Cannot delete emails in Outlook Express

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I clicked select all in edit then clicked the "X" to delete all my emails. I
was able to delete about 100 but the program got stuck. Now I can't even
delete 1 message. How can I fix this?
 
What I meant to say is I want to delete messages not recover them. I want to
fix being able to delete messages. And how can I delete all my messages from
Outlook since I have way too many and it would take me days to manually
delete them one by one.
 
What I meant to say is I want to delete messages not recover them. I want to
fix being able to delete messages. And how can I delete all my messages from
Outlook since I have way too many and it would take me days to manually
delete them one by one.
Click to expand...

Assuming it's the Inbox you want to clean out: (Change the name according to the box you want)

From Outlook Express, click Tools, Options, Maintenance tab, and click the "Store Folder"
button. Use the mouse to highlight the location, then press Control C (Copies the location to
the clipboard). It should look something like this:
C:\Documents and Settings\{user Name}\Local Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{174EAA05-DBB8-4828-836D-AF3E34D49F70}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Click Cancel, Cancel, and close OE.

Click Start, Run, Control V. That will paste the location in the Run box. Click OK

In the window that opens, delete, or rename the "Inbox.dbx" entry.

OE will create a new one when you restart it.
 
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, 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.

Close OE.

In Windows Explorer, navigate to your store and delete 'Deleted Items.dbx' >
Open OE and all should be well.

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.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org
 
similar problem. cannot delete any messages from the outlook express
inbox/sent items and when u try and shut down o/e it goes to'not responding'.
can receive and send emails, go on the net - just does not seem to recognize
'delete' or 'end'.
 
How many e-mails are you trying to delete at one time?
Is your OE Delete box empty prior to this?
Have you compacted the OE folders recently?

Understood 'delete' but what is 'end'?
 
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, 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. In Windows Explorer, navigate to your store and delete Deleted
Items.dbx.

3. If no joy, repeat #2, this time deleting Sent Items.dbx.

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.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org
 
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