Have you tried just "double clicking" on a message in the list? Sounds like
the reinstall has set your mouse option to use a double click vs. a single
click. You can change that in Control Panel, Mouse applet.

Signature
Jim Pickering, MVP-Outlook Express
Please reply only to the newsgroup.
Violet <vipro@comcast.net>
wrote in 038201c39fe8$82640d50$a101280a@phx.gbl:
> Prior to re-installing Windows98SE from the original disk,
> I was able to open my email by just left clicking on each
> one that was listed. Now, however, even though it shows
> up on my preview pane, I have to right click and then left
> click the option to "open"... I have no idea why this has
> changed... Any suggestions will be tried out. TIA