Not able to make Outlook Express my default email with Windows XP Professional

I have tried making Outlook Express through IE, Outlook Express, and also through Set Defaults from the Run menu. The only option Windows XP Professional will allow me to have is Microsoft Outlook. If I make Express my default through while it is open, then in IE the Program box becomes empty and the only drop down option is to choose Microsodt Outlook.

Is there a way to fix this? Is this unique to XP Professional? If I try to click on an email link while browsing, it opens about 50 IE p[ages, as it cannot open Outlook - and it almost crashed my computer - very annoying.

Please help out a computer newbie.

Thanks,

Ian

 

Zedbra--WElcome to WindowsBBS.
I am not sure from your post whether you have tried this
OE Tools|Options|General tab|do the boxes at the bottom say that OE is the Default Email program? If not, click "Make Default ".
If that does not work, do you have the file msimn.exe on your PC?
Have you installed MS Office?

 

Thanks guys, but I guess I wasn't very clear, as what I was trying to say is that I have done both of your suggestions already - but my sytem will NOT allow OE to become my default. If I make it the default through OE, then it becomes blank in IE. In IE - the ONLY option is a blank box or Microsoft Outlook.

I do have msimn.exe on my comp, yup. I also have Office as well.

 

Zedbra--What happens when you click on msimn.exe?
If you access OE, do any of the suggestions already made help?

 

When I click on msimn.exe it opens OE. But like I said, none of these suggestions that I have already tried will allow OE to be my default. Even if I go through: Start - Set Program Access and Defaults - Custom, no option other than:'Use my current email as default' is displayed. Noone seems to know why this is.

Is this because I have XP Professional?

 

I found this posted from goddez1, and it worked. I must say that the Search option on this forum is not very easy to use, as I searched but eventually saw this year old thread at the bottom of my last post. Thanks for trying!

From goddez1, March 9, 2003