Create a new Outbox, and Sent Items folder.

Do the following for the Outbox, and Sent Items after you move any messages
you wish to save to a local folder you create.

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 or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.

In WinXP, Win2K & Win2K3, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default
marked as hidden. To view these files in Windows Explorer, you must enable
Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options
Icon | View, or in Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | View.

With OE closed, find the Outbox.dbx and Sent Items.dbx file and delete them.
New files will be created automatically when you open OE.

To help prevent this in the futu

Do not archive mail in the Inbox or Sent Items. Create your own user defined
folders and move the messages you wish to save to them. Empty Deleted Items
folder daily.

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 or SP3}.
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA


"Bertie" wrote in message
...
Whenever I send a message with an attachment, I get an error (but no error
message details), and the message remains in the Outbox BUT the message is
actually sent OK. This has only just started happening. I am using OE6 and
IE7 on XP SP2. I have tried reinsatlling IE7. Messages without attachments
are fine.