The Start PageOutlook Express displays by default when you open it, though welcoming and friendly to the first-time user, is not really all that helpful in a profound and substantial way.

Make Outlook Express Show the Weather, News, Quotations, Whatever

When they grow tired of the Start Page, many people simply turn it off. You, however, you will not turn it off. You will turn it around. Any HTML page, be it local or from the web, can be used as the Start Page in Outlook Express.

You can, for example, open your browser's home page in Outlook Express as well, the local weather, a page with a daily quotation,... well, anything.

Use Anything as Your Outlook Express Start Page

To set the Outlook Express Start Page to any local or remote HTML page:

• Close Outlook Express.
• Select Run... from the Start menu.
• Type "regedit".
• Click OK.
• Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\­Identities\­(your identity string)\­Software\­Microsoft\­Outlook Express\­5.0.
• Double-click the REG_SZ value named FrontPagePath.
  • If you cannot find this value:
  • Select Edit | New | String Value from the menu.
  • Type "FrontPagePath".
  • Hit Enter.
  • Now double-click FrontPagePath
• Enter the desired web page ("http://email.D106/", for example) or local file ("C:\Documents and Settings\zslluw\My Documents\oestartpage.html", for example).
• Click OK.
• Start Outlook Express.

Get the Default Outlook Express Start Page Back

Of course, you can restore the default Start Page easily. Either delete the FrontPagePath key or delete its value.