Karen Woods wrote:
I bought a new computer thru Dell with Windows XP and Outlook Express as my
email provider this past June 2006. I needed Word and Excell and Publisher
but
this package did not include any Microsoft Office programs. I had an old
Office 2000 disk I had purchased and still had the code so I downloaded the
first of two disks, that had Word, Outlook, Excell, and some other tools.

Downloaded? From where? I didn't know you could download office with
just the product key number. Or, are you saying to *installed* Office
from a CD?

Search for .dbx after configuring Windows Explorer to show hidden files.
Go to the folder where the .dbx files are kept. Copy *all* you find in
this Outlook Express folder to, preferably, a flash drive or an external
hard drive. That way, you will still have your Outlook Express messages
and address book. Copy any data you've created to a flash or external drive.

NOW, try solving the problem, which, from the sound of things will
involve using the Dell Restore disk and reinstalling all the programs.
Install Office right after you install XP and the corresponding Windows
updates. Be sure and do a clean up, defrag, set a restore point first.

Alias