[outlook express: Spam causes program to 'freeze']

inns · 22nd November 2008

Good day
Ive received a spam like russian email and it has stalled my entire outlook

I cant click on file etc nothing
how am I going to fix this without loosing all my emails and addresses
thats currently in there?
its like a win loose situation right now
any help will be much appreciated
thank you

**PeteC** · 22nd November 2008

Welcome to WindowsBBS

A little sparse on details here so can you fill me in a little ....

Are you able to open other emails in the Inbox? Are you able to open any folders in OE? Or is OE completely unresponsive?

Some background detail .....

Search for *.dbx files - include hidden files and folders in the search. What are the sizes of the largest files? The file size limit for *.dbx files (which contain your emails) is 2 Gb, but OE plays funny long before then - I do not like to see a *.dbx file larger than 500 Mb.

The drift here is that your Inbox may be corrupted.

Fill me in on the above detail and I will respond with suggestions as to how you may resolve the problem as losslessly as possible.

inns · 22nd November 2008

thank you for the welcome
sorry for so little info re this

I cant open anything in OE
when it starts up thats it, shows all the emails in the inbox
but one cant click any where in the OE at all

and if it is corrupt what then how do I get my emails in my folders
etc back?
thanks again

**PeteC** · 22nd November 2008

OK, but please respond to my request .....

Quote:

Search for *.dbx files - include hidden files and folders in the search. What are the sizes of the largest files?

I am trying to establish the root cause of your problem.

BTW - Search - Windows Explorer > Search > All files & Folders - All or part of the file name - enter *.dbx and click on More Advanced Options and check - Search system folders, search hidden files and folders, Search subfolders.

**PeteC** · 22nd November 2008

When you find the *.dbx files create a directory in My Documents and copy all the *.dbx files to it - you then have a backup of the files which we may need later on.

Please be sure to post the size of the Inbox.dbx in responding to my post above.

**Admin.** · 22nd November 2008

Please follow our Posting Rules (#3 - Meaningful Subject).

I have adjusted your subject.

inns · 22nd November 2008

Inbox.dbx = 138kb

what do I now do ?
will this now have all my emails
and addresses saved?
delete the OE and install another one?
thanks for the help so far

**PeteC** · 22nd November 2008

Please read very carefully my comments below ....

You have a backup of your email folders which can be restored if needed, but if the Inbox is corrupted it is unlikely that you would be able to retrieve any of it's contents - there are programs available, but no guarantee that they would be able to extract the contents if the file is corrupted.

As you are unable to access anything in OE it is not possible to export your Address Book to a backup.

OE cannot be uninstalled - it is an integral part of Internet Explorer which in turn is an integral part of Windows and also cannot be uninstalled.

My first approach would be to run parts of the Outlook Express Repair Kit specifically ....

Delete the Temporary Internet Files

Reregister Outlook Express

Reregister libraries - ignore the command regsvr32 msjava.dll as it is no longer applicable to current Windows versions.

Please do that and report back with your results.