Was OE closed when you deleted Deleted Items.dbx?

If so, see if the messages will delete while working offline. File | Work
Offline & View | Layout: Uncheck the Preview Pane.

If still no joy, can you move all the messages out of the Inbox to a local
folder you create with the exception of the three bad messages? If you can,
do so and then close OE and delete the Inbox.dbx file. A new, empty Inbox
will be created when you open OE.

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


"julie" wrote in message
news
Thanks for the advice. I've tried this already but although it seemed to
remedy the problem for a few minutes, it then reverted straight back to
the
same problem again. Also, there are 3 emails that just wont delete no
matter
what i try and keep freezing and crashing the program every time i try to
move or delete them, even after deleting the deleted items folder. Any
other
ideas?
Many thanks,