Start by turning off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a
redundant layer of protection that eats up CPUs and can cause problems such
as time-outs and account setting changes. The other components of your up-to
date anti-virus program will not leave you vulnerable.

If still no joy, Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store folder will reveal
the location of your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight
the folder location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will
put the location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files.
Otherwise, write the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.

In Windows XP, 2K & 3K, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default
marked as hidden. To view these files in Explorer, you must enable Show
Hidden Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options |
View.

With OE closed, find the DBX file for the folder in question {Outbox.dbx}
and delete it. A new one will be created automatically when you open OE.

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: FileWork Offline (or double click Working Online in the Status
Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until the
compacting is completed.

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS MVP - Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"j.thomas16(remove this ) @ntlworld.com"
oft.com wrote in message
...
adewindows 98 . I can send e-mail with text but when I attach a file the
e-mail goes into outbox and I eventually receive a time out message . I
have
increased time out to Max and send immediatly is applied .
Howevr, if I sen an attachment from Word it will go plus any ones stuck in
outbox .
Also, on exiting OE I mostly get a run time error followed by illegal
operation MSIMN caused an invalid page fault in module KERNEL .DLL at
0187:bff9dfff
Any ideas?
--
cymru