Outlook Express dir/files keep reappearing after deletion

My boss (old guy) says his email contacts periodically get strange emails from him, but he says he never sends them. So, must be a virus, right? I figure something is getting ahold of an address book and firing out bogus emails to his contacts. But, he says he uses only Yahoo mail, for years now. But, I found Outlook Express on his system with a bunch of contacts in it. I couldn't find OE in the Add/Remove programs utility; so, I tried to delete C:/Program Files/Outlook Express and the dozen or so files under it. I do, but then magically before my eyes, it all reappears/regenerates. What's going on?

 

Lots of views, but no Replies. Doesn't anybody have an idea why when I delete the /Outlook Express directory & files, that the files get recreated/regenerated somehow right before my eyes (via Explorer)?

 

My Computer
1) C: Drive
2) Documents and Settings
3) (name of your account)
4) Local Settings
5) Application Data
6) Identities
7) {folder starting and ending with the brackets} if you have more than one
you may need to check all of them.
8) Microsoft
9) Outlook Express

 

You can remove Outlook Express in Control Panel > Add Remove Programs > Add Remove Windows Components.

If the phantom emails are from his Yahoo address, his user account may have been hacked.

 

I get the

"Error Deleting File or Folder"

"Cannot remove folder Outlook Express: It is being used by another person or program".

But, I cannot figure out what is using it.

 

This is normal, you cannot remove OE from XP simply by attempting to delete its Program Files folder - you will always get that error. You could disable it in Add/Remove, as has already been suggested, or you could delete OE's data files which contain all his previous messages and his local address book. They will automatically be recreated when OE is next run, but minus all his records, so better check with him first. The location of the data files is found by opening OE > Tools > Options > Maintennce tab - Store Folder button. Then use Explorer to find and delete them. They all have the .dbx extension.

 

LATE EDIT - Or Just delete the contacts from OE's address book. That's a bit less destructive!