There may be those among you who use Outlook Express to read and send emails. Chances are you may find yourself unable to open and read them if you download a recent Windows update. There are two ways to put this right. One involves poking about in the registry and the other, simpler and less risky, is to open Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, look for KB911567 and remove the entry. Outlook Express will be fully functioning again. Needless to say, Micro$oft know this will happen.

Well dabthoms, I've gone over to using Windows Live Mail Desktop Beta, but at the moment it isn't working! I started using it because you can no longer have Hotmail accounts in OE. At least with the new system, you can import any email accounts into it, and when it's working, it works quite well.

I hope someone fixes it soon, 'cause I spent a lot of time setting it up!

I use OE, but my mail and Gmail go through Mailwasher first, because Mailwasher does not take Hotmail I don;t use it much, prefer Gmail.
Have had no trouble with OE and up-dates.

I use Mailwasher too. A good wee filter for the rubbish too.

Those of us with Hotmail accounts for some length of time and customarily reading the emails in Outlook Express were given a concession to carry on doing so. I still read my Hotmail in OE.

That's odd dabthoms - I wasn't, and I've had Hotmail through Outlook Express for several years now.

I kid you not, Kevin.
This is a copy of an email I had from MSN Messeger Services, February 2005.

Dear MSN Member,

Recently, Hotmail® announced that in order to improve customer experience and reduce spam and junk e-mail abuse on MSN® services, Hotmail will no longer allow new e-mail accounts to be accessed via Microsoft® Office Outlook® and Outlook Express.

We are pleased to inform you that because you are an existing and valued customer, at this time your current Hotmail and MSN account(s) are exempt from this restriction and you will be able to continue enjoying access to those accounts from Outlook or Outlook Express. However, any new Hotmail or MSN accounts you create will not be accessible via Outlook or Outlook Express.

Because you actively use Outlook or Outlook Express to access one or more of your MSN Hotmail or MSN e-mail accounts, this could be the ideal time to consider subscribing to our powerful new
e-mail service - Microsoft Office Outlook Live.

As an Outlook Live subscriber, not only can you get uninterrupted access to your MSN e-mail accounts from Outlook, but you will also enjoy many other benefits.



As a thank-you for your loyalty to MSN, we'd like to offer you a 25% discount off the regular price of a year's subscription to Outlook Live. Sign up by April 19, 2005, and you can enjoy all your first year's benefits for just £29.99 instead of £39.99*.