Can't Delete Message in Outbox

[Steve Cochran]

Some have said that works. Some have said it doesn't, but its not clear
they understood what to do. That is certainly preferable to the
sledgehammer approach that seems to be the only clear fix.

Here's what seems to be the latest we can come up with:

First thing is to remove McAfee or Norton AV and antispam from the computer
if they exist. You may need to visit their website to fully uninstall the
product. Then get something less invasive. There are a number of free
antivirus programs, but with any you have to disable email scanning. See
www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

You can also try compacting and repairing the database using my WMUtil
program (www.oehelp.com/WMUtil/).

After that, the only solution so far is to wipe out the database. So go to
Tools | Options | Advanced | Maintenance | Store Folder to find the message
store location. Then move everything under that Windows Mail directory to
another directory. Then restart WinMail and it will open fresh with nothing
in the database. You can then add your accounts and if they work correctly
then you can use File | Import | Messages and choose WinMail format and
point to the directory to which you moved the files.

steve

 

[Steve Cochran]

My brother got lots of emails about it. <VBG>

steve

 

[Steve Cochran]

The issue is hard to reproduce. Its not clear what is causing it, so fixing
it is hard when you can't reliably reproduce it. It also didn't show up in
the beta testing period so its not clear what is the source of the problem.

MS will refer you to the manufacturer, who refers you back to MS.
Meanwhile, 3rd party vendors pay the manufacturers to preload their software
on the computers, probably largely untested, and then sell them to the users
and you get the results. And the buck gets passed around, since no one will
take blame for it.

steve

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

The issue is hard to reproduce. Its not clear what is causing it, so fixing
it is hard when you can't reliably reproduce it. It also didn't show up in
the beta testing period so its not clear what is the source of the problem.

It didn't show up in the beta testing period possibly because none of
the beta testers had trial versions of McAfee on their computers...
The antivirus vendors were extremely late with releasing Vista-compatible
versions.

 

[Steve Cochran]

That's probably the case in some instances where McAfee is the culprit. I
know the MVPs didn't test with McAfee or with Norton, as they know better
than to let crap like that on their machines.

But there is anecdotal evidence that it can happen without that crapware on
the machines, so its hard to know what is causing it.

I tried a bunch of tests to try and jam up the outbox and / or the deleted
items and WinMail had no problems.

steve

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

One of my machines developed the dreaded stuck message
in the outbox two weeks ago. It was running Windows Live OneCare
(WLOC), which doesn't have a toggle to disable email scanning.
I uninstalled WLOC, just in case it was the culprit, and installed a
different antivirus. We shall see what happens.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Guest]

LD - Are you assuming you have to pay? After I called Gateway and found no
help for this issue, I called the normal MS help phone line. Going thru the
auto. answers you have to get to where you are told going further will need
payment.

However, when I punched in ok & the 1st screen MS tech. answered, once I
told him that I had already contacted Gateway OEM help and they referred me
to Vista/MS, then I was allowed to proceed with free MS help for this issue
over the phone & e-mail. They ended up walking me thru the Windows Mail
folder delete & regenerate that is explained elsewhere in this thread. So
you should be able to get that help for free; maybe they know more about the
root cause by now.

 

[Steve Cochran]

How did you get rid of the message?

steve

One of my machines developed the dreaded stuck message
in the outbox two weeks ago. It was running Windows Live OneCare
(WLOC), which doesn't have a toggle to disable email scanning.
I uninstalled WLOC, just in case it was the culprit, and installed a
different antivirus. We shall see what happens.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

The long way. I wanted to reinstall Vista for other reasons, anyway,
so I wiped the drive and started over.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Steve Cochran]

That is one solution to the problem. <G>

steve

The long way. I wanted to reinstall Vista for other reasons, anyway,
so I wiped the drive and started over.

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Guest]

Can someone please help me? I did everything in this post and my email is
working again BUT everytime I open Windows Mail I get 5 shortcuts on my
desktop. WHY??? It is driving me crazy!

 

[Guest]

I just tested and if you delete the two database files, then it rebuilds the
database and reincorporates the information of the files into the "recovered
folders". So you won't lose messages.

The alternative is to move everything out of the Windows Mail directory (all
files and directories) and then it will start over completely fresh. If you
take that alternative, then you can go to File | Import | Messages and point
to where you moved them. Or worse case scenario, drag the eml files back
into a WinMail folder. The messages are not going to be lost.

steve




I am coming to the conclusion that the only sane way out of this is to use a totally different email system! I am not in the business of messing about with supposedly 'final' systems. Has anyone got a simple fix that an idiot like me can use?? I am not (and don't intend to become) a computer expert!

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Mozilla Thunderbird is free, and it works great with Vista:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/

Gary VanderMolen

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Can someone please help me? I did everything in this post and my email is
working again BUT everytime I open Windows Mail I get 5 shortcuts on my
desktop. WHY??? It is driving me crazy!

Those ebd things? Did you try deleting them?

 

[Guest]

Hi I was following your directions perfectly up until the point where I was
to move the windows mail folder to the C drive. My computer would not let me,
giving me the message "Destination folder access denied" and then inside the
message box, "You need permission to perform this action." The only options
I'm given are "try again," which doesn't work, and "cancel." What should I do
here?

 

[Steve Cochran]

Those are database log files. <G>

steve

Those ebd things? Did you try deleting them?

 

[Steve Cochran]

Create a directory under Documents and then try moving things to that
directory.

steve

 

[Steve Cochran]

What are the shortcuts to?

steve

Can someone please help me? I did everything in this post and my email is
working again BUT everytime I open Windows Mail I get 5 shortcuts on my
desktop. WHY??? It is driving me crazy!

 

[Guest]

Hi Steve, Thanks so much for your advice. I'm sorry to be so ignorant, but
how do I create a directory? Is that different from a new folder under
Documents?

I did create a new folder, but then I think I had the same problem as Nat in
that I was unable to move the Windows Mail folder because I was told that
this folder is open elsewhere. When I press ctrl-shft-esc and then end task,
then windows mail disappears from the right window pane, and there is nothing
to move into the new folder.

I would SO appreciate any help you can give me on these problems!

 

[Guest]

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!!! Just had this 'issue' today, got very
frustrated and then came on here. I eventually found this thread and followed
your instructions, albeit in a roundabout way 'cos I messed them up at first.
But, they worked and mail is sending normally now - sooo relieved; my work
depends on them!