Microsoft KB Archive/196518

= OLEXP: Outlook Express Does Not Prompt You for an Identity =

Article ID: 196518

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.5
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01
 * Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0

-



This article was previously published under Q196518



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



SYMPTOMS
If you use the Ask Me option to configure multiple identities in Outlook Express, you may not be prompted for an identity when you start Outlook Express.

NOTE: In Outlook Express 5.01 and later, the Ask Me option has been changed to Use this identity when starting a program.



CAUSE
This issue can occur if you are running another programs that uses identities (such as Microsoft MSN Messenger), or if you start Outlook Express with an identity, quit Outlook Express without logging off from the identity, and then restart Outlook Express.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, log off as the identity, or restart the computer. To log off as the current identity in Outlook Express:
 * 1) On the File menu, click Exit and Log Off Identity.
 * 2) If the Exit and Log Off Identity command is not available, point to Identities, click Logoff for the identity from which you want to log off, and then restart Outlook Express.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
Outlook Express is an identity-aware program. When you quit Outlook Express without logging off, the identity is maintained so that other identity-aware programs can use the identity. For example, when you use Outlook Express to log off an identity, other identity-aware programs such as MSN Messenger are also logged off.

Additional query words: oe5top

Keywords: kbenv kbprb KB196518

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.