Outlook Express slow as molasses

Today, when I went to check email in Outlook Express 6.0 (with SP and all necessary updates), it was slow as molasses. I guess you would call it a crash (never had one before). It doesn't download my mail, the cursor goes psycho and it takes 3-4 minutes to close.

Then no matter what else I try to access, it takes forever to open or it does not open at all. I have to pull the plug to shutdown.

When I startup, everything seems to work fine until I go to Outlook Express and then it crashes again and nothing works, so I have to shutdown.

I have a Compaq Presario 5300US, 1.1GH, 20GB HD, 512 MB RAM and Windows XP Home w/SP1 and all pertinent updates. I installed SP1 over 3 months ago and didn't have any problems whatsoever. Never a crash or error messages. (Which means I must be doing something wrong?) (Joke)

I hope I can get this solved with the forum's able assistance.

 

Sussex138--If you are sure you have all the latest patches, etc. (there have be a slew of them in the last two months at Windows Update), then try to Repair Internet Explorer. (I assume WinXP still has this.) Control Panel|Add/Remove Programs|scroll to Microsoft Internet Explorer|highlight|click OK. On the next window, check the box Repair Internet Explorer|click OK|Wait.
If no joy, you should try a System Restore.
And if still no success, you will probably have to uninstall and reinstall OE.

 

http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/problems/performance.htm

 

I had system restore disabled. I enabled it, and wahla: Outlook Express appears back to normal.