How to Remove the Outlook Express Icon That Is Installed by Internet Explorer 5 (235557)

SUMMARY

This article describes how to automatically delete the Microsoft Outlook Express icon by using Windows Script Host.

NOTE: Windows Script Host must be installed on a Microsoft Windows 95-based computer to run Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition. For more information about Windows Script Host and how to install it, refer to the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Scripting Web site: MSDN Scripting site

MORE INFORMATION

Administrators can run the VBScript if they place the following code in the logon script, where server is the name of the server and share is the name of the share:

Cscript \\<server>\<share>\REM-OE.VBS //T:5 //B

The "//T:5" code terminates the script after five seconds if the script is still running and the "//B" code causes the script to run in non-interactive mode.

Sample Code

Use a text editor to create a VBScript file called Rem-oe.vbs that contains the following lines:

' Windows 95 Windows Scripting Host must be installed first.
' The following VBScript sample deletes Outlook Express shortcuts
' from the following folders:
'   Start Menu\Programs\Internet Explorer
'   Current Desktop
'   Start Menu\Programs
'   QuickLaunch bar.  

Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
DesktopPath = WSHShell.SpecialFolders("Desktop")
StartMenuPath = WSHShell.SpecialFolders("StartMenu")
Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
on error resume next

OEIcon = StartMenuPath & "\Programs\Intern~1\Outlook Express.lnk"
fs.DeleteFile(OEIcon),true

OEIcon = DesktopPath & "\Outlook Express.lnk"
fs.DeleteFile(OEIcon),true

OEIcon = StartMenuPath & "\Programs\Outlook Express.lnk"
fs.DeleteFile(OEIcon),true

ProfilePath = Left(DesktopPath,Len(DesktopPath)-8)
Quick="\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch"
QuickLaunchPath = ProfilePath & Quick
OEIcon = QuickLaunchPath & "\Launch Outlook Express.lnk"
fs.DeleteFile(OEIcon),true