You may have deleted the wrong Deleted Items.dbx file.

1. Tools Options Maintenance Store folder will reveal the location of
your current Identity's store
(http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm#storemain). Write it down.

In WindowsXP and 2000, 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.

2. Close OE.

3. In Windows Explorer, search for Deleted Items.dbx. Assuming you find
such a file in your identity's store, delete it.

General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a manual
compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if
Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org


Shirley wrote:
I turned off my system before it completed the shutdown process. Now the
Deleted Items folder is gone from Outlook Express and I can't delete any
messages.

I deleted the .dbx file and re-opened OE but it did not create a new
Deleted Items folder. Is re-installing OE the only solution? If so, how
do I back up the existing folders and my message rules so I don't have to
recreate them?

Thanks for any suggestions.