folder.dbx file, rebooted and tried again -- with the > same results. This was true for both of the User accounts attempting > to use OE. I sense myself edging towards the point where > deinstall/reinstall is the next best option.
> Since the deinstall/reinstall of IE/OE seems to be a bit of a high wire > act, I am wondering whether it might be a better solution to load up > Earthlink's MailBox, and move the email traffic over there. Then I can > get back to the issues that were bugging me before OE went gitchy: (1) > Figuring out why the Sound function disappears every time I reboot and > (2) Finding a way (Gasp! Dare I hope?) to resurrect the System Restore > function.
> Would this be a viable option from where you sit?
>> I don't run into that problem, I guess, 'cos I still use Outlook >> 2000! I've got the one address book shared between the two across >> three systems, it's great. Much better to do one's >> importing/exporting from OE though. What's the advantage of Office XP >> anyway?
> Office XP - Bloat > Office 2003 - Even more bloat > Office 12 - Extreme bloat, how much yet to be decided.
And yet it still doesn't make the coffee?
Cheers Mike, guess I'll stick with 2000 a while longer!
>>>> The tradeoff for integration between Outlook and Address Book is >>>> that it precludes your using identities in Address Book. If you are >>>> using Outlook integration and you display the Folders And Groups >>>> pane in Address Book, you see the subfolders of your Outlook >>>> Contacts folder instead of your shared contacts and personal >>>> contacts.
>>> Thanks for the clarification Jim. I never ran into that one because >>> every user has a separate PST, but good to know.
>> I don't run into that problem, I guess, 'cos I still use Outlook 2000! >> I've got the one address book shared between the two across three >> systems, it's great. Much better to do one's importing/exporting from >> OE though.
>> What's the advantage of Office XP anyway?
>> Shane
> None to me, still on 2000 also. When I change it will be to open office or > something similar. I just don't see the need for MS integration anymore.
Noel, After long delays and much frustration, I have tried your solution to the issue of disappearing sound: (I've been pinged for not quoting prior text. Apologies, because I thought using the Google Groups "reply" feature kept the provenance alive. You suggested:)
>WRT to your Sound issues. - try this >Reboot to Safe Mode >Open Device Manager >Remove ALL Sound &Multimedia devices >Remove ALL error-flagged devices >Remove ALL entries in the 'Other Devices' branch - if present >Reboot to Normal Mode - Windows will reinstall the required drivers,
hopefully curing your problem.
I did all of above. Sure enough, when I rebooted, the system went and reloaded the drivers I needed and the sound worked fine. Logging in and out of various user accounts didn't disturb the sound function. However, when I restarted, the sound was gone again.
Without going to Safe Mode, I removed the "SoundMax Integrate Digital Audio" device from the "sound, video and game controllers" category of the Device Manager. When I rebooted, the system found the sound drivers and I had my sound again. But restarting WinME again caused sound to disappear.
This makes my (unsophisticated) mind think that there is something going on during the Start Up sequence that disables the sound. I can still see the SoundMax device in Properties, I am being told the device is working properly, and I see a slew of drivers loaded. But no sound.
Does this raise any possibilities of where the gremlin might be?
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