OUTBOX "STUCK"

I am helping my mom remotely - she calls and asks me computer questions. .
..she is using Outlook 6 and has a message in her "outbox" that she cannot
delete. We have tried working offline and can't delete the message. She
can't engage anything at all in Outlook Express. Any idea how she can delete
this message? I appreciate any/all help. The only request I have is - I
will need to be extremely specific with what she needs to do (really step by
step) because she is not very computer proficient. My sincerest thanks in
advance.

Check: File | Work Offline and in: View | Layout: Uncheck the Preview Pane.
Can you delete it now?

If not:

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in
Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.

In Windows XP, 2K & 2K3, 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.

With OE closed, find the DBX file for the Outbox.dbx and delete it. A new,
empty one will be created automatically when you open OE.

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move
your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while
working *offline* and do it often.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are
open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the
Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until
the compacting is completed.

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA


"Tab" wrote in message
...
I am helping my mom remotely - she calls and asks me computer questions. .
.she is using Outlook 6 and has a message in her "outbox" that she cannot
delete. We have tried working offline and can't delete the message. She
can't engage anything at all in Outlook Express. Any idea how she can
delete
this message? I appreciate any/all help. The only request I have is - I
will need to be extremely specific with what she needs to do (really step
by
step) because she is not very computer proficient. My sincerest thanks in
advance.

1a. Move any messages that you want to keep out of Sent Items and Deleted
Items folders and into other local OE folders you've created for archiving
(saving) such messages.

1b. Move 99% of your messages in your Inbox folder to other local OE
folders, too.

2. Write down the location of your identity's store
(http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm#storemain).

3. Close OE.

4. In Windows Explorer, navigate to your store folder, find & delete the
files Outbox.dbx, Sent Items.dbx, and Deleted Items.dbx.

To avoid such problems in the future, adhere to the following 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.

- Frequently perform a manual compact of all OE folders while "working
offline". More at http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- Do not cancel Automatic Compacting, should it occur, and do not attempt to
close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if Automatic Compacting
is taking place.

- Disable email scanning by your anti-virus application. It can cause
corruption (i.e., loss of messages) and provides no additional protection:

Why you don't need your anti-virus to scan your email
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tuto...ning/index.htm
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/


Tab wrote:
I am helping my mom remotely - she calls and asks me computer questions. .
.she is using Outlook 6 and has a message in her "outbox" that she cannot
delete. We have tried working offline and can't delete the message. She
can't engage anything at all in Outlook Express. Any idea how she can
delete this message? I appreciate any/all help. The only request I have
is - I will need to be extremely specific with what she needs to do
(really
step by step) because she is not very computer proficient. My sincerest
thanks in advance.