Steps to overcome unexpected behaviour of Outlook Express

Outlook Express is a common email application that is used worldwide to transfer information. Sometimes outlook express sluggish behaviour make user work interrupted. Behaviour like:

1. Pauses in receiving & sending of emails.
2. Take too much time in loading
3. Suddenly stops working
4. Automatic restart of outlook express application

To improve the surprising behaviour, you need to perform some easy steps. To perform these operations, users will need to open their outlook express & Internet explorer to save the current work in other location & close the file. By following these steps, user will be able to perform all operations without interruption.

Steps to Improve the Unexpected behaviour of Outlook Express

Clear Out Temporary Internet Files Folder

When an unexpected error message pop up in window i.e. in “message window” or “Preview pane”, a temporary file is created by OE to show the content of message. These temporary files are known as Temporary Internet Files and stored in temporary Internet Files folder. Due to some unethical activity like virus attack etc, these files get damage and result in strange behaviour of Outlook Express. To make outlook work in normal condition, delete all temporary files. Procedure to delete Temporary files:

• Open Internet Explorer
• Point to Tools menu click on Internet Options
• Move to “Temporary Internet Files Panel” & click on Delete files.
• When pop-up alert window appears select the check box entitled as Remove all offline files
• Hit on OK.

Remember: It is necessary to select the check box otherwise user is not able to delete the temporary files that are used by Outlook Express.

• Now, delete all Outlook Express temporary files by removing all offline files.

Compact All Folder

Folders.dbx is the master file of OE & error in this file make OE behaviour unexpected. Solve this problem by compressing all folders along with master folder. Don’t forget to open all folders periodically as this will reduce the chances of error.

Steps to Compact file folders:

• Click on Work Offline in the File menu to stop receieving of new message
• Click on Outlook Express in the folder list or pause the opening of new emails or news folder
• After doing this click close the Folder List by clicking on Upper right corner in the “List Panel”

Alternate: - Point to View Menu clicks on “Layout” & clear the Folder List check box

• Point to Folder in the File Menu tap on Compact All Folders.

NOTE:- Compression process will take time to complete the process till then keep computer uninterrupted

• In case, if user found query unresolved start the process again from initial step.
• After performing above step if user found still problem unresolved then restart computer or start Outlook Express or repeat the whole process.

Reregister Outlook Express as well as Libraries

May be user is trying to open a message arrived in news group but unable to open the message as well as link attached with the message. All this is happening due to damaged file of OE. To resolve this error, user has to do amendment in Windows registry. While working with emails of OE, there is also problem like

• opening hyperlinks
• content displayed

This type of error occurs due to problem in Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs). For a particular function, there is a particular DLL. To work these function properly, Re-registering a DLL using regsvr32.

Steps to rewrite registry keys

Point to Start & Tap on Run.

Type msimn /reg in the Open box & click OK.

Note: After doing that don’t worry if nothing happens.

Point to Tools menu hit on Internet Explorer Options

Select Outlook Express as default e-mail client or default news client in the Programs tab

Now, Re-register library

Steps to Re-Register Libraries

Point to Start & Tap Run.

Type regsvr32 urlmon.dllin the Open box & click OK.

Repeat step 1 for each of the following commands:

regsvr32 mshtml.dll

regsvr32 shdocvw.dll

regsvr32 browseui.dll

regsvr32 msjava.dll

Create New Identity:

In case, if problem is resolved by applying above mentioned steps then there is no need to create new identities or if above mentioned solutions are not helping in resolving the problem then apply these steps:-

Export your e-mail and news accounts in Outlook Express so that you can import them into a new Identity.

1. Point to Outlook Express Tools menu hit on Accounts
2. Select the default account by clicking on Mail tab
3. Select a location for the exported file by clicking on Export button
4. Be sure about the extension for Internet account file i.e. "iaf"
5. Repeat steps 2 &3 for all accounts.
6. After clicking on the News tab and repeat steps 3 & 4 for all accounts.
7. Now, after exportation of mail and news accounts hit Close.
8. Add New Identity by clicking on Identities in the file menu
9. click OK & type a name for new Identity

After adding New Identity, user can start Outlook Express with all default settings.

1. To switch to the new Identity hit on Yes
2. Click Cancel to close the New Account wizard. If you are prompted to import settings or messages, select “Do not import at this time” or Cancel.
3. Move cursor to Tools menu & hit on Accounts
4. Click the Import button and Select the first *.iaf file from step 1 & Repeat until all accounts have been imported.
5. Now, Import all the mail messages from old Identity.
6. In the File menu, Click Import > click Messages.
7. Select OE6 from the list of programs & hit next.
8. To Import the data select the name of Identity & hit OK

By using above steps, now user can easily remove the unexpected error occurring in Outlook Express. If this solution does not help then user must contact to Microsoft Support to sort out Outlook Express issues.