I am attempting to run Outlook Express 6 and it seems to be deteriorating before my very eyes. The most recent problem is providing me with the error message below. Is there any way I can get my Outlook Express back on its feet? Thanks. MSIMN caused an exception c0000006H in module DIRECTDB.DLL at 017f:019f5556. Registers: EAX=873975c0 CS=017f EIP=019f5556 EFLGS=00010246 EBX=00000010 SS=0187 ESP=022ee944 EBP=022ee95c ECX=00000005 DS=0187 ESI=039b0018 FS=3aef EDX=000bd5c0 ES=0187 EDI=02098450 GS=0000 Bytes at CS:EIP: 03 58 04 8b 00 39 45 0c 74 1c 83 7d 18 00 74 0a Stack dump: 007a00b0 022ee9b4 02098450 00000000 00000000 00000000 022ee97c 019f68c4 00000005 000bd5c0 022ee984 00000000 00000001 872dee00 022ee99c 019f6965

In addition to the previous problem: I am experiencing a problem with Outlook Express version 6.00.2600.00. I am running Windows 98 2nd edition and Internet Explorer 6.0.2600.0000IC. The problem occurred suddenly without me knowingly making any updates or configuration changes. I'm currently using MSN broadband access via DSL (this is running MSN Explorer Version 7.02.0005.1700). I have only one email account which uses the following server: http://oe.msn.msnmail.hotmail.com/cgi-bin/hmdata I have many old email messages in folders on my system which were acquired when I had a dialup connection with a POP3 server. In addition to the old saved POP3 email messages, I have my current web-based HTML server messages which I can access with Outlook Express. My problem occurs when I attempt to access my old POP3 email messages (which have long ago been downloaded to my machine) while working in the Outlook Express "offline mode" as set via pulldown selection from the "File" menu. Instead of my old POP3 messages appearing inside of an Outlook Express window pane I am taken immediately to a web page (with the MSN butterfly on it) which says "Sorry the page you're trying to reach is temporarily unavailable or the page may no longer exist" error 404. The title bar of this webpage contains the name of the Outlook Express folder that I am trying to access. This page has the various tool bar selection items that I would normally have in Outlook Express. If I select "Open" from the "File" pulldown at the top of this "unreachable" page I see another window pop up containing the email body text associated with the last email message of the old local email folder that I'm trying to access. I used to see the email text inside of an Outlook Express window pane instead of a separate pop up window and I would also see the subject titles of all of the email messages in that folder displayed in another Outlook Express window pane. I can no longer see these titles which is most annoying, I can also no longer see the folder list and the contact list that would normally appear to the side of the Outlook Express window. I am still able to save new messages from the HTML server to my these local email folders. I have called MSN broadband tech support and they said they have never heard of such a problem and suspect that Outlook Express has become corrupted. I find that hard to believe and before I attempt to find a solution based on the corruption assumption I thought I would ask you for a suggestion. I guess my big question is why has my Outlook Express changed so dramatically and become very user unfriendly? Can this be fixed? What we want is to be able to: 1) Continue to save items that we wish to archive to local Outlook Express folders. 2) Be able to access the Outlook Express and see what is in our local folders in the standard Outlook Express format whether online or offline. 3) Be able to use either MSN Explorer based hotmail or the Outlook Express depending on our needs at the time (i.e. MSN Explorer has limited space available for archiving and our needs go beyond this).

A lot of information and I'm not sure of everything you want but I'll try to give it a start. You ask: I can also no longer see the folder list and the contact list that would normally appear to the side of the Outlook Express window. Open OE and click VIEW. Then LAYOUT. Check the boxes CONTACT-FOLDER LIST-FOLDER BAR. Click APPLY then OK. I'll try to answer more and hope I understand your problems correctly.

You want to: 3) Be able to use either MSN Explorer based hotmail or the Outlook Express depending. If you are trying to set up a strictly hotmail account to download to OE use TOOLS>ACCOUNTS>MAIL>ADD>MAIL. If your trying to set up an MSN web based mail (version 7.02.0005.1700) so you can access it at the web site and ALSO download it to OE try running the tool at this site. http://supportservices.msn.com/us/oeconfig

You say: I used to see the email text inside of an Outlook Express window pane instead of a separate pop up window and I would also see the subject titles of all of the email messages in that folder displayed in another Outlook Express window pane. It sounds like you were using the PREVIEW PANE. Please don't use that function as it automatically opens the mail and any virus it might contain. And yes the body of a mail can contain a virus not just attachments. Click the message to open in a seperate window instead if you trust the sender. Otherwise delete it before viewing it. If you want the window to open to full size drag the edges to expand it then close the window. The next time you open a mail it should be to that size. To see the subject titles: Open OE then click VIEW>COLUMNS and check the options you want like SUBJECT>OK Let me know if I'm offtrack so I can try again.

You want to: 1) Continue to save items that we wish to archive to local Outlook Express folders. 2) Be able to access the Outlook Express and see what is in our local folders in the standard Outlook Express format whether online or offline. First of all once you have your side bar back you need to set up a local folder to send them to. Open OE then click FILE>FOLDER>NEW. Then highlight which account where you want to create the LOCAL Folder. Then give it a name. Then OK. You can then Copy or Move to it.

Hope that gets you started. Sorry I don't know the error codes. But if you need more help configuring OE post again and I bet you get more answers. Some pretty smart people here. I'll try too. signed; up all night (Randy L)