How do I make Outlook Express my preferred mail agent?

[Robert S]

I have XP installed with four unprivileged users and one administrator.
Whenever I try to set OE (as an unprivileged or privileged user) as the
preferred email program, it defaults back to Office Outlook. I have tried
setting this up in the Control Centre, in the Outlook settings, and with a
utility called DefaultMail, but it always defaults back to Office Outlook,
which I dont want to use.

How can I fix this?

 

[Gordon]

I have XP installed with four unprivileged users and one administrator.
Whenever I try to set OE (as an unprivileged or privileged user) as the
preferred email program, it defaults back to Office Outlook. I have tried
setting this up in the Control Centre, in the Outlook settings, and with a
utility called DefaultMail, but it always defaults back to Office Outlook,
which I dont want to use.

How can I fix this?

If you don't actually use Outlook, uninstall it!

 

[Alias]

I have XP installed with four unprivileged users and one administrator.
Whenever I try to set OE (as an unprivileged or privileged user) as the
preferred email program, it defaults back to Office Outlook. I have tried
setting this up in the Control Centre, in the Outlook settings, and with a
utility called DefaultMail, but it always defaults back to Office Outlook,
which I dont want to use.

How can I fix this?

Which program is listed in IE's Internet Options/Programs? If it's
Outlook, change it to OE there.

Alias

 

[Pegasus]

I have XP installed with four unprivileged users and one administrator.
Whenever I try to set OE (as an unprivileged or privileged user) as the
preferred email program, it defaults back to Office Outlook. I have tried
setting this up in the Control Centre, in the Outlook settings, and with a
utility called DefaultMail, but it always defaults back to Office Outlook,
which I dont want to use.

How can I fix this?

Control Panel / Internet Options / Programs / E-Mail

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I have XP installed with four unprivileged users and one
administrator. Whenever I try to set OE (as an unprivileged or
privileged user) as the preferred email program, it defaults back to
Office Outlook. I have tried setting this up in the Control Centre,
in the Outlook settings, and with a utility called DefaultMail, but
it always defaults back to Office Outlook, which I dont want to use.

How can I fix this?

Note that this is not a 'per user' thing - it will affect everyone.

While nobody else is logged in, log in as the administrator, go to control
panel | internet options | programs, set OE as the default, and apply/OK.
If it's already set to OE, set it to something else (then apply/OK) and then
go back in and set it back to OE.

 

[PA Bear]

1. http://www.oehelp.com/oedef.aspx; then...

2a. http://www.oehelp.com/oelnk.aspx

2b. (WinXP) [Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs >] Set Program Access and
Defaults > Email > ...

If still no joy, see:

SendTo and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306098

Microsoft Outlook updates change the default mail handler to Microsoft
Outlook
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#13
Related: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933450

DefaultMail v2.1
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/defaultmail.htm
--
OE-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

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

 

[Robert S]

1. http://www.oehelp.com/oedef.aspx; then...

2a. http://www.oehelp.com/oelnk.aspx

2b. (WinXP) [Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs >] Set Program Access and
Defaults > Email > ...

If still no joy, see:

SendTo and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306098

Microsoft Outlook updates change the default mail handler to Microsoft
Outlook
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#13
Related: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933450

DefaultMail v2.1
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/defaultmail.htm

Thanks for your comprehensive answer. I changed the settings in Outlook
(Office). I discovered that the "Make Outlook the default program for
Email, Contacts and Calendar" checkbox was checked in the Outlook options.
So far so good, but I've kept a copy of your comments in case it reverts
back again.

 

[PA Bear]

1. http://www.oehelp.com/oedef.aspx; then...

2a. http://www.oehelp.com/oelnk.aspx

2b. (WinXP) [Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs >] Set Program Access
and
Defaults > Email > ...

If still no joy, see:

SendTo and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306098

Microsoft Outlook updates change the default mail handler to Microsoft
Outlook
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#13
Related: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933450

DefaultMail v2.1
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/defaultmail.htm

Thanks for your comprehensive answer. I changed the settings in Outlook
(Office). I discovered that the "Make Outlook the default program for
Email, Contacts and Calendar" checkbox was checked in the Outlook options.
So far so good, but I've kept a copy of your comments in case it reverts
back again.

See http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#13. Installing /any/ OL update *will*
reset the default back to OL. (One MS application hijacking another MS
application and changing Windows defaults doesn't sound right to me or
millions of other OE users either. The MS Office team doesn't see this as a
problem...neither do MS Executives...so they don't plan on fixing it.)