Some information on all of this can be found here too. When implementing a "Detours Hook", the Microsoft "detoured.dll" file must be presented within the pool of other Outlook Express binaries as well. This same "oehook.dll" is also used in the RunAsXp version. The hook is implemented in "oehook.dll" and should be added to the pool of standard Outlook Express binaries. Therefore, a "Microsoft Detours" hook had to be implemented to relaunch Outlook Express ( see ). A well-written 32-bit app works fine on Windows 10, but Outlook Express doesn't, probably also because some Windows features aren't made backward compatible. Outlook Express was developed when the ActiveX control was highlighted by Microsoft as cutting edge technology.
If you accidently started a reinstalled OE before you entered the saved registry keys, you will be able to select between "Main Identity" and "My Identity" via "Manage Identities." and configure to use "My Identity" at startup of OE. To avoid this problem, you should rename the identity that you actually use, for example into "My Identity", via "Manage Identities." and before you save the "Identities" and "Internet Account Manager" registry keys. The result will be two identities with the same name and OE always selects the one that it created per default. Outlook Express creates per default a "Main Identity" with a new unique class ID when launched for the first time and this may cause some problems when afterwards entering your saved "Identities" and "Internet Account Manager" registry entries. Outlook Express will not be able to create a new folder/subfolder. Pay attention : create the folder where you want to store the *.dbx files before you want to copy/move them. Windows does not recognize the Message Store Folder when placed out of the C:\Users directory. You are then able to import the addresbook at any time.Īfter installing, Outlook Express may be reconfigured to use the existing Message Store Folder by running Outlook Express in Vista compatibely mode ! It is a good practice to place the "\Outlook Express" Message Store Folder with its *dbx files into the C:\My Documents folder or into the C:\ root instead of somewhere within the C:\Users folder. Also, export the addressbook on a regular basis and keep the resulting *.wab file as backup.
These registry keys should be entered again after the upgrade and before the re-installation using my package. It is a good practice to save these keys anyway as per regular backup. Settings and Accounts can be found in the Registry at respectively HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager and should be saved ( exported ) by means of Regedit.exe before starting the upgrade.
Due to this rudimentary procedure, Windows 10 must be 64bit and installed on the C:\ drive.Ī forced or accidently removed Outlook Express causes no pain if taking some precautions, such as saving settings and accounts. The installer simply creates and stores all necessary files into the C:\Program Files (x86)\Outlook Express folder and enters Outlook Express specific key values into the Registry.
This installer is a stripped off version, based on XP SP3 Outlook Express file versions and installs within one minute, does not require a registration key and does not require a reboot.
If remains unavailable, I will provide my installer for free to users who can proof they paid for the OE installer from RunAsXp. All *.dbx files are now stored on my laptop with Win 10 and I can still access them via my home network from my old desktop with XP as installed OS.
Because I could not accept that I had to reinstall the RunAsXp version after each Win 10 update or upgrade, I kept using XP to send and receive emails till I had no other choice than to migrate to Windows 10. I paid for the RunAsXp version ( ) about two years ago. I wonder if I could ever import this into another email client without lost of the tree structure and/or emails."OE Classic" did the job but the result was abominable with a bunch of entries that could not be stored as subfolder. Also, during the past 10 years I created a huge complex tree of folders and subfolders in the left pane resulting in more than 8000 *.dbx files ( 9,75 GB in total ). Personally, I do not need more features than what OE offers me. Outlook Express excels by its simplicity, ease of use and runtime speed.