Does the user actually have mail saved in the Deleted Items garbage pail?
When will they learn, and when will people start backing up OE?

If they don't need anything in Deleted Items, deleting that dbx file and
creating a new Deleted Items folder /may/ let them start deleting messages
in other folders.

If that is feasible, start there. If not, post back and I will give you
sites for message retrieval tools that may save the messages, and what to do
with the current Inbox, Sent Items & Deleted Items.

General precautions for Outlook Express:

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupt. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move your
mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while
working *offline* and do it often.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are
open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the
Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until
the compacting is completed.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer
of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems such as
time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program will
continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Backup & Resto
http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/

This is a great two click program:

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

"Mark Gibbons" wrote in message
...
Hi,



I have a user, who through poor management has let their Inbox, Set Items
& Deleted Items grow to exceed 2GB. There are also multiple copies of
these files.

When trying to delete single messages or multiple messages from these
folders, nothing happens.



What should I do now as the user doesn't want to delete all messages from
these files, the remaining would be moved to other appropriate folders.



Thanks in Advance