Outlook Express causes auto popup of AIM

After installing Outlook Express to use for my email, I noticed that every time I run Outlook Express that AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) automatically pops up. This is a pain and I
did not ask for that to happen. On my Win 9x, Me, & 2K based PCs, I noticed a selection in Outlook Express's Tools->Options General tab that has the following option:

Automatically log on to AOL Instant Messenger

I have unselected this option and applied the change on at least 8 different PCs but AIM still keeps popping up. The PC this does not happen on is one where I have never installed AOL or AIM.

Notice above I did not include Win XP. That's because on my Win XP PC, the Outlook Express option to disable auto load of AIM does not even seem to exist. But it does automatically popup here too. And on the Win XP for some reason it makes the bootup of Outlook Express extremely slow (like about 2 minutes).

I search Microsoft's Knowledge base and could not find anyone else complaining of this problem. I thought it was just me until yesterday at a friends house I mentioned the problem and he has the exact some problem with AIM popup.

Anyone have any ideas why disabling does not work? And a fix would be most welcome too!

Charlie

 

Outlook Express, tools, options uncheck auto load AIM with Outlook. Pretty easy. AIM also has an option to start with windows in its preferences. Closing the AOL tray icon for the first time will ask you if you want it to re-appear. Say no. Done. No need to edit with msconfig, or a startup manager because it will come back after first reboot because the program itself is set to start with Windows.

 

Thank you endiablado & Major Attitude for the replies but I don't think you followed my question or perhaps I did not explain it well enough. I said I already disabled the Outlook Express option to auto load AIM. I do not have any Windows startup options to load AIM and there are no Run or Run Once commands in the registry to run it either. It just loads each time Outlook is started.

I did not mention that I do not load AIM at Windows startup in my question. Also, even if in AIM's options I tell it not to reconnect, it still comes back each time I start Outlook. Obviously, the Outlook check box does not work.

What I have foundout since posting my question is this. If I disable AIM from being my default instant messenger, the check box option disappears in Outlook and AIM no longer auto loads. So this is somewhat of a solution. However, I did want AIM to be my default instant messenger. I just don't want it to load when I start Outlook or when I boot my computers. Only when I want to run it. For that matter, even if I used MSN Messenger, I would also not want it to load in either.

 

I was going to say in a similar way.. Im using AIM beta and its fixed in that, might want to go for latest beta release.

 

I will have to checkout the AIM beta you are talking about. Do you have a version number and where did you get it from?

By the way you said, its fixed in the beta. I take this to mean you saw the same problem in the previous AIM version. Or did you just mean you don't see the problem with your current version of Outlook and the AIM beta?

 

I used to have the same problem, I would uncheck it, but it still ran with Outlook. Really pissed me off In the beta it seems to work fine for me. The latest beta can be downloaded in your AIM by going to auto updates and check final and beta releases instead of the default, which is final releases. Optionally you can download from AIM page at http://www.aim.com/get_aim/win/win_beta.adp?aolp=

Optionally, again, you could download ICQ at http://www.icq.com which I just went back to myself

 

Wenchie,

Thanks for the reply! If you notice in the thread, I sent another message Yesterday, 23:40, where I discovered the same thing. That is really a work around to avoid the popups but not a fix since I do want AIM to be my default instant messenger.

I have to check out the latest AIM beta that Major Attitude has mentioned (Thanks Major)

 

Wenchies idea is good. Setting something as default allows the program to be auto opened by different applications, in this case Outlook. Give her idea a try first if you like, that should do it if all else has failed!

 

Problem still occurs after loading the beta version of AIM (Version 5.5.3553) So I guess I'll just have to tell AIM not to be default instant messenger and live with it.

 

There ya go. Default sounds nice and makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, but if you dont have another client installed, its no big deal. Heres an example. Lets say you love Winamp, but prefer another program to play movies. You can set Winamp as the default player and still play movies with another program.

 

Thanks Major & Wenchie,

You guys are right. I guess I was just being a little thick headed.