Outlook express not staying as default.

What other mail applications do you have installed?

If you have other mail applications such as Netscape, Mozilla, Outlook, etc.
Look in the options settings for the application that becomes the default mail handler.
I suspect that there is a setting set to make the program the default mail program.

If you do not have another mail client installed, I would instead look for ad-ware and spy-ware on your system.

I use both AdAware www.lavasoft.de
and SpyBot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

For some infections, you need a specific solution that targets just that mal-ware.

You should not need to re-install IE to fix this.
If the above does not help, go to IE in add/remove programs and choose to perform a repair instead of installing IE over.

Chas

When I go to add rempove and try to repair ie6.0 .... it says internet explorer q831167 will be removed... what is that q831167?

It is a service pack 1 fix for IE 6.0 for this issue:

You may not be able to log on to a Web site or complete an Internet transaction after you install the 832894 (MS04-004) security update. For example, when you submit your user name and password to an SSL-secured Web site by using a form on a HTTPS Web page, you may receive an HTTP 500 (Internal Server Error) Web page.

Read all about it here:

http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;831167

And I agree with the previous commenter to scan that system for malware.

I have 3 more questions , then:

1. When I go to Add/Remove and click on IE , will it let me repair or will it remove and delete all my email and folders etc?

2. If I re-install ie 6.0 will it delete all my folders in outlook express?

3. What would be the harm of re-installing ie 6.0?