Custom Documents and Settings install- OE won't run.

[PaulP]

I've just installed XP Pro by the unattended process using winnt.sif option
to put Documents and Settings on D: while Windows installed on C: This is
to better manage imaging and restore of C:.
Everything works properly except Outlook Express won't run. I gives the
error that the OE store cannot be found and that MSOE.DLL could not be
initialized.

I've found that the *.dbx files have not been setup. (yes I have the options
set to display and search hidden and system files)
They don't exist at all on any partition, even though that seems highly
unusual and I can't make my system install them. The \microsoft\outlook
express\ that the dbx files go into are missing as well.
This is what I have tried -
1. Control panel delete and install windows components 'deleted' and
'installed' OE.
2. Copied my *.dbx files with their parent folders from another computer
into the expected locations then deleted them when that didn't work.
3. Changed the registry key value for Outlook Express IsInstalled to zero
and repeated step 1 as advised here -

How to reinstall or repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows
XP http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318378/EN-US/

4. Run SFC /scannow
5. Created a new XP user, logged on and tried OE.

I've seen others with this problem but haven't seen any solutions for people
who can't run OE to use the store relocation tool or create a new identity.

Would appreciate any help here.

Paul

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Read this...

How to move your store folder
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/files/store.htm#movestore

The Outlook Express Store Folder
and how to maintain it
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/files/store.htm

Inside Outlook Express
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[PA Bear]

Is Outlook Express (msimn.exe) located on C: or D: , Paul? It must be
installed on the boot drive.

 

[PaulP]

Is Outlook Express (msimn.exe) located on C: or D: , Paul? It must be
installed on the boot drive.

Thanks Robear and Wes.

OE is on the boot drive C: Robear.
On another computer where OE works I've found the following key in the
registry -
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{long-number}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook
Express\5.0
which has 'Store Root' and the path data, in this case
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{long
number}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\
There is also a lot of other data in that key, however on the 'problem'
computer there was nothing in that key.

By putting data in that key and copying in the dbx files onto the drive to
match, OE did seem to recognise it as it came up with an identities dialogue
box instead of the error message. This only happened once and now I get the
error messages again.

I've spent a LOT of time on this to learn about it (OE isn't actually needed
on that PC) because it's important to me to be able to set up computers with
the Documents and Settings on another partition. I'm thinking now to set up
another drive by the same method to see if the problem was a 'once off' or
not before going further with this one.

Thanks for the links Wes. A lot of the advice applies from within OE and I
can't run it, but is educational anyway.

Paul

 

[PA Bear]

Please include all of previous message in your replies, Paul.

Is the machine in question running WinXP, WinXP SP1, or Win XP SP2?
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (Shell, IE/OE) & Security, AH-VSOP

Inside Outlook Express
http://www.insideoe.com