Outlook Express defaulting to Outlook

[Belrose]

Hi everybody

I am a bit - well, very - ignorant, self-taught computer user. I have a Dell Inspiron 9100 laptop running Windows XP Home Edition. I have always used Outlook Express but in the last few days I find that I am defaulting to Outlook on startup. I don't want to use Outlook so start OE from the Start menu and get the message that OE is not my default and do I want it to be. I click 'yes' and then get into OE. However, my Quick Launch icon remains Outlook.
It is time consuming having to go into OE from the Start menu everytime.

Can someone kindly tell me why things changed without any conscious
intervention from me and why have I still got the wrong quick launch icon even though I have selected OE as my default? I am currently away from home and can't get at my trusty 'Dummies' book !

Many thanks in anticipation of help.

 

[Igorian]

Have you installed MS Office at all?

You can create a shortcut by right clicking of OE in the start menu and dragging it to your desktop.

Also, Open Internet Explorer, click tools & Internet Options, click the Programs tab and make sure OE is your default mail program.

 

[Belrose]

To Igorian
You must think me rude and ungrateful for not replying to thank you for your reply of 21 Nov ! Fact is I have only just seen it. This is because when I tried to send the question I got a msj saying that I couldn't post because it was too soon after last post (about decorating....) I assumed(wrongly as it turned out) that my post would be 'scrapped' and that I should wait and do a new post in a few days/weeks. OE suddenly stopped defaulting to Outlook without my doing anything so I had no need to re-post and of course didn't look for replies.

Yes, I have MS Office. I have done as you suggested (Tools-Internet Options-Programs) and found that E-mail and Newsgroups were under OE and Calendar and Contact List were under Outlook. I don't use the last two anyway so should I tick OE and get rid of Outlook ?

Happy New Year !
Belrose