If you have Office 2007 installed with XP, the spell checking does not work with Outlook Express (unless you're using French). Microsoft don't offer any solution for this, but there's a few things you can do.

1. If you have Outlook, you could use that instead.

2. If you have a copy of Office 2003, install just the Spell Checker from that.

3. Dowload Windows Live Mail (it is the 'successor' to OE6). This is a stand-alone email client and it looks, plus works, quite like OE6. It will even download Hotmail and Gmail messages. Windows Live Mail

4. You could try a third party spell checker, but you are limited to the US version of English. Spell Checker for OE

Free Hotmail accounts too Phil.

That's good news then, because one of the problems with Outlook Express is not being able to configure a free Hotmail account.

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edit:

I wonder if the old fix when using MS Office 97 might also work?
However I am not in a position to try it.

This was how we used to get around it:-

If spell checker does not work (in Outlook Express) and you have Windows XP with Ms Office 97 and Outlook Express on your computer follow these instructions:-

This file, "csapi3t1.dll" is required to enable spell checking to work in Outlook Express when using Microsoft Word 97 under Windows XP.

You can find a copy from this address. (Or use your search button)

http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/csapi3t1.htm

Download to desktop, then copy and paste to the folder below on your hard drive.

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Proof