Open the Outbox and see if it will delete after checking: File | Work
Offline & View | Layout: Uncheck the Preview Pane.

If not:

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in
Windows Explorer.

In Windows XP, 2K & 2K3, 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 Outbox.dbx and delete it. A new,
empty one will be created automatically when you open OE.

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupted. 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.

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
Imperial Beach, CA


wrote in message
...
Unwittingly tried to send a huge file of unedited photos on wife's
computer by email in Outlook Express 6.0. It is hung up in the Outbox
and she can't send any email now. Can't seem to purge or empty the
Outbox. Delete does not work. Any help would truly be appreciated.
Thanks. Damon