Deleting an email: "An unknown error has occurred."

[Amy B.]

I received a SPAM email to my account, which is marked as spam, but Windows
Mail did not automatically forward it to the proper folder. When I try to
delete it, I get the message "an unknown error has occurred." I'm unable to
delete the email or move it to another folder...it appears I'll have to look
at it forever.

Any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

I received a SPAM email to my account, which is marked as spam, but Windows
Mail did not automatically forward it to the proper folder. When I try to
delete it, I get the message "an unknown error has occurred." I'm unable
to
delete the email or move it to another folder...it appears I'll have to
look
at it forever.

Any suggestions?

In Windows Mail, unknown errors and undeletable messages are often due to
interference from an antivirus program. What if any antivirus programs do
you
have, and have you ever had a Norton or McAfee antivirus program on that
computer, even a free trial?

For a temporary fix, download and install this hotfix, with Windows Mail not
running:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/941090

Although it's labelled as for mail stuck in the Outbox, it also works in
other
folders. If you don't know whether you have a 32-bit version of Vista or
a 64-bit version, try the hotfix for the 32-bit version first. The Vista
SP1
update includes this hotfix and more, but takes longer to install.

This won't necessarily delete the spam message, but should at least make
it possible for you to delete it.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Windows Mail does not mark messages as "spam".
If yours are really marked that way, some third party security program is
doing that. Unless you want to continue to have problems with Windows
Mail, you must disable any part of security programs that interfere with
email.