OLEXP: Your Outlook Express Password Is Not Retained in Windows 2000 or XP

When you run Outlook Express using Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP and connect to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to retrieve e-mail messages from a Post Office Protocol (POP) server, your password is not retained even though you have chosen to save it.

The registry contains incorrect information for the Protected Storage System Provider registry subkey for your account.

To save your password you must back up your registry, remove the user account information, and then re-enter your password. Only people who are members of the Administrators group on the local computer can make these changes. Windows XP Home Edition users need to check the Users control panel. If they are not listed as an Administrator, someone with Administrator rights will have to add them to the Administrators group.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT or Windows 2000, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

How to Back up the Registry

Windows 2000

1. Click Start , click Run , type regedt32 in the Open box, and then click OK .
2. Locate and click the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider
3. On the Registry menu, click Save Key .
4. In the File name box, type a unique name for the key.
5. In the Save In box, click a location for the file, and then click Save .
6. On the Registry menu, click Exit .

Windows XP

1. Click Start , click Run , type regedt32 in the Open box, and then click OK .
2. Locate and click the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider
3. On the File menu, click Export .
4. In the File name box, type a unique name for the key.
5. In the Save In box, click a location for the file, and then click Save .
6. On the Registry menu, click Exit .

How to Remove the User Account Information

Windows 2000

1. Quit all programs.
2. Click Start , click Run , type regedt32 in the Open box, and then click OK .
3. Locate and click the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider
4. On the Security menu, click Permissions .
5. Click the registry key for the user that is currently logged on and ensure that Read and Full Control are both set to Allow .
6. Click the Advanced button, ensure that user that is currently logged on is selected, that Full Control is listed in the Permissions column, and that This Key and Subkeys is listed in the Apply to column.
7. Click to select the Reset permissions on all child objects and enable propagation of inheritable permissions check box.
8. Click Apply , and then click Yes when you are prompted to continue.
9. Click OK , and then click OK .
10. Double-click the Protected Storage System Provider key to expand the key, click the user subkey folder that is directly below the Protected Storage System Provider key, click Delete on the Edit menu, and then click Yes in the warning message dialog box.
    
    The user subkey folder looks similar to the following example:
    S-1-5-21-124525095-708259637-1543119021-16701
    NOTE : For every identity that you have, there will be a subkey under the Protected Storage System Provider key. To resolve this problem in all of your identities, you must delete all of the user subkeys folders under the Protected Storage System Provider key.
11. On the Registry menu, click Exit , and then restart your computer.

Windows XP

1. Quit all programs.
2. Click Start , click Run , type regedit32 in the Open box, and then click OK .
3. Locate and click the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider
4. On the Edit menu, click Permissions .
5. Click the registry key for the user that is currently logged on and ensure that Read and Full Control permissions are both set to Allow .
6. Click the Advanced button, ensure that the user that is currently logged on is selected, that Full Control is listed in the Permissions column, and that This Key and Subkeys is listed in the Apply to column.
7. Click to select the Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects check box.
8. Click Apply , and then click Yes when you receive a prompt to continue.
9. Click OK , and then click OK again.
10. Double-click the Protected Storage System Provider key to expand the key, click the user subkey folder that is directly below the Protected Storage System Provider key, click Delete on the Edit menu, and then click Yes in the warning message dialog box.
    
    The user subkey folder looks similar to the following example:
    S-1-5-21-124525095-708259637-1543119021-16701
    NOTE : For every identity that you have, there may be a subkey under the Protected Storage System Provider key. To resolve this issue in all of your identities, you must delete all of the user subkeys folders under the Protected Storage System Provider key.
11. On the Registry menu, click Exit , and then restart your computer.

How to Re-Enter Your Password

NOTE : These steps work for both Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

1. Start Outlook Express.
   
   NOTE : If you receive a login error, close the dialog box and proceed.
2. Click Tools , and then click Accounts .
3. Click the Mail tab in the Internet Accounts window.
4. In the Account column, click to highlight the Internet E-mail account to be changed, and then click Properties .
5. On the Server tab, type your password in the Password box, and then click to select Remember password dialog box.
6. Click OK , and then click Close .
7. Close Outlook Express and then restart it.
8. On the Tools menu, click Send and Receive to test if your password is retained.

NOTE : If other Windows 2000 or Windows XP users are having password retention problems, re-enter the password, and then click to select the Remember Password check box for those profiles. Each user may need to log on for their password to be retained.