OLEXP: Outlook Express Does Not Start After You Upgrade to Windows XP (314422)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows XP
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows 98 Second Edition
This article was previously published under Q314422
For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry


WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

SYMPTOMS

After you upgrade to Windows XP, you may receive the following error message when you try to start Outlook Express:
Outlook Express has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
The error report may display the following information:
error signature AppName: msimn.exe AppVer:6.0.2600.0 ModName: msoe.dll ModVer:6.0.2600.0

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the Identities key in the registry is damaged.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, export and then delete the existing Identities, import each Identity one at a time to determine which Identity has been damaged, perform a backup of the mail folders, create a new Identity, and then restore the mail folders to the new Identity.

Follow the steps in each of these sections:
  • How to Export and Delete Identities
  • How to Import Identities
  • How to Copy Mail Files to a Backup Folder
  • How to Create a New Identity
  • How to Restore Mail Folders to the New Identity

How to Export and Delete Identities

  1. Quit all programs.
  2. Click Start, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. Locate the Identity ID Number value under the following key in the registry:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\

  5. There is a subkey for every Identity. The Identity ID Number subkey is an alphanumeric string, for example, {C099C720-F752-11D2-87CB-00C04FADCFBE}. To export each of the Identity ID Number subkeys, follow these steps for each Identity:
    1. In the left pane, click the Identity ID Number subkey in the tree, and then note the username data in the right pane.
    2. On the Registry menu, click Export Registry File.
    3. In the File name box, type the username.
    4. In the Save in box, click Desktop, and then click Save to export the subkey.
    5. Right-click the Identity ID Number subkey in the tree, click Delete, and then click Yes to confirm the deletion.
  6. Delete the main Identities key, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\.
  7. Quit Registry Editor. The Username.reg files are now on your desktop. Each file corresponds to one of the Identities.

How to Import the Identities

  1. On the desktop, double-click the first Username.reg file that you exported.
  2. Start Outlook Express to confirm that the program is working correctly for that Identity, and then quit Outlook Express.
  3. Import the rest of the Username.reg files, successively double-clicking a file and restarting Outlook Express to confirm that the program is working correctly for that imported Identity.

    Do not delete any Username.reg files that you do not use until you confirm that Outlook Express is working correctly.
  4. If Outlook Express does not work correctly after you import one of the Username.reg files, that Identity is the Identity that is causing Outlook Express not to start. Delete the Identity, and then create the Identity again.

How to Copy Mail Files to a Backup Folder

  1. Quit all programs.
  2. Click Start, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. Locate the Identity ID Number value under the following key in the registry:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\

    The Identity ID Number subkey is an alphanumeric string, for example, {C099C720-F752-11D2-87CB-00C04FADCFBE}.

  5. Make a backup copy each of your mail files. For each \Identities\Identity ID Number\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0 subkey in the tree, follow these steps:
    1. In the left pane, click the \Identities\Identity ID Number\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0 subkey in the tree, and then note the Store Root data in the right pane.
    2. Double-click the Store Root data in the right pane, right-click the value data, and then click Copy.
    3. On the taskbar, click Start, and then click Run.
    4. In the Open box, press CTRL+V to paste the copied data, and then click OK.
    5. On the Edit menu, click Select All.
    6. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
    7. Right-click an empty area on the desktop, point to New, click Folder, type a name for the folder, and then press ENTER.
    8. Double-click the new folder to open it, and then, on the Edit menu, click Paste.

How to Create a New Identity

  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. In the Open box, type wab, and then click OK to open the Address Book.
  3. On the File menu, click Switch Identity.
  4. Click Manage Identities, and then click New.
  5. Type a name for the new Identity, click OK, and then click Yes to confirm the switch to the new Identity.
  6. Close the Address Book window, and then start Outlook Express with the new Identity.

How to Restore Mail Folders to the New Identity

  1. In Outlook Express, on the File menu, point to Import, and then click Messages.
  2. Under Select an e-mail program to import from, click either Microsoft Outlook Express 5 or Microsoft Outlook Express 6, and then click Next.
  3. Click either Import mail from an OE5 store directory or Import mail from an OE6 store directory, and then click OK.
  4. Click Browse, and then click the Mail Backup folder on your desktop.
  5. Click OK, and then click Next.
  6. Click All folders, click Next, and then click Finish.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/13/2004
Keywords:kbenv kberrmsg kbprb KB314422
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.