Cannot Uninstall Outlook Express

DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
edited July 2003 in Science & Tech
OK, on my office computer, I am running Win2000. I have the full version of Outlook, so I don't need Outlook Express. I generally just ignored it, rather than play Micro$oft's silly little game of "ha-ha, you can't uninstall me." Until today....

Recently, as one of M$'s Windows Updates, I got the "Set Program Access and Defaults" program installed in my Start Menu. Curious, I checkd it out. Under the E-mail tab (as pictured below), it is pretty clearly set for using my Current e-mail handler. But ever since installing this little nuisance, anytime I click on an e-mail address on a web page, guess what launches? Outlook Express 6. Now, if I check the options in OE6, it proudly announces that it is *not* the default mail handler. Then why the F is it launching all the GD time???
:banghead:

So, I tried to uninstall OE6 using Add/Remove Programs, and Add/Remove Windows Components. No go. So I searched the M$ knowledge base, and guess what I found:
SYMPTOMS
On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 2000, Outlook Express Help contains instructions about how to uninstall Outlook Express. When you follow these instructions, you cannot uninstall Outlook Express.
CAUSE
The Help file information in Outlook Express in Windows 2000 is incorrect.
RESOLUTION
You cannot install and uninstall Outlook Express in Windows 2000 by using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.

Ok, you just gotta admire that so-called RESOLUTION :scratch:

So the resolution to not being able to uninstall something is that you can't do it????? WTF?? :wtf:

Any advice folks? It's making me nutty...

Dexter...

Comments

  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited July 2003
    The only piece of advice I can offer is to upgrade to XP...
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited July 2003
    No can do Geeky. Our company sells MPEG decoder circuit boards, and I have one in my box. We don't support XP on our cards, so I need to be on Win2K.

    I did some more knowledge base searching, and found this , so I am trying that out. Do we have a "cros your fingers" smiley??

    Dexter...
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited July 2003
    Ok, I followed the knowledge base article, and faitfully deleted all the reg keys and renamed the dll's, except for the WAB files, as my current WAB is from Outlook.

    So, I reboot the box, and I get an error message telling me that Outlook requires Outlook Epxress in order to run. But when I click OK, it runs anyways!!!!!

    So, I went to a web page, clicked an e-mail address, and guess what ran??? OE-friggin-6 grrrrrrr.

    :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

    So, I am no further than where I started, except now I probably have to re-install OE6 to undo their so-called unintsall instructions....

    Dexter...
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    what does it say on this page? (internet options)
    dex.jpg 37.9K
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited July 2003
    Oh, it happily reports that Outlook is my default handler, not Outlook Express:
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Dexter,

    Do you get this on your add/remove?

    The reason i ask i that it MAY be hidden from there.
    Search for a file called sysoc.inf , open it up in notepad, remove the HIDE letters ONLY, NOT the commas. When that is done, whatever hide´s you have removed is now accessible in the add/remove windows utility.

    Please do a copy of that file BEFORE changing anything though.

    At the same time, you can also try to import OE mail and boxes, convert them to Outlook formats, and change the directory where you save them by default. That MAY be the cause of why OE won´t uninstall.
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited July 2003
    Mackanz :

    Yes, I have the OE field in my Add/Remove. But that only adds or removes it from the Start Menu and Task Manager Toolbar. It does not actually remove it from the computer.

    I think when I get a chance I will re-install my Outlook 2000 and see if it overwrites the default somehow.

    Dexter...
  • dodododo Landisville, PA
    edited July 2003
    Maybe run a repair in Outlook? Outlook ususally likes to make itself default. If that doesnt work, maybe reinstall Office.

    ~dodo
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Dexter,

    Did you try to use a regcleaner as well?
    Edit**//I saw that you have deleted the regkeys already.
    I think the best bet is to uninstall both Outlook AND OE with all regcleans and dllchanges, THEN again install Outlook.

    Mac
  • MancabusMancabus Charlottesville, VA
    edited July 2003
    Outlook requires outlook express for it's default newsgroup handler, that's why you get that error. But as to why it isn't default, no clue.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    You cant uninstall OE, as you pointed out yourself Mack...

    I think the only methods are hacks, but as you said, Outlook should open, not OE.

    NS
  • DexterDexter Vancouver, BC Canada
    edited July 2003
    Well, after a bit more poking and prodding, I discovered the trick. One must edit the "mailto" shell command in the Registry. One must also find the correct parameters for the shell command.


    The Reg is:
    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command

    and needs to have the value:

    "%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\Office\outlook.exe" -c IPM.Note /m "%1"

    I did this, and tested, and voila, it works :)

    However, if I did not have Outlook previously opened, and if I do not send a message after cliciking a "mailto" address on a web page, then I get an error message stating that Outlook has generated an error and must be closed. Thhis is what it did before though, so no problem really. I mean, it is M$...it can;t be 100% perfect, can it? :rolleyes:

    Dexter...
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