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You cannot switch identities in Outlook Express after you install Windows XP SP1

Article ID: 329084 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q329084

SYMPTOMS

You cannot switch identities in Microsoft Outlook Express after you install Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). For example, if you click Switch Identity on the File menu, click the identity that you want to switch to, and then click OK, the main identity is opened instead of the one that you want to switch to.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, install the Cumulative Update for Outlook Express 6.0 SP1. For additional information about this update, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

331923

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/331923/EN-US/ )

OLEXP: An Overview of the Cumulative Update for Outlook Express 6.0 Service Pack 1

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WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, configure Outlook Express to prompt you for an identity at startup:

In Outlook Express, click File, point to Identities, and then click Manage Identities.
Click to clear the Use this identity when starting a program check box.
Click Close.

Note After you complete this procedure, you are prompted to select an identity each time you start Outlook Express. At this time, you can switch identities. However, you are prompted two times to switch to a new identity.

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