Unbelievable. Thank you Lats for the link.
Just in case anybody here was not yet convinced that Microsoft is the devil, I have pasted the instructions given by Satan on how to accomplish this task. I especially enjoyed the part about the dangerous changes to the registry files that are required. Good grief.
Before you begin reading you may want to empty your bladder, put your slippers on and make sure you have a cold drink and snacks nearby. You may be here a while.
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OLEXP: How to Manually Remove and Reinstall Outlook Express in Windows 2000
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5 for Windows 2000
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 2000
Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 for Windows 2000
This article was previously published under Q263837
For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook Express and Microsoft Outlook e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry
SUMMARY
This article describes how to manually remove and then reinstall Microsoft Outlook Express 5.x and 6.0 on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 2000. Because you cannot automatically remove Outlook Express 5.x with the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel, this article explains the best technique for removing Outlook Express 5.x so that you can reinstall it.
NOTES
You can also use the steps in this article to repair the functionality of Microsoft Outlook Express if the program is damaged when you uninstall Microsoft Office 2000.
If you need to remove Outlook Express 6.0, use the "Add/Remove Programs" tool in Control Panel first. If you are not successful with this method, you should proceed with the remaining information in this article.
Do not apply this procedure to Domain Controllers without reinstalling Outlook Express. Active Directory will call Component Data Object Interfaces which will be broken when these steps are executed.
MORE INFORMATION
To manually remove Outlook Express 5.x or 6.0, you must rename several files. To help in this process, all system files and file extensions must be visible:
Double-click the My Computer icon.
On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click the View tab.
In the Hide Files and Folders section, click Show hidden files and folders, and then click to clear the Hide file extensions for known file types check box.
Click to clear the Hide Protected Operating System Files (Recommended) check box, and then click Yes in the warning message dialog box.
Click Ok to close the Folder Options dialog box.
How to Remove Outlook Express
Before you remove Outlook Express, it is important to familiarize yourself with the back up and restore procedures for Outlook data. Microsoft recommends that you back up your e-mail, address book, and other data. For detailed instructions and backup procedures, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:
181084 How to Back Up Your Inbox Assistant Rules in Outlook Express
188093 How to Back Up the Account List in Outlook Express
230208 How to Back Up E-mail Messages in Outlook Express 5
270670 OLEXP: How to Back Up and Recover Outlook Express Data
To remove Outlook Express, you must rename several folders.
NOTE: Before you remove Outlook Express, make sure you are logged on to the computer with Administrative rights.
Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
Locate and rename the following folders:
The Stationery folder:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery
The Identities folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Identities
-or-
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities
The Address Book folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book
-or-
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Address Book
After you locate these folders, click them one at a time, and then press F2. Rename them to old_stationery, old_identities, and old_address respectively, and then press ENTER.
You must now delete the registry key for Outlook Express:
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
Click Start, and then click Run, and then type regedit in the Open box.
Locate the following registry keys, right-click the registry key, and then click Delete:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WAB
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{44BBA840-CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{7790769C-0471-11D2-AF11-00C04FA35D02}
Quit Registry Editor.
To complete the removal procedure, rename several Outlook Express files:
Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files and Folders.
Find and rename the following files (these files are the same in Outlook Express 6.0):
Inetcomm.dll
Msoeacct.dll
Msoert2.dll
Msoe.dll
Msoeres.dll
Msimn.exe
Oeimport.dll
Oemiglib.dll
Oemig50.exe
Setup50.exe
Wab.exe
Wabfind.dll
Wabimp.dll
Wabmig.exe
Csapi3t1.dll
Directdb.dll
Wab32.dll
Wab32res.dll
Each of these files are located in two folders, the default file folder, and the C:\Winnt\System32\Dllcache folder. For example, the Inetcomm.dll file is located in the C:\Winnt\System32 folder, by default, and in the C:\Winnt\System32\Dllcache folder. You must rename the same file in both folders to successfully remove Outlook Express. To rename these files:
Remove any CD-ROMs that may be in your CD-ROM drive.
Click the Inetcomm.dll file in the Dllcache folder, press F2, rename the file to filename.old (for example, inetcomm.old), and then press ENTER.
Click the same file in the other folder, press F2, rename the file to filename.old, and then press ENTER.
When you receive the prompt about Windows file protection, do not insert the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. Instead, click Cancel.
At the prompt about keeping unrecognized file versions, click Yes.
Repeat this process with each file in the list.
