Can't open OE from IE Browser

[Barbie]

Hi,

Recently bought a Dell with Win XP and IE installed. I
performed all Updates. I can open Outlook Express from
the Desktop or buy clicking on Start/Programs/OE, but I
cannot open OE by clicking on the Mail Icon in the
toolbar of the browser. On the browser toolbar, I opened
Tools/Internet Options/Programs. There is no option from
which to choose to set up OE in the bar next to e-mail.

Through Outlook Express, I click on Tools/Options and
under Default Messaging Programs, it says "This
application is not the default mail handler." I change it
to "Make Default" and click "Apply" but when I close the
window and check it again, it has changed back to "This
application is not the default mail handler."

Also, when I try to reply to an e-mail by clicking on the
sender's e-mail address in the body of the message,
nothing happens. After about 2 minutes, there will be
between 20 and 50 Reply windows that open. The first
time I went through and closed each window by clicking on
the "x." The second and third time it happened, I tried
to close Outlook Express, the computer froze up. I could
not close any of the programs by their window or by
Control/Alt/Delete. Even when I hit Control/Alt/Delete
two times (then three), nothing happened; the computer
did not shut down. The only way I got out of the mess
was by turning the power off to the computer. Yikes.

I have read the Knowledge base for Windows XP, Internet
Explorer, and Outlook Express. I have tried all the
troubleshooters. I have tried just about everything.
Please help! If possible, please respond by e-mail.
THANK YOU!

 

[Frank Saunders MS-MVP, IE/OE]

From http://www.fjsmjs.com/OE/defaultl.htm

Go to Start | Run and type this command, with the double quotes and spaces:

"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" /reg

and then make sure that OE is selected as the default mail program in both
IE and OE.

If that isn't enough, see this article:
"Send To" and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306098

You might also want to try this:

Restores OE to the E-mail clients list in Internet Options
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/oe_client.htm