Thanks for your assistance.

I don't know what this means in the first oehelp link:
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\OUTLOOK EXPRESS\MSIMN.EXE" /reg
(Check the path to msimn.exe to make sure that is correct)

I inserted the link in Run as directed and it didn't do anything--either
rejecting or accepting it. I then used the Explore function to see if I
could follow the above url and got as far as C:\PROGRAM FILES\OUTLOOK
EXPRESS\MSIMN. On the same page as msimn I found a file called wab, which
was the good address book. It asked me if I wanted to make that book the
default address book, but I didn't check it. Should I have?

I also did a *.wab search and it only came up with the old address books.

Following the instructions in one of the links you gave me, I removed the
Microsoft Outlook program altogether and reset Outlook Express as my email
program. Again, the old address book.

Finally, I did a system restore and everything is back to normal, but
without the Updates. (I really shouldn't get sick to my stomach every time
the Updates shield starts flashing.)

Bob

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

Reset OE as default as per these instructions. You will have to do this
every time you get an Outlook update. (See that link). Another great job by
MS. If you still have an old Address Book, do an Advanced search and include
Hidden Files and Folders and search for *.wab

You may find a few and one should be the current one.

Make OE the default e-mail client:
http://www.oehelp.com/oedef.aspx

For links in e-mail:
http://www.oehelp.com/oelnk.aspx

And:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306098

Restores OE to the E-mail clients list in Internet Options
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/oe_client.htm

If you have MS Outlook installed, also see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#13

"Send To" and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306098
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA


"Bobm0001" wrote in message
...
I did a Microsoft update and everything seemed to go okay, except that my
Outlook Express was changed to Microsoft Outlook. I went to
Tools/Internet
Options and changed the e-mail program back to Outlook Express.
Everything
is fine except that the address book is at least 5 years old. I can do a
systems restore, but don't I want the rest of the update? Is there any
other
way to fix the address boook problem?