Shared e-mail account in Outlook Express

I have recently re-installed Windows XP Pro with 5 user accounts (3 administrator accounts and 2 Limited accounts).
Before the re-installation e-mail was handled by Outlook Express 6 using a single account and e-mail address which was shared by the adminstators and could be started from any one of their desktops by whichever one was currently logged.
I have succeeded in setting up OE6 for one adminstrator (a broadband connection) and downloading incoming e-mails - using the same e-mail address as before. However, when I create an icon on the desktops of the other two adminstrators, OE6 starts but cannot communicate with the incoming server, download incoming e-mails or send outgoing ones.
Does anyone know how to set up OE6 so that it will operate a single connection and e-mail account that can be shared and started from 3 different adminstrator desktops.
Many thanks in hope!
BJM

 

BrianMacMoth--Have you re-set up the email account on the other PC's? http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/using/howto/oe/setup.mspx

P.S.--Just to double check, what are you using for the Target in the shortcuts? Mine is "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" (including quotes)

 

Hello WelshJim,
There is only one PC. I am trying to set up access to the one Family e-mail address and ISP account, from the desktops of three family members, all of whom have their own Windows XP user accounts as administrators. At the moment I have only succeeded in getting OE6 to make a connection and run the e-mail account that each was using before the re-installation of XP on one one user desktop. When I try to create icons on the other two desktops the connection will not function and I get a POP3 error message from OE6.
Yes, the target is "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" - I need to check to see if the Quotes are there!
Thanks Jim - will post again if I am still stuck.

 

BrianMacMoth--If PeteC's suggestions have helped, then read no further.
But if not...
Forgive me for plowing old ground, but I understand you can open OE for each user account but that OE, itself, is not working-- that you are getting an error message about POP3 if you try to use OE to send emails. Correct?
If so, the shortcut to open OE is not the problem, but rather the connection of OE with the email service provider. This suggests something wrong in the OE Tools|Accounts|Properties area.
Can you post the exact words of the error message?
Do you all use the same Identity in OE File|Identities?

 

Jim,
Thanks for persisting - I need all the help that I can get! I will try PeteC's suggestion soon, but in the meantime I will clarify the scenario for you.
The PC in question is running Outlook Express 6 in WinXP Pro and has 3 user-accounts - all administrators - members of a family who all share one e-mail address.
I have set up OE6 successfully when logged in as User-1 - it works well and downloads/sends e-mails without any problems.
However when I switch user into User-2's or User-3's account to create acess to the common e-mail account for either, using exactly the same details as for User-1, the connection to the incoming server (POP3) fails.
I need to know how to set OE6 or IE to accomodate multiple use by 3 users logged in on any one of 3 separate user-accounts.
Mozilla Firefox is set as the default browser.
I hope that this all makes sense and thanks for the help.
regards .............. Brian

 

How do you "switch" users? Are you logged into your account first and using fast user switching to go to log-on to the other accounts? Or, do you first log-off your account and then log-on to the other one(s). If the former, I'd suggest logging off first rather than using fast user switching (switch users in the start menu) and then log-on to the other account so that it's the only one in use at the time you try to set it up.

I don't know if this has anything to do with the problem or not but I'm thinking that if you are still logged on and switch to one of the other accounts, OE may be considered still in use by another user and not function correctly. I could be wrong as I never use fast user switching so I don't know what kind of problems (if any) can be caused by it. Can't hurt to try this though if you haven't already done so.

 

Hi Zander,
Thanks very much - oddly enough that thought had flitted through my mind, but for some reason I never followed it up - thanks for reminding me - I'll check it out and if it does happen to be the answer then I will let you know straight away.
Once again, thanks for taking the trouble.
regards .......... Brian