Outlook and Outlook Express conflict

[Guest coulhaus]

I've always used Outlook Express 6 for email because it allows me to access multiple hotmail accounts but since I got my SPV I've been using Outlook XP to manage my contacts and calender.

My problem is that, despite de-seleting the option to "Make Outlook the default program for e-mail, contacts and calendar", Outlook keeps making itself the default program, in the background. So when I go into OE it informs me that it is no longer the default email handler and would I like to make it so (I always click yes, of course).

Outlook doesn't seem to do it every time it runs, just every now and then, but it can be really annoying when I click an email link in a web page and Outlook opens (in which I have no email accounts setup).

I have no other email software on my machine so it just seems to be a case of these two programs fighting for the right to handle my email even though I have already decided which one to use.

Can anyone offer any suggestions on how to fix this annoying problem?

[Guest awarner [MVP]]

Only use Outlook :)

Have you tried to delete the accounts from Outlook?

[Guest coulhaus]

Only use Outlook ;)

Have you tried to delete the accounts from Outlook?

I would only use Outlook but I don't much like the way it handles Hotmail accounts (i.e. through web folders), OE seems much more flexible.

As for deleting the accounts in Outlook there aren't any and if there were I doubt it would have any bearing on my problem.

Thanks for the feedback though :)

[Guest rogerbates]

You probably have already tried this but what about changing the default mail application in Internet Options in Internet Explorer? I had a similar problem but the other way round, I actually wanted Outlook to be the default one. I just went to Tools in IE and then Internet Options and then programs. Then just selected Outlook as the default one, when Outlook Express asked again to be made the default one I just unchecked the

"Ask this everytime" box and pressed no. It has been fine ever since.

Then again I did it the other way round so maybe Outlook will just make itself the default whatever you try and do.

[Guest coulhaus]

You probably have already tried this but what about changing the default mail application in Internet Options in Internet Explorer?

I have indeed tried that, to no avail, Outlook seems to make itself the default whatever I do :x