Gott Im Himmel: Outlook Express won't die!!!

[Greatsaintlouis]

So here I am, having freshly reformatted my computer, and one of my first acts after installing XPSP2 was to delete that goddamned Outlook Express. So I go into the handy "Remove Windows Components" area of the Add/Remove Programs dialog, uncheck OE, and go about my business whistling a happy song.

But upon clicking an e-mail link by mistake, I am treated to - horror of horrors - Outlook, rising from the grave to attempt to compose an e-mail!! (The other problem is that I've set Hotmail as my default handler for e-mails, but I shan't go into that here). So I look back into the Windows Components area, and sure enough, Outlook Express is unchecked. My God, I scream silently, It's not even supposed to be here! It is a vengeful spirit from beyond the digital grave!!

After I have composed myself, I begin to scour the intarweb in an attempt at finding exorcism instructions. I finally find them on the Microsoft website (actually for Windows 2000, but the same procedure works in XP), and OH MY GOD. There is registry hacking, there are system files that must be renamed and moved - in general, they DO NOT want you removing this piece of software from your system!

Undaunted by the huge task ahead of me, I set to work clearing my registry of OE references - so far, so good. Then it comes time for the file deleting. I am instructed that the files I need to delete (there are 15 or so) are found in two locations on the hard drive, and the files must be reneamed from *****.dll/exe to *****.old and I must answer "Yes" to a Windows dialog that will appear asking me if I want to change these file versions. Only then are they safe for disposal in the Great Recycle Bin.
So, I begin locating my first pair of files, but to my growing horror, no sooner do I change their extension from .dll to .old - WHEN THE ORIGINAL FILES MIRACULOUSLY REAPPEAR IN THE FOLDER!! :no A trip to the Search window confirms this - unlike the description given by Microsoft, there are no less than SIX copies of each file at various locations on my hard drive - including one that is not found by the search command! PLus, they must be renamed in a certain order, or the renamed files will just be replaced with shiney new versions!! :smt1069

Thirty minutes later, I am done. I have won. Outlook Express no longer resides on my system, and it's vile chicanery shall haunt my internet browsings no longer. But damn was it a bitch to 'uninstall'. I'd almost - almost - recommend just leaving it on your drive and ignoring it, it's that bad. :smt067

[Alchy]

Inspired storytelling. One thing I don't get though:

Outlook Express no longer resides on my system, and it's vile chicanery shall haunt my internet browsings no longer.

How was Outlook Express affecting your internet browsings?

[Greatsaintlouis]

I'd click on an e-mail address, and every so often, instead of opening a new window of Hotmail, Outlook Express would pop up instead. There seemed to be no rhyme nor reason to it.

[WolverineDK]

Gott Im Himmel = the german version of gud i himlen or god in heaven

[cahaz]

yeah, that's pretty frustating. i don't have problems like that anymore though. :smt083

[Hawanja]

Outlook is pretty intergated into xp, it's set as the default for all the e-mail crap in all MS programs, so it's no suprise that it was such a pain in the ass to remove.

[Greatsaintlouis]

I knew it was integrated pretty tightly, but Christ - I felt like I was peeling away layers of Windows itself. Definately not for the faint of heart.

[djb1986]

Stupid Microsoft won't let you delete their stuff. I tried to delete IE after upgrading to Firefox, but with no luck. So I've decided to just live with it.

[retro]

Inspired storytelling. One thing I don't get though:
How was Outlook Express affecting your internet browsings?

Because he's lazy and can't right click and copy link ;)

But seriously....

IE and OE are integrated into Windows XP. You're not supposed to take OE out, and taking IE out would be disastrous. Exporer IS Internet Explorer - do you want JUST a browser and no My Computer, My Documents, or any other folder? Without Internet Explorer, none of that would work! As For Outlook Express, lots of people like to use it with their Hotmail accounts.

As for not picking up in the search - click Advanced. See the options like "Search System Folders" and "Search Hidden Folders"? Handy, those ;)

The process is best described here.

If you have problems using Hotmail as your default client (something which I've always found a clunky method - and as Hotmail isn't ever 100% reliable these days and loads in a browser, I wouldn't recommend it personally), then try this fix .

I tried Firefox. Then I removed it, went back to Internet Explorer with SP2, and found things much better. Firefox is a memory hog, and has several VERY annoying features. Its default buttons suck, too... so you have to take up more memory and install a skin.

Back to removing Outlook Express - it would be easy to write an app to perform that task - and therefore, there probably already is one!!

[Greatsaintlouis]

I feel... well, I feel talked-down-to, slightly. I'm too lazy to right-click, copy, open new window with e-mail, paste when I'd rather that underlined links - which are meant to be clicked on - open in the program I specify, and nothing else. I'm obviously a complete retard who doesn't know how to check the boxes for "Search System Folders" and "Search Hidden Folders" - despite the fact that C:\Windows\system32\Dllcache is a folder that does not under any circumstances show up in Explorer (even when you have hidden/system files shown) unless you manually type the location in the address bar. And I'm an idiot for wanting to remove a program that I never use, that I have an OPTION to uninstall, but is not fully removed. Plus, despite searching for an hour last night, I wasn't able to find any sort of handy-dandy Outlook Express uninstaller, but that's probably just my inability to browse the intarweb properly.

And that TweakXP.com article was copied almost word-for-word from - as I stated before - Microsoft's own site: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;263837
Actually, in fact there is really no reason why Internet Explorer and OE need to be on a machine. Explorer and Internet Explorer are hardly the same thing - while they do share interface similarities and while Explorer is enhanced by IE features, removing IE is not only very possible but Microsoft even tells you how to do it. (I would have just left the sentence at that, but as I am alluded to as being incompetent if I don't provide exhaustive documentation for my claims or experiences, here is the link: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;293907). Besides, after the big antitrust hearings and such a few years back, Microsoft is required to allow users to remove IE and OE. Do they have to make it easy? No - after all, it is their product competing in the browser and e-mail client market. But yes, both are definately removable at no cost to system functionality.

[retro]

I'm obviously a complete retard who doesn't know how to check the boxes for "Search System Folders" and "Search Hidden Folders" - despite the fact that C:\Windows\system32\Dllcache is a folder that does not under any circumstances show up in Explorer (even when you have hidden/system files shown) unless you manually type the location in the address bar.

Well hey, I didn't mean to make you sound belittled. However, I WAS Senior Technician at one of the busiest computer shops in town, or even in this area (many of our customers came from other areas - up to 50 miles away which is a long way for the UK), and many years repairing PCs beforehand. If you have more experience than me, then great and I'm sorry for speaking up to my betters.

HOWEVER...





I promise you those are unedited screenshots I just took. Here's how to find such files.



As for removing unnecessary things, sure its your call. There's LOTS more stuff that you haven't removed though, I bet ;)

The link thing opens your e-mail application, yes. Hotmail isn't an application, rather a server which is accessed using a e-mail client or a web browser and their web page. This is why it is a little buggy with links (and because Microsoft suck!).

Yes you can remove both OE and IE, but I promise you IE and Explorer ARE related!

Open My Computer

Type www.google.com in the address bar

Now what do you have?

Hit the back button.

Open Internet Explorer

Type My Computer in the address bar

Now what do you have?

Explorer IS Internet Explorer, I promise you!

I'm not sure about that case, but I think Microsoft only have to allow other alternatives to their browser to be used. Otherwise, there would be an option not to install Internet Explorer in setup. You can't do that, because it IS an integral part of Windows still! Naughty Microsoft!

There were things like that Lite version of 98, which removed IE and replaced it with something of its own for browsing your computer.

*edit* oops, posted wrong pic!!

Incidentally, look at the TweakXP info on removing IE. It says at the bottom that it only works on XP Home, not Pro. Hmm, wonder why? Odd, that one!!

Oh, and the fact you need to be running FAT32 (extra hassle of partitioning with extra tool, and problems with FAT32 regarding cluster size etc.), and the following, make this not worth it to me.

Do not remove Internet Explorer if any of the applications you use require it to run. Furthermore, you will no longer be able to use the Windows Update feature, but you can download the patches individually.

[Greatsaintlouis]

This topic is not even worth bothering with anymore... this was SUPPOSED to originally be a humorous, "OMG, look what it took to get Outlook Express off! How funny, in a frustrating, retrospective sort of way! LOL" type of post, but I guess I should know better.

[Zilog Jones]

I tried some program to remove IE from Windows 98SE a while ago, and it ended up just breaking Windows alltogether - it would just come up with some really generic-sounding error when starting, and then the GUI wouldn't even come up. It would work fine in safe mode, though. Now I have a totally useless 4GB partition on my HDD now!

Actually, does anyone know if I can just re-install Win98 on that partition, or will that end up killing my other partitions (NTFS with Win2k on one of them)?

[Alchy]

You should be able to format that partition as if it were any normal hdd.

[retro]

If the partition only has that data, format it and the rest will be fine.

If you REALLY want to remove Internet Explorer, use 98Lite

[Zilog Jones]

Meh, I don't care about getting rid of IE any more. I just want Win98 to play some old games that don't work properly in win2k. Sega Rally 2 seemed to implode without IE, though. Then I tried re-installing IE or something, then everything died.

[retro]

They don't run under compatability mode?

So far, I've had very few games that won't, actually. Several have had patches released to allow them to run in XP, too!!

There was also the guy who got a working copy of 95 to run off a floppy!!

[Zilog Jones]

I'm using Windows 2000, so no compatibility mode for me! I couldn't get the Command & Conquer patch to work, and sound is b0rked on Sega Rally 2 running in 2k (it also runs really slowly compared to in 98). Later DOS games work better in 98 as well, mainly for sound - somehow there's Roland GS support with my crappy VIA on-board sound, so music in like Doom 2 and Monkey Island sound bitchin'!

[retro]

Oh yeah, sorry - didn't read that!

Well indeed, dual booting with 98 and 2000 was commonplace, so go for it ;)