Microsoft's Outlook Express is a common email client used by most of Windows users. Not only is it relatively simple to use, it also packs a big punch for a small package. Its full email functionality, ease of set up and its synergy with other Microsoft office programs makes it a viable solution for everyone – no matter the volume or types of emails they most often receive. But even the brightest angels have some dark spots within them, and I have, at many times stood flabbergasted at various Outlook Express error messages appearing on my screen; usually at the most crucial and important of times.

Well, any program can be potentially bug-ridden; code is as imperfect as anything that rests within the real world. Failures are inevitable and the most common errors that occur within Outlook Express usually show up guised in corrupted registry entries, program conflicts, quirky mailboxes and knotted server problems. The list of error messages vary and number quite a bit, so it would be a waste of space for me to list them all. I shall highlight 2 common Outlook Express error messages and how to fix them.

The most common one, and of course the one that blares a red warning light that something might be amiss is the fact the mail client hangs or crashes. Refusing to start up, locking up worse than arthritis and freezing your entire desktop are quite common. These may or may not be followed up by a myriad of error messages containing error codes like ‘0x800ccc15'. Hey, if you are lucky, you might not even get a message – which leaves you incredulous as to exactly is going on, followed by frustration and a dire need to either pull out your hair or pull out something valuable from your machine.

The other might be a complete failure to even send and receive messages at all. Outlook could be telling you some strange thing about ‘an unexpected termination of server connection', or ‘the operation timed out waiting for a response from the POP server' or even the enigma that is ‘target machine actively refused your connection'. For most of us, these mean absolutely nothing, and the ‘help' tab is about as useful as being handed a heavy rock while drowning.

The problems can be solved quite easily. Windows has included graciously within its package a Network Diagnostics tool. Use it and use it without fear. It might track any errors by scanning your computer especially all programs which actively use the network. This might help to solve the second problem. Use this in conjunction with the network diagnostics tool in the control panel and actively monitor your connection to the internet, especially if you're on a wireless one.

A lot of the time, hangs and crashes are attributed to missing DLL's, bad registry entries and invalid keys within the registry that confuses Outlook. A good registry cleaner and windows optimiser can really help in these types of situations. Do a bit of research online and download a good optimiser and cleaner, because like your room, a lot of clutter can cause many trips and falls. You might find that dealing with Outlook Express error messages may simply be a simple matter of maintaining your computer on a regular basis.