Email stuck in outbox

G

Guest

I was trying to send out an email using outlook yesterday and it got stuck in
the outbox. Now it won't let any other email get sent out.

I spent a lengthy 3 hours on the phone today with my ISP and then Vista and
then HP and no one could figure it out.

What can I do?????
 
G

Guest

Ok...I tried that...and still a no go!! SOOOOO incredibly frustrating!

When I click on the unsent email, it has nobody in the "to" section, so I
add one and hit send, and I get an error message.

I'm really hoping to fix this as I'd like to access my email.

Any other solutions??
 
T

Teresa

I wish I knew I'm a techy myself and I've run into the same problem - I've
tried all I know to no end

Let me know when you find out
 
S

Steve Cochran

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

After that, the only solution so far is to wipe out the database. So go to
Tools | Options | Maintenance | Advanced | 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
 
G

Guest

Have not had this happen yet with Vista Windows Mail but have only had it a
few days - when this happened to me in OE I would just delete the outbox
folder - bad mail gone and folder rebuilt itself
 
G

Guest

I have the same problem...my new computer with vista has worked fine for
about 2 months but just recently stopped sending email. every message i try
to send goes to the outbox...sounds like we have the same problem...like you,
i know for certain that it's not a problem with the ISP - seems to be a
problem with the vista software. i don't know what to do. i can receive,
but cannot send email. PLEASE HELP? did you find a solution yet?
 
G

Gary VanderMolen

Unfortunately this is a common bug with Windows Mail.
Once you get a 'ghost' email stuck in the Outbox, and
it won't let you send anything, your options are quite limited.
If you don't feel comfortable doing the database deletion/regeneration
method that has been posted here by Steve Cochran, then your
only remaining option is to install and use a different email program.
Mozilla Thunderbird is free:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/

Gary VanderMolen
 
S

Steve Cochran

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 (for Norton see here:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039.
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, so that the Windows Mail directory is completely empty.
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 drag messages from the directory to which you moved the files
back into WinMail.

steve
 
G

Guest

Tried your suggestions and found them worthless (no offense). My system will
not allow me to move some of the items in the winmail directory and thus it
won't allow me to start fresh. Can i uninstall windows mail? How do i do
that?

Why is the windows mail program such garbage? So many other posts indicate
that they have the same problem? MS needs a quicker fix for this - i haven't
been able to send emails in almost a week...this really sucks.

Nathan
 
G

Gary VanderMolen

Unfortunately it sounds like you are not familiar with manipulating
Windows files, so you are better off switching to an alternate
email program.

Gary VanderMolen
 
S

Steve Cochran

Nathan Smith said:
Tried your suggestions and found them worthless (no offense). My system
will
not allow me to move some of the items in the winmail directory and thus
it
won't allow me to start fresh. Can i uninstall windows mail? How do i do
that?
Click to expand...

WinMail.exe was probably running as a process in the background. You need
to endtask the process before you can move the files. Create a directory
under Documents and you should be able then to move them.
Why is the windows mail program such garbage? So many other posts
indicate
that they have the same problem? MS needs a quicker fix for this - i
haven't
been able to send emails in almost a week...this really sucks.
Click to expand...

Yeah, well this is the result of "programming by committee" and a lack of
concern for the user of the product by those who provide it.

steve
 
J

Julian

Steve Cochran said:
WinMail.exe was probably running as a process in the background. You need
to endtask the process before you can move the files. Create a directory
under Documents and you should be able then to move them.


Yeah, well this is the result of "programming by committee" and a lack of
concern for the user of the product by those who provide it.

steve
Click to expand...

A side issue.... how do you decide whether to top post or,
as in this case, interleave (bottom post)?

Personally I find interleaved replies far more readable.
 
S

Steve Cochran

It just depends on my mood. <G>

There is a whole school of opinion on that issue, and I don't really care
much any way.

You raised two issues, so that's why I interleaved.

steve
 
J

Julian

Fair

Steve Cochran said:
It just depends on my mood. <G>

There is a whole school of opinion on that issue, and I don't really care
much any way.

You raised two issues, so that's why I interleaved.
Click to expand...

enough.
 
G

Guest

I have the same problem here--ever since I switched over to windows vista--I
have had nothing but bugs--wouldn't recommend it to anyone....so what you are
saying is basically to be able to send e-mails I have to get another program?
Has microsoft not fixed this yet with sooooo many people having this problem
with sending mail? Frusterating--I am using this for work and I can't afford
to have a slow down!
 
G

Gary VanderMolen

There is no general or generic 'failure to send' problem.
If you want help with a specific problem, you will have to
provide us with the pertinent details
Also, start a new post with a subject title that reflects the issue.

Gary VanderMolen
 
S

Steve Cochran

Yes you have to get my program if you have messages stuck in the outbox,
because MS hasn't supplied a fix for it yet. You just run the program and
click one button and it clears the outbox.

steve
 

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