Mail under construction

I can build an email on OE6 but I cannot send it to the outbox. The mail
properties identify it as under construction. Size, attachments etc do not
make any difference. When I click on the 'send' icon it is not recognised.
There is no error message.
Any ideas?
SM

You may have a damaged identity especially if it is the default Main
Identity. File | Identity | Add New Identity. Create a new one and test it.
If all is well, you can import your messages and Address Book from the old
identity and delete it.

How to Create and Use Identities in Outlook Express
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=209169
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Stone Monkey" Stone wrote in message
...
I can build an email on OE6 but I cannot send it to the outbox. The mail
properties identify it as under construction. Size, attachments etc do not
make any difference. When I click on the 'send' icon it is not recognised.
There is no error message.
Any ideas?
SM

Your Outbox folder (and probably your Sent Items and Deleted Items folders)
is damaged.

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 WinXP, Win2K and Win2K03, 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.

3. Move the files Outbox.dbx, Sent Items.dbx, and Deleted Items.dbx out of
your store and place them in a folder you've created for this purpose. (I
suggest a folder on your desktop for convenience.)

4. Open OE and compact all folders
(http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm#compact).

5. Run DBXpress on each of the moved files, in turn. You can drag any
recovered messages (don't set your hopes too high) to an open OE folder.

DBXpress (faster, more powerful, with even greater functionality)
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

General OE Caveats to avoid this problem in the futu

- 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 [not available in SP2] and frequently
perform a manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- WinXP SP2 only: Do not shut down your machine while Windows is
automatically compacting your message store.

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause such
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)

Stone Monkey wrote:
I can build an email on OE6 but I cannot send it to the outbox. The mail
properties identify it as under construction. Size, attachments etc do not
make any difference. When I click on the 'send' icon it is not recognised.
There is no error message.
Any ideas?
SM