My e-mail text will not change colors anymore

When replying to an e-mail or just when composing my own e-mails in Outlook Express I could go somewhere in the dialogue, click then hit the "A" for text colors. I could select any color in the color box, click on it and the text would change to that color. About two weeks ago the text color box started coming up blank (no color choices) when I clicked on the "A". This happens in Outlook Express and in the Web-mail option. I cannot get the text to change colors no matter what I have tried. I called my internet server and they have tried to help by helping me install Win Zip (which I have no idea what I am supposed to do with). According to them, I may have to clear every single thing I want saved off of my laptop (pictures, documents etc.) before I can begin to do what needs to be done (a big long process) to restore the ability to change text colors in Outlook Express. Can I not just click on SOMETHING...ANYTHING.....to get the text color option back like I had it before in Outlooke Express? I can still change text colors in Word when I am writing a document there. I can also use the Bold, Italic and Underlining in the tool bar. Just cannot use the text color option. Please help me. I really appreciate anything you can suggest. Thank you very much. Mia2madison.

 

Thank you very much for your reply. I did everything you suggested but still no color to the text. I tried the "A" directly above this message and the color chart remained void of color options. The "A" right above the B (for bold) above this message has a red X crossing it out (remove text formatting). I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. I don't know how to make that red X-out go away. Please keep trying to help me. Thank you very much. Mia

 

This is Mia again....I forgot to add that a tech from my internet server said he thought I needed to re-install Outlook Express to get the text color option back. What do you think about that? Also, I have Windows XP and Outlook Express 6. I did not see "6" on the list of which programs the 'Accessibility Setting and Change Sending Format" information applies to, if that matters. Thank you so much again. Mia.

 

These comments don't make sense. In OE, the A is not right above the B. It seems like you're talking about composing a reply for the forum rather than composing a message in OE, since the forum message composition panel has an A above the B. Please clarify.

 

You are correct about your observation. Please excuse me. It was the first time I tried to use this site and I made a mistake (as you correctly pointed out). Thanks for the correction.

 

Hi Plodr,
Guess what???? I got my text color option back last night! Boy did I try everything (for three weeks). Finally, my son suggested that I try the "system restore" option. At first I tried setting the restore date back to July and nothing happened. Then he told me to just go back one week and try to restore the system again. I did that. Then I (for no good reason) decided to click on my "Windows Movie Maker). A box came up saying I needed to download so I hit "download". When that was complete I tried again to use the color option for e-mail texting AND IT WORKS AGAIN! I had been making a little vidio on the Window Movie Maker program prior to the loss of the text color function. I wonder if that had something to do with it. So, thank you very much for your kindness and help and encouragement to be patient. Now, I can get back to what I was doing before all of this. Thanks again, Mia