Cannot create a new folder

Hi,

I've just built/upgraded my PC. I've installed Win XP Home and patched with SP2

I've imported my old emails into outlook express (6) and all is well except:

If I go to create a new folder, say, in my inbox I right click and go to new folder. It then hangs with the hourglass for a while. This then clears but no new folder appears. I've tried the same thing in My Documents and that works fine. It is peculiar to Outlook Express only.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Many thanks

john

 

Where are your mail boxes stored?

 

JohnE--You can find where your email folders are stored from OE Tools|Options|Maintenance tab|Store Folder.

I assume you are filling in a name for the new folder and indicating where you want it to go (like Local Folder or Inbox), berfore pressing OK.

 

I right click and get a menu. I scroll down the menu to "new folder..... ". It highlights and I left click. I then get the hourglass for a while and it just stops without giving the dialogue box for naming a folder.

How would I find the "Where are your mail boxes stored? "

 

Ooops! I missed that!

Ok, it's C:\Documents and Settings\Andrew\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{7FB93977-9438-4562-B569-C024EB4A8393}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

 

JohnE--It sounds like you already have a NewFolder although your first post implies you want to create one.
Is there something in that NewFolder that you want to keep?
If not, go to your Store Folder and delete the NewFolder.dbx. Reboot and recreate a NewFolder.
Or perhaps tell us just what it is you want to do with the NewFolder.

 

I do not have a new folder.
I went to the "Store Folder" and I have a "Folder.dbx" not a "New Folder.dbx" should I delete that one?

Let me explain once more what's happening.

I open Outlook Express. Everything works fine.

On the left I have my folder tree.

If I try to create a newFolder anywhere in that tree, whether it be by right clicking and using that menu or by going to File> etc, nothing happens. As soon as I move my mouse all dialog boxes close and no NewFolder is created.

I am able to create NewFolders in any other window within XP apart from Outlook Express.

Is there a way to repair OE without having to re-install windows?

Finally can I just remind you of my question at the top of this post "I have a "Folder.dbx" not a "New Folder.dbx" should I delete that one? "

 

JohnE--No, do not remove Folder.dbx. That is vital to the performance of OE.
Yes, you can repair OE
http://www.theeldergeek.com/repair_reinstall_ie_and_oe_6.htm
but, using Method 2, you may lose all messages now in the various boxes.
So back them up first.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/270/6/70.ASP

 

It's possible this could be caused by a corrupt folder.dbx file. If this is what's causing this problem you can delete the folder.dbx file (while OE is closed). The next time you start OE it will create a new one. There is some consequences for deleting the file though. If you delete it, you'll lose the folder tree structure you had before you deleted it. You won't lose the folders themselves though. By this I mean, when you first open OE, all of your folders will be in the left pane but if you had any of them as subfolders of another, they won't be subfolders anymore. You'll have to rebuild the folder structure you had before by dragging one folder into another.

Also, if you were previously subscribed to any newsgroups you'll have to re-subscribe to them. You'll also have to first download the list of newsgroups from your newsgroup server(s) .

Also, you'll want to check any message rules you had made before to make sure they still work.

Other than those three things, there shouldn't be any problem deleting the file. I would advise that you first copy the folders.dbx file to another location, then delete the one in OE's store folder. If it fixes your problem you can delete the backup. If, after deleting it you still can't create a new folder, close OE, delete the new folder.dbx file that OE created and then copy the old one back. This will get your folder structure back and save you the trouble of having to do it manually and things will be just as they were before.

 

I'd like to thank you all for all your help and suggestions but in the end, installing Office 2003 did the trick. I think it installs IE6 which in turn installs OE and it sorted it.

Alls well that ends well. Still can't figure out why it didn't work straight from the box so to speak but there we are. Must have got corrupted somehow.

Thanks again.

 

JohnE--Thanks for posting back with the fix. Sorry we could not help.

 

I expect either of the last two suggestions would have worked. I'ts just that I installed Office first. I suppose the real answer was to download the standalone version of IE6 and install that.

You were all very helpful and it was nice to have an army of techies to help.