Suddenly I cannot delete e-mail messages in Outlook Express 6!

I tried deleting recently loaded software.
I've looked on the Internet and cannot find references to this problem.

I've tried using shift-delete and anything else I could think of.

I went to SafeMode and could not find Outlook Express (Outlook shows up, but
I've never used Outlook!)

Any suggestions of how to enable the delete function in Outlook Express
6.00.2900, etc.

Young

Deleted Items is probably corrupt. If you are keeping any messages in this
garbage pail that you wish to save, move them to a user created folder and
then do the following.

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 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 DBX file for the folder in question {Deleted
Items.dbx} and delete it. A new one will be created automatically 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.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB):
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

"Young" wrote in message
...
Suddenly I cannot delete e-mail messages in Outlook Express 6!

I tried deleting recently loaded software.
I've looked on the Internet and cannot find references to this problem.

I've tried using shift-delete and anything else I could think of.

I went to SafeMode and could not find Outlook Express (Outlook shows up,
but I've never used Outlook!)

Any suggestions of how to enable the delete function in Outlook Express
6.00.2900, etc.

Young

Dear Mr. Hagen:

Thank-you for your assistance! My OE6 e-mail deletion is now working! I
will work to "clean-out" my stored e-mail in default locations. (I'm XPPro
SP2, and keep my system as up-dated as possible.)

Your anti-virus scanning recommendation leaves me a little nervous, and my
anti-virus software (AVG) is in a panic mode!

But I have turned it off as you recommended!

It appears the problem was with a recent "compact" operation that was
somehow interrupted. I had forgotten about it.

Again, you have my sincere Thank-you!

Cordially yours,

Young



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
Deleted Items is probably corrupt. If you are keeping any messages in this
garbage pail that you wish to save, move them to a user created folder and
then do the following.

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 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 DBX file for the folder in question {Deleted
Items.dbx} and delete it. A new one will be created automatically 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.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB):
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

"Young" wrote in message
...
Suddenly I cannot delete e-mail messages in Outlook Express 6!

I tried deleting recently loaded software.
I've looked on the Internet and cannot find references to this problem.

I've tried using shift-delete and anything else I could think of.

I went to SafeMode and could not find Outlook Express (Outlook shows up,
but I've never used Outlook!)

Any suggestions of how to enable the delete function in Outlook Express
6.00.2900, etc.

Young

You're welcome.

As for e-mail scanning:

Turning off e-mail scanning is safe. See:

Viral Irony: The Most Common Cause of Corruption.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...ion.mspx#EOAAC

And this is from Symantec, but applies to all anti-virus programs.

From:
http://snipurl.com/bmf6

Is my computer still protected against viruses if I disable Email Scanning?

Disabling Email Scanning does not leave you unprotected against viruses that
are distributed as email attachments. Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect scans
incoming files as they are saved to your hard drive, including email and
email attachments. Email Scanning is just another layer on top of this. To
make sure that Auto-Protect is providing the maximum protection, keep
Auto-Protect enabled and run LiveUpdate regularly to ensure that you have
the most recent virus definitions.

As for using AVG:

Reinstall AVG and choose Custom Mode. Uncheck E-mail Scanning when you see
that option. For some reason, just unchecking it in the security center
causes a conflict with the Windows Security Center.

Make sure you reboot when you're done.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

"Young" wrote in message
...
Dear Mr. Hagen:

Thank-you for your assistance! My OE6 e-mail deletion is now working! I
will work to "clean-out" my stored e-mail in default locations. (I'm XPPro
SP2, and keep my system as up-dated as possible.)

Your anti-virus scanning recommendation leaves me a little nervous, and my
anti-virus software (AVG) is in a panic mode!

But I have turned it off as you recommended!

It appears the problem was with a recent "compact" operation that was
somehow interrupted. I had forgotten about it.

Again, you have my sincere Thank-you!

Cordially yours,

Young



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
Deleted Items is probably corrupt. If you are keeping any messages in
this garbage pail that you wish to save, move them to a user created
folder and then do the following.

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 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 DBX file for the folder in question {Deleted
Items.dbx} and delete it. A new one will be created automatically 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.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB):
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

"Young" wrote in message
...
Suddenly I cannot delete e-mail messages in Outlook Express 6!

I tried deleting recently loaded software.
I've looked on the Internet and cannot find references to this problem.

I've tried using shift-delete and anything else I could think of.

I went to SafeMode and could not find Outlook Express (Outlook shows up,
but I've never used Outlook!)

Any suggestions of how to enable the delete function in Outlook Express
6.00.2900, etc.

Young