Help with Killing Outlook Express Permanently, PLEASE

Factual Questions
1

I never installed this program when I installed my OS, but apparently when you update Internet Explorer (or maybe it’s Microsoft Office?), it gets reinstalled, too, despite the fact that I DESELECT all updates for Outlook Express or Outlook when I visit the Microsoft Update page.

Every time I boot, I get a message that says “To free up disk space, Outlook Express can compact messages. This may take up to a few minutes.” Yes, all I have to do is click **Cancel **and the message closes, but I’m getting very tired of seeing it. Plus I don’t want the program on my system at all.

So, how do I get rid of it?

I have tried to delete it from my hard drive, but every time I try to, the files reappear (and I’d love to know how Microsoft accomplishes THAT little trick).

Searching the registry for “outlook” turns up umpty-ump keys and folders, but even though I’m moderately competent in registry editing, I’m still hesitant to delete them wholesale.

I’ve tried deinstalling it through the Control Panel Add/Remove Program//Add/Remove Windows Components function, also with no success. The Windows Components installation wizard reports that Outlook Express is not installed, yet I am STILL getting the compression message and the files are still on my hard drive.

I did google for removal information, but what I’ve found is generally out of date, and even though I did get things to the point where the compression message at least had disappeared for a while, it reappeared again when I ran my next OS update.

Pertinents:

Windows XP Pro, SP3

Outlook Express is apparently installed in the \Program Files\Outlook Express directory, which includes the following files:

\Program Files\Outlook Express\msoe.dll
\Program Files\Outlook Express\msoeres.dll
\Program Files\Outlook Express\oeimport.dll
\Program Files\Outlook Express\oemig50.exe
\Program Files\Outlook Express\oemiglib.dll
\Program Files\Outlook Express\setup50.exe
\Program Files\Outlook Express\wab.exe
\Program Files\Outlook Express\wabfind.dll
\Program Files\Outlook Express\wabimp.dll
\Program Files\Outlook Express\wabmig.exe

I want this fucking thing GONE, and I want to know what I need to do to ensure it never, ever gets installed on my system again, since it seems that telling Microsoft not to install it is insufficient to prevent its installation.

I have the most recent version of RegRun Platinum, and I’m comfortable using a command line and regedit.

Any help would be really, really appreciated. I’m usually pretty good at this sort of thing, but this has me buffaloed. (And yes, I’d really rather not have to reinstall the whole damned operating system again.)

2

I’m thinking that if you ‘tried to delete it from your hard drive’ first, you may have caused some problems.
My suggestion would be to use the add/remove programs or windows components or go onto the MS website and install it. Then use add/remove programs to properly uninstall it.
Also, it’s not a little ‘trick’ when you just go and start randomly deleting windows files from your hard drive that they show back up. Windows thinks they are corrupted and it’s quietly repairing them to keep everything running smoothly. That’s why you’re not supposed to do it that way.

3

I’ve already used the add/remove windows components, and in fact that was the first thing I tried to do. As I said, the installation wizard claims that Outlook Express is not installed, but it is still on my system, and I still get the message.

4

The simplest way to permanently remove unwanted Microsoft applications from your computer is to install Ubuntu, or another open source OS. All the programs you want for free, none of the crap you don’t need.
Give it a try, it’ll let you install it simply as a dual boot, which I’ve done on a dozen or so computers belonging to acquaintances, all of which tell me that windows rarely gets a look in, although there are certain pieces of hardware which aren’t yet supported on linux (the reason I suggest running a dual boot) that require the poor computer to have to go back to chugging through all the piles of data that Microsoft insists need processing before you can even begin to use your machine.
Sorry, might not be the answer you were after, but give it a go. I’ve yet to meet someone who didn’t hate Windows after using Ubuntu for a week.

5

Someone always has to do that.
The OP just wants some help uninstalling outlook (an MS product) and you suggest dual booting Linux as a solution? Seems kind of drastic, wouldn’t you say?

6

[hijack]I use Linux too, but I don’t think it’s at all helpful to suggest someone switch OSs. This kind of smug attitude doesn’t make someone want to switch, it just pisses people off. Please stop doing this.[/hijack]

I’d try Joey P’s suggestion to reinstall it, then uninstall it, even if you did first try uninstalling. Maybe something was “wrong” somehow, and confused the uninstaller. Might have better luck with a new install.

7

As a temporary fix until you figure out how to get rid of it completely, have you tried just clicking yes when that message comes up? Once it has compacted the messages, and assuming you’re not receiving any more into Outlook, I can’t see why it would ever bug you about that again.

8

It may be on a schedule to do it every X days. It could be set to do it every 1 Day(s), it could be set so that if the user clicks No, it asks again the next day. My suggestion would be to boot up Outlook and change some settings. Tell it either not to ask or not to ask as often. Also if there is a setting to load Outlook at Startup, uncheck that. If not, check in the Startup section of your Start Menu for anything related to Outlook and delete it as well as going to Run:MSCONFIG, click on the Startup Tab and uncheck anything to do with MS Office.
Just doing that may be all you need to do.

9

Hairy Bob, I’ve used UNIX and Linux at different jobs in various flavours, and I’d love to switch. But none of the programs I need for work purposes (and most of the ones for entertainment purposes) aren’t available on anything but Windows, so that’s a no-go. I look at Wine and Cygwin from time to time, but they are apparently still pretty clunky and slow.

Fake Tales, as I said in my OP, I do click **Cancel **when the message comes up; I’m just mortally tired of seeing it every time I boot.

Joey P, the only thing in the Startup tab is the Office Startup Assistant. Outlook Express is not in the Startup section of my Start Menu.

I’ll try reinstalling the bloody thing and deinstalling it again. Of course, that means having to refind the OS disks. I’ll let y’all know if that helps.

10

I have 2 questions.
One, why are you still bothering to update XP?
Two, and this one is just a wild guess, but are you really deleting Outlook or are you just sending it to the recycle bin? When I was using XP, I simply nuked the entire folder from Explorer, and it never returned again.

11

He said click “Yes”, not “Cancel”. Give it what it wants: a chance to compact a small file you’re never changing. Once done it’ll probably quit bugging you forever.

12

srzss05, I update XP because that’s the operating system I’m using. Is this a whoosh?

LSLGuyp errrmmmm, oops? I’m so focused on not doing what Microsoft is trying to make me do, I misread that. Something to consider next time I boot.

13

Have you tried installing outlook express, then trying to uninstall it again? Maybe the uninstall didn’t totally work the first time, but giving it a chance to do it again might properly remove all traces this time.

14

No, it is an OS Microsoft stopped supporting. I doubt very much if any of the “updates” you are installing do much of anything. I don’t even bother “updating” Vista anymore.

15

I just tried reinstalling and uninstalling Outlook Express. To my dismay, a closer examination of the Windows Component Wizard only says that the Wizard adds and removes access to Outlook Express from the Start Menu. Not the same as removing the component, damnit.

Not only that, but it seems to have failed in removing the shortcut from my Start Menu, so it doesn’t even work as advertised.

16

I also found this site, which gave information on how to remove Outlook Express via the Run command. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to have worked.

On my machine, this comes out as:


 "J:\Program Files\Outlook Express\setup50.exe" /APP:OE UNINSTALL /PROMPT

Currently looking for information on the /APP switch.

17

This isn’t true. Windows XP SP3’s extended support deadline is 4/8/2014 and Vista SP2’s is 4/11/2017. Microsoft will continue to supply product updates until the deadline, including critical security fixes that should be installed. Vista itself is still within Microsoft’s main support period.

As to OE, it is not designed to be uninstalled. Deleting files and registry keys is likely to cause more problems. The update problems are probably due to registry entries that indicate the presence of old versions of OE, and are probably being continually offered because the update does not succeed. The OP is probably encountering this issue. Script #367 at http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm should address the issue.

18

This doesn’t look right. Can you try putting a / for the UNINSTALL switch, i.e.,



J:\Program Files\Outlook Express\setup50.exe" /APP:OE /UNINSTALL /PROMPT

However, I have a sneaking suspicion that all this does is the useless “remove access to OE” that you already have been disappointed by.

19

Ah-hah! That NY Times article mentions clearing the checkbox for the .eml file type in Windows Desktop Search. I checked the Advanced Options, and that file type was indeed checked, so I’ve cleared the box. With luck, this is the end of it. Thank you, Cleophus!

Of course, it doesn’t get the bloody thing off my computer, but at least I shouldn’t see that message anymore. If I decide to go through with it, I may retry the instructions on the TweakXP site for manually removing the program, which was how I temporarily got it to stop bothering me before.

arseNal, you’re right, that didn’t work. In fact, I found another website where this was recommended and the comments indicate it doesn’t do the job.

20

Allow me to revise that. The original version didn’t work. Your suggestion actually got a Outlook Express is being uninstalled routine that required a reboot. The files are still there, though, so I have no idea if it worked or not.