Switching Identities--SLOW!

davott · 2nd April 2003

I have two e-mail identities in OE6, one for me and one for my wife. Up until a couple of days ago, switching identities was almost instantaneous. Then, for unknown reasons, it's been taking about 33 seconds of dead screen time for the switching to take place. I've checked all the available options, and can't find anything to speed things up. Anybody got a clue what to do?

aleekat · 2nd April 2003

1. If you have a bunch of stuff in your inbox, that can cause it. Make some new folders and move them there.

2. Open 1st identity, go to file, work offline, then file, folders, select "compact all folders".(may take a little while) If you get "not responding, Shutdown OE, and start the process again. Close OE. Then do the same for the 2nd identity.

Here is a good link for OE info..

davott · 3rd April 2003

1. The only stuff I have in my inbox is what has arrived since my last visit. I don't save message once I've read them, or sent them.

2. As per no. 1, I've got nothing to compact, since I neve save anything.

aleekat · 3rd April 2003

2. As per no. 1, I've got nothing to compact, since I neve save anything

Since it sounds like you didn't try my suggestion, this is from the link I gave you.

Like most database programs, OE does not actually remove an item from a *.dbx file when you delete a message. Instead it merely tags the item for removal at a later time, mainly when you next compact your folders. Until then, the deleted message is still occupying disk space, which can cause OE to perform more slowly when accessing the *.dbx file. To recover disk space and keep your files as small as possible, you need to compact your folders regularly. In the OE Folder list (View| Layout| Folder List), click Outlook Express so that no mail or news folder is open. Now click File| Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving. Finally, click File| Folder| Compact All Folders. This process can take several minutes and you should not attempt to use your computer until it is finished. If an error occurs, such as "cannot compact, folder in use", just close OE, wait a second or two, then re-open OE and begin the process again. This will compact not only your news folders, but also all of your mail folders and the all-important Folders.dbx. To compact only news folders, click Tools| Options| Maintenance| Clean up Now, then click Compact.

davott · 3rd April 2003

Part 2 of my response was less than complete. What I meant to say is that despite the fact that I don't save messages, I do periodically compact all folders, and it still doesn't help. As a matter of fact, after reading your reply I went back into OE, did a compact all folders for both accounts, shut down OE, reopened it, and waited 34 seconds for it to come alive. I then switched to my wife's account, and waited another 34 seconds.

Back where I started.

Steve Canyon · 4th April 2003

Davott, click on the Edit Menu and select the Empty Deleted Items Folder. That might help.

aleekat · 7th April 2003

Have you been able to fix this??

davott · 7th April 2003

Let's see, where were we... oh yeah, compacting all folders. Well, I've done that 3 or 4 time since we last spoke, and of course empty the deleted message folders constantly. I've run out of ideas.

aleekat · 7th April 2003

Here are two things that keep cropping up in searching.

1. The Pstores.exe file and associated .dll files may be corrupted, or their versions may be incorrect. -or-
The ProtectedStorage registry key has incorrect parameters.

2. The Imagehlp.dll file is absent or damaged.

Dont know what version of Win/OE your running. Did you recently uninstall Mcafee Antivirus?

davott · 8th April 2003

Can't find any instance of either of the two files you mentioned.

I'm running Windows XP (Home), IE6 and OE6.