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Outlook Express does not delete some emails.

Discussion in 'Microsoft Mail (Outlook / OE / Windows Mail)' started by juror11, 2008/02/16.

  1. 2008/02/16
    juror11

    juror11 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I'm using Outlook Express & Internet Explorer 6 (Windows XP home).
    I've Just discovered, that when trying to delete some of the received emails, they are not being deleted .
    As usual,I tried to delete in 2 ways: by clicking the "delete" button at the upper toolbar (the X) & also by marking the email to be deleted & clicking with the right button of the mouse on "delete" in the dropping menu.
    As I said, nothing happened. I've noticed that those emails are mostly from the same senders.

    I'll be most grateful if anyone can offer an idea how to solve the mystery...
    best regards,
    Juror11
     
    juror11,
    #1
  2. 2008/02/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    It is possible that your Inbox is corrupted .....

    Make a new folder in OE called InboxOld and drag into it those emails you want to retain. Close OE

    Search for Inbox.dbx - search hidden files and folders - and delete it.

    Open OE, a new Inbox will be have been created. Drag the emails from InboxOld to Inbox and delete the folder InboxOld.

    See how it goes in the future.

    Typo OE for IE edited
     
    PeteC,
    #2


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  4. 2008/02/16
    juror11

    juror11 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks for the fast reply.
    By saying "Make a new folder in IE called InboxOld and drag into it those emails you want to retain ", do you mean a new folder in Outlook Express or in Internet Explorer program in C disk ?
    Beacause if in IE prog.,then it's impossible to drag emails there. (only if I use "save as ", I may put a copy in the new folder in IE, but that's a very long "story" to bring there the many emails I want to retain).
    On the otherhand, there is no problem opening a new folder in OE & drag or transfer there the emails to be retained.
    I apologise for the question.
    Juror11
     
    juror11,
    #3
  5. 2008/02/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Apologies - mind on the wrong wavelength :( I meant OE of course. I will edit my post.
     
    PeteC,
    #4
  6. 2008/02/16
    juror11

    juror11 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    It seems that this time I'm not lucky anyway.
    I dragged the emails as you advised me, but when searching for the
    Inbox.dbx file, I'didn't find any such file. How could it be ? G-D knows.
    Am I right that this blocks, in fact, my chances to complete the process you recommended to me, or is there anything else or instead to be done?
    Thanks in advance,
    Juror 11
     
    juror11,
    #5
  7. 2008/02/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Did you include hidden files and folders in your search ....
    The default location is .....

    Code:
    C:\Documents and Settings\your username\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{C59F40B5-82BD-4533-823D-3649E60C0AEF}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Inbox.dbx
    The alpha-numeric string will not necessarily be the same on your computer. You will need to 'Show hidden files and folders' through Tools > Folder Options > View.
     
    PeteC,
    #6
  8. 2008/02/16
    juror11

    juror11 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks so much for your assistance.
    I've followed your instructions & found the inbox.dbx file. then went to Tools-Folder options- hidden files & folders. I found that the the "show hidden... etc. was already marked. To be on the safe side I marked the "do not show..." & changed it right away to "Show hidden "...etc. The result was
    a new empty folder (in yellow) among the list of files (where inbox.dbx is situated) called: "Inbox-folder-repaired ".

    question is: What now? does that means that now I have to delete the existing "inbox.dbx" file & that the new folder will take over? (B.T.W as I see, those "objectors" emails are still in the "old" inbox folder & are not deleteable).
    looking forward to your reply,
    Juror11
     
    juror11,
    #7
  9. 2008/02/16
    juror11

    juror11 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hey PeteC,
    As you see, I couldn't wait for your reply, & since I'm a very curious man,
    I deleted the old "inbox.dbx" file on my own responsibility, & returned the saved emails to the new inbox folder.
    So far, as concerns deleting emails from the new inbox, there is no problem anymore.
    I guess, this is the end of my bothering you. Anyway, you deserve a big "Cheers " shouting.
    Thanks indeed for leading me to the expected ending.
    Best regards,
    Juror11
     
    juror11,
    #8
  10. 2008/02/16
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Glad to hear it panned out successfully - I was about to post reviewing what you had actually done, but it is clear that you were on the right course :)
     
    PeteC,
    #9
  11. 2008/02/23
    gghartman

    gghartman Inactive

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    just a little note to the oe not deleting emails. outlook express and all its system generated folders have a maximum that they will hold. that max is 2g. when it is reached you cant do anything with oe. cant send cant receive cant delete. nothing works.

    you then need to do at the hard drive itself what petec has outlined.
     
    gghartman,
    #10
  12. 2008/02/23
    juror11

    juror11 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    thanks gghartman

    during last week I've contacted the help people of Microsoft here & they gave me the proper hints, since I discovered, after my last message to PeteC,
    that things are not well as I figured at first. The guys there gave me the law down, that basically followed the advice of PeteC & that solved the problem.

    Thanks anyway.
    juror11
     
    juror11,
    #11
  13. 2008/03/22
    spook

    spook Well-Known Member

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    PeteC: I have the same problem as Juror11 and I followed the instructions on deleting the inbox, but my new inbox has the same problem. I also cannot delete "sent" e-mails. Any ideas? spook
     
    spook,
    #12
  14. 2008/03/29
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    spook - Welcome to the Board :)

    I am not ignoring you - just been away and away again on Monday :)

    You may have other corrupted folders - I suggest you close OE and navigate to your message store and delete Sent Items .dbx and Deleted Items .dbx and re-open OE and test. The two folders will be recreated when you open OE for the first time. It might be better to do this in two stages - one folder at a time.

    If you have emails in any of those folders that you wish to retain make a Sent Items Old folder and a Deleted Items Old folder in OE and drag the emails from the original folders to the 'Old' folders. You can drag them back to the newly created folders at a later time.
     
    PeteC,
    #13

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