Resolved Outlook express problem: Unable to delete email from Inbox

I am running Windows XP Home Edition and use Outlook Express 6 for e mails. Over the last few weeks I've had a problem in that I now cannot delete any e mails from my in box, sent items or deleted items. I am not getting any error messages. I use ESET Smart Security and the only way I can delete messages is to drag them into the ESET Antispam folder, highlight, right click and delete.

I had a huge amount of emails in my boxes and recently had a clear out. Has this had anything to do with it and can anyone suggest a fix. Any advice would be appreciated

 

If these folders get to full, that will cause a problem. I have seen where the Inbox Folder got to full and you could not even open up OE. Search for the folders in question and delete them. The next time you open up OE, they will be rebuilt but will be empty. Just do the Sent and Deleted folders for now.

 

MrBill, Thank you for your reply. Can you advise where I find the two folders in question. I did supsect my mass deletion of old e mails could be the source of the problem and went looking for the files without success

 

Adam, have you tried compacting all folders? (File->Folder->Compact all folders)?

 

wildfire - Yes I tried that from reading another thread somwhere on the net but it made no difference

 

No problem, I'll leave you in the capable hands of MrBill then.

 

wildfire - thanks for the suggestion

 

Steve. I've used ESET for a few years now without any problem. This has happened over the last few weeks. I've ran ESET anti virus. Malwarebytes, defrag, checked the complete disk for errors etc without success.

 

Go to Start/Search/All files and folders and type in Outlook Express. When it is finished you can delete the .dbx files there. The ones you are having trouble with.

 

MrBill - Found about 30 files and folders and the first folder I accessed had the .dbx files. I transferred all of my in box to a new inbox first. I then deleted (.dbx files) relating to the old in box, deleted box, sent box and out box which amounted to about 3gb of info. Reopened outlook and hey presto everything is working again. I cannot thank you enough. You are a star.

 

Thanks for the complement. I had this problem once about 12 years ago. I remembered it. But I can't remember what time I got out of bed this morning. Glad you got it fixed. You can now mark it resolved.