uninstalling Thunderbird

[shankle]

Experimented with Thunderbird on my wife's Windows 98 computer.
It caused her problems so I tried to uninstall it. Uninstall did not work
and I piece meal deleted it.
Now when she tries to read an attachment in Outlook Express she gets
a window telling her it can't find "Thunde~1.exe"
I looked for it on my Windows XP machine that is running Thunderbird
and could not find the file.
I know you all say don't use Internet Explorer/Oulook Express but I NEVER
had any problems with either program.
Any help would surely be appreciated.
JPS

[Tedd]

It's to do with the file associations, e.g. when you open a .html file windows will see which program it should open the file with and then try to start that program. "thunde~1.exe" (thunderbird) is no longer there because it's been uninstalled, but it's still listed as being to open certain types of file.
So, what you need to do is replace the association to thunderbird with whichever program you would prefer, for all of the appropriate file types.
There are two ways to do this:
- the 'simple' way: my computer -> edit -> options/settings -> 'file types' (I think that's where it is in win98, if not just look around the menus for it :wink) and then go down the list looking for any file-types that mention thunderbird, and replace their program association with whatever is appropriate (outlook? -- use the full path, not just "outlook.exe")
- or, the 'leet' way: start regedit and search for "thunde~1.exe" and replace with the appropriate program. Repeat the search until no more are found. You only really need to search through HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

[P1]

Under Control Panel, check your settings in "Internet Settings" and change the browser setting.

Most of the time, you will be prompted, if you run iexplorer, to fix it back.

Regards,  P1  :8)

[shankle]

I was unable to find anything using the instruction by P1. She is running Windows 98 2nd ed.

The I tried Tedd's instructions:
   regedit
    hkey_classes_root
      .eml
        defaultlcon
         "c:progra~1\outlookexpress,0"  (I changed this)
          shell
           open
            command
             "c: progra~1\outlookexpress "%1"" (I changed this)

   Windows then came up with the following message:
      "Windows can not find outlookexpress.exe".

At least it got past the "thunde~1.exe"
I searched for outookexpress.exe and was unable to find it.
Thanks,
JPS

[Mark Jones]

"outlookexpress.exe" ?

Is that what the executable is supposed to be named? I forget. :bg

If not, that looks like a possible trojan. See http://virusinfo.prevx.com/pxparall.asp?PXC=dc9f19430178

[MichaelW]

The actual filename is MSIMN.EXE. It might be easier to change the file associations on the File Types tab in the Folder Options dialog, available on the View menu in Windows Explorer. For the EML extension the entry should be something like this:

"C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" /eml:%1

[shankle]

I was able to find the entry for the .eml file through "regedit" and "Windows Explorer".
My problem seems to be that I don't know how to code the Path for the eml extension.
  Here is my latest attempt:
        c:program files\outlook express\msimn.exe %1

This gives the following message when I try to execute an attachment in Outlook Express:
    "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action."
Thanks for the help,
JPS
   

[drhowarddrfine]

Did you try reinstalling/installing Thunderbird?  Some people who have had problems find this fixes everything.  My brother has been running Thunderbird on an old Win98 machine for quite a while with no problems.  He'll never go back to Outlook Express or Internet Explorer again.

[Tedd]

Set the string exactly as MichaelW put (with quotes and spaces and colons and all) i.e. "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" /eml:%1 (assuming that's where outlook lives on your machine)

If that fails, it may be easier to go through the menu settings: mycomputer -> view -> folder options -> file types
Then you should be able to 'browse' for the actual outlook program.

Saying all this, I'm sure there would be a setting within outlook to "make outlook the default mail reader" which would save you all of this trouble :wink

[P1]

Right Click, IExplorer on the desktop, Click Properties, Click Program Tab, Click Reset Web Settings.

-or-

Open IExplorer, Click Tools, Internet Options, Click Program Tab, Click Reset Web Settings.

If you this does not help you, Please give IExplorer version.  I have still have a dual boot PC with W98 on it.

Regards,  P1  :8)

[shankle]

Thanks for all the help.
I've convinced my wife to give up on Outlook Express.
I have put Forefox/Thunderbird on her windows 98 computer.
She has four Identities in Outlook Express with multiple extra folders.
Thunderbird imports the 1st identity from Outlook Express to the local folder
in Thunderbird from which I have to piece meal it from the Local folder to
Identity1 in Thunderbird. It also imports the Address  book from the main
identity in outlook Express to Thunderbird.

When trying to import Identity2 from Outlook Express it imports Identity1
again to the Local Folder in Thunderbird. 
When trying to import the Address  Book from Identity2 in Outlook Express
it imports the Identity1 Address Book.

Etc. for Identities 3/4 and address books.
Since I'm just getting my feet wet with Thunderbird any suggestions would
be most appreciated.
Thanks,
JPS

[Mark Jones]

You could always try posting this question over on http://www.mozillazine.org/

That's where I go for FireFox/ThunderBird technical questions.

[drhowarddrfine]

Here's how.