Windows ME: x2 Problems with Outlook Express and I.E.

Dear All,
I'm posting on behalf of relatives, so I'll provide as much info as possible.

The computer is running Windows ME.
Internet Explore version is 5.5.
The computer has no video games, or any other major programs installed. It is a pretty clean Windows ME installation on the Hard Disk and that's about it.
It's processor and RAM are all in fully working order, as is the hard disk. I guess Processor must be approx 500mhz, RAM 64mb, Hard Disk 6gb.


Problem is as title suggests:
They have a standard 56k modem Dial up internet connection.
Connecting to the internet from their usual account (Freeserve / which became Wanadoo / which became Orange) absolutely no problem.

Problem 1:
Outlook Express, which is set up to send and recieve their ISP (Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange) e-mail works to receive ALL mail from their ISP account.
But sometimes it doesn't like to send out e-mail from their account?! Any idea why? Upon pressing the "send and receive" button in Outlook Express, it receives all e-mails fine but usually 'fails' when sending out e-mails.

Problem 2:
The MAIN problem -
Although the internet connection is fine and the Outlook Express e-mail usually works to send out and ALWYAS works to receive, the Internet, through Internet Explorer, just will not work.
EVERY TIME you get the "Error 404" message and pages are simply not displayed in Internet Explorer.

I have tried creating a new ISP 'pay as you go' connection for them (setting it up seperately for Outlook Express and I.E.) but the problems remained the same.


So in short: Internet Explorer on Win ME, WILL NOT work on the internet. It displays nothing and thus you can't surf the web - obviously.

**This is really wierd since as you read above - the internet connection is fine and Outlook Express certainly receives stuff over the net fine.

So.........
Can anyone help to solve this one?

The only other thing I can come up with (I've checked over every internet setting, every other setting I can possibly think of and see!) is to reinstall a fresh copy of Internet Explorer 5.5.

Do you think this would work?


***NOTE: These people DO NOT want to chop and change computers. they are very low level usage users, BUT they *do* want this problem fixed so they can book things over the internet.***


Cheers, people.