Setup Outlook Express in Win Xp

[Wes O]

Hey! I upgraded to Windows XP a couple of weeks ago and for the first time
have created separate user accounts for my wife and myself.

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to setup Outlook Express so that both
of our email accounts can be opened under either user account in a way that
all folders including "Inbox" can be viewed the same way with the same
emails in either user account?

It appears to me that you have to setup entirely unique Outlook Express
folders for each user account. This means if my wife goes into the computer
under her account and downloads email she may download emails for me that I
may never see unless I go from my user account into hers to view them.

Does anyone know a way to setup Outlook Express to get around this or would
I have to check both user accounts to check all email in all folders?

Hope I have communicated this clearly. In case Outlook Express does not
offer this ability would I be able to upgrade to Outlook 2002 with Office XP
and accomplish this task?

Thanks, Wes

[Spockjrww]

Rather than looking for a feature of Outlook Express to allow the common
sharing you require, the problem is with how Win Xp stores each users data
files. You can have Outlook Express store both your wifes' email and your
email in the same folder, regardless of whether you are signed on and running
OE under your XP account or whether your wife is signed on and running OE under
her account.

Initially, Win Xp sets up a unique storage area for each user account setup
under Win Xp. When running OE, OE stores the current users data in the
location specified by Xp. Since each user has their own data folder
allocation, you can't see your email when logged on under your wife's account
and vice-versa.

To do so, pick a folder, any folder, under either your or your wifes' account.
For easier identification, my preference would be:

C:\Documents\Mail

You'll need to create the folder. Then make the folder a shared folder.
Right-click and select the "Sharing and Security" option for instructions.

Then, from Outlook Express, select | Tools | Options |
Switch to the "Maintenance" folder. Click on the "Store Folder" button.

Enter:

C:\Documents\Mail

Note that using the above folder places the Outlook Express data outside of the
Win Xp user account data restriction area.

Do the same for your wife's account. Sign-off from your account. Sign-on to
your wife's account and launch OE. Then repeat from the Tools | Options menu
as per above.

When running home based applications, you'll notice that the data files created
will be visible under the user account being used when the files were created.
Yet, when other users are logged on under their accounts, those files won't be
visible. (different storage area of the HD.).

When launching Windows Explorer, clicking on the "Folders" button (menbar)
causes the window to be divided into two panes. In the left pane, expanding
the "My Computer" line reveals the primary HD folders you would normally have
seen under older versions of Windows. Prior to clicking on the "Folders"
button, all you would see is a single pane displaying the data files of the
currently logged on user.

Cordially,
Wayne H. Wilhelm
Personal WebSite: http://www.quadracalc.com

[Wes O]

Thanks for the excellent tips!!!

I'll give it a try after work today and post back to let you know how I did.

Thanks again?
Wes O