I have Windows XP and I want to send and receive emails through Outlook Express. Outlook Express doesn’t appear on my programs list although I can access it through the Help & Solutions. Also, I can send emails but not receive them. My ISP is Tiscali. Can you help?
Yes, we can help. First, let’s solve the problem with the missing Outlook Express shortcut and then we’ll look at setting up Outlook Express to receive your messages.
Missing Outlook Express Shortcut
If your icon for Outlook Express is no longer showing up when you click the Start button, the easiest way to get it back is to use the “Pin to Start Menu” option. This puts an icon for Outlook Express at the top of the list, making it unnecessary to click All Programs in order to find your e-mail. Now, if Outlook Express is located in the list when you click All Programs, this is really easy. You’d simply click All Programs, right-click Outlook Express, and choose Pin to Start Menu. However, it sounds like Outlook Express is not listed here either.
In this case, we will need to go directly to the source and create the shortcut from the actual Outlook Express executable file. To do this, right-click the Start button and choose Explore. Now, let’s find the Outlook Express executable. It is named msimn.exe. Type this file name into the Search bar. When it appears in the list, right-click it and choose Pin to Start Menu. Now, a shortcut will appear near the top of your Start Menu.
If you want one-click access to launch Outlook Express, send it to the Quick Launch area which is the area directly next to the Start button. Do this by right-clicking msimn.exe and choosing Add to QuickLaunch.
Receiving E-mail in Outlook Express
Now, let’s see if your incoming e-mail settings are set properly for receiving e-mail from your ISP. First, to Tools and click on Accounts. Click the Mail tab and highlight your account in the list. Choose Properties and click the Servers tab. Make sure that the incoming server is set as POP3. Also, make sure that the check box next to “Log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA)” is empty.
According to Tiscali, the incoming and outgoing e-mail servers are as follows:
- Incoming (POP3): pop.tiscali.com.uk
- Outgoing (SMTP): smtp.tiscali.com.uk
Make sure that the server information is typed correctly. A missing period or a typo in the incoming server field could be behind Outlook Express’s failure to receive e-mail messages.
E-mail Backlogs
Another common issue with e-mail receive errors is when a single, large (or corrupt) e-mail is unable to come through. When this happens, no messages can come through until that message is out of the way. Since Tiscali has Web-based mail, head to the Tiscali Web site and log in. Click the My Mail icon and look to see if you have any messages in your inbox. Which message is the oldest? That’s likely the one causing the logjam, especially if it has a large attachment. Try deleting this message. Now, go back into Outlook Express and see if the other messages arrive.
