Lost Outlook Express

I ran Disk Clean Up and then tried to run Disk Defrag. Windows came back and said that it could not Defrag because CHKDSK/F was scheduled and that I should run CHKDSK/F. I had no idea how to do that so I gave up and went on to other items (non-computing). I came back later to check my mail and found that Microsoft Outlook Express was no longer on the start menu. I tried to Restore to an earlier date, one day, two days, two weeks ago; and each time Restore would tell me that it was unable to restore to that date. I have found the Microsoft Outlook Express application folder in the Program files but have not been able to make it load. I would like to find the file with all of my address/contacts if possible, but if I must I will settle with being able to reload Microsoft outlook Express. Any thoughts?

 

HI!
chkdsk /f : Fixes errors on the disk. The disk must be locked. If chkdsk cannot lock the drive, a message appears that asks you if you want to check the drive the next time you restart the computer

You must have chosen to use 'Error-checking' option while doing your cleanup. It can only be run when you restart your computer.
Maybe you should let it run.

 

Toni thanks for the quick response. Yes I did click the error checking option and yes I got the dialog box that told me that I should schedule chkdsk at the next start and then I restarted the computer. I went through all of these steps again and still get the dialog box telling me to schedule at restart. I have tried to restore a number of times moving back a few days each time and upon restart I get a dialog box that tells me that my computer was unable to restore on the selected date. My last effort as for June 3.

 

Let me see if I've got this straight:
You ran the Check disk at startup.
The disk check was performed.
You tried to run defrag, but it said you have a check disk scheduled to run?
Like...it didn't run yet?

 

Looks like it is my day to be the statue.

I want to answer yes, but now I can not remember how the Disk Clean-up ended. I do know that I ran Disk Clean-up and I selected, “Scan for an attempt recovery of bad sections”. When it finished, I don’t remember any dialog box saying Disk Clean-Up was not finished or that I needed to do anything else, I tried to run “Disk Defrag” and it was all down hill from there on. “Disk Defrag” told me that it could not run because CHKDSK/F was scheduled and to run it. I either didn’t see the dialog box (or didn’t read it) that indicated that I should re-start my computer, but I did re-start when I came back and found Outlook Express missing. I then opened Explore and found the Outlook Express Application folder in the Program Files but could not finger out how to open it or run it to re-install it. If I could reload the application file for “Outlook Express” I will not have my “Contacts” or saved mail files; so I would like to find the “Outlook Express” that came up missing during or after the Disk Clean-up Operation.

 

When you go to Outlook Express in your program files through Windows Explorer do you double click the 'msimn.exe' to try and open Outlook Express?
Are all the items in the pic there?
Do you get any kind of error message?

 

No, msimn.exe is not there and the other four exe files, setup, wab, oemig50, and wabmig, do not show the extension. All of the dll extensions are shown.

 

Holy Cow!
Since I don't like suggesting repair or reinstall until it's the last hope, try this:
Restart and tap the F8 key like you would to get to Safe Mode only this time time choose 'Last known good configuration'
See if it changes anything.

It's looking like you need the XP CD to repair your installation...do you have the CD?

 

Click Start > All Programs. At the top you should see "Set Program Access
and Defaults". If not, you can also get there through Control
Panel > Add/Remove Software, then click the "Set Program Access and
Defaults" in the left column.

Expand the Custom section. Under "Choose a default email program",
select Outlook Express and make sure there is a check mark for "Enable
access to this program". Click OK.

Steve

 

Steve that fixed it, Outlook Express came right back up on the start menu and it looks good, the contacts are all there and the messages are waiting to be read. Thank You.
Second question – Since I tried a number of times to use the Restore function and it would not restore my system what should I be doing to solve this problem?

 

Try this:
System Restore Not Functioning
If you are running Windows XP Home and after going thru the System Restore process, a message stating "Cannot restore the computer to an earlier restore point, no changes have been made to your computer" pops up, try the procedure listed below to restore its functionality.

Right click [My Computer] [Properties] then click on System Restore tab.
Put a check in the box for Disable Restore on all drives.
Click apply, then Reboot your PC.
After the system reboots, navigate to the System Restore tab and turn it back on. Click apply.
Navigate to [System Tools] [Restore...] and choose [Create a Restore Point]
Provide a name for the new restore point.
Try and restore the new point just created. It should work properly