Outlook Express (not responding) - Help!

[RogerM]

Help!! When I open Outlook Express, I get the list of folders on the left as usual, but the default (inbox) shows nothing in the main window. Connection takes place as usual and emails download but I can't see them. If I try clicking on any of the Local Folders, the words (Not Responding) appear along the window header. The eggtimer runs throughout.

I am told that over-full folders may have this effect, and I know that the sent folder is humungously large.

But how do I empty it if I cant open it, or in fact do any operation in OE? I've done a search and found a "sent items" folder but it is very small and definitely doesn't account for the volume I know it contains. Also unable to open it!

Any other easy fixes I might try?

I am using XP Pro.

 

[TheBramble]

Delete all the emails you want to delete in folders that are available.

Delete your 'deleted' emails (in the Delete folder).

Then compact all folders. (File/Folder/Comapact All Folders).

 

[BBB]

Are you using OE for a webmail front end? Probably too obvious for a smart cookie like you, but delete them from the website?? (eg hotmail??)

 

[RogerM]

Tony - This is the problem! None of the folders are openable within OE. Also the toolbar is inoperative, so anything I do will have to be by directly accessing files thru windows explorer I think. But can't find them this way.

If the problem is an overful folder, it will almost ceratinly be the sent items. I empty the deleted folder daily, but it is months since I emptied the sent items folder.

BBB - no, I don't use OE for webmail

So wot now?

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Delete all the emails you want to delete in folders that are available.

Delete your 'deleted' emails (in the Delete folder).

Then compact all folders. (File/Folder/Comapact All Folders).

 

[Mayfly]

Roger,

There's an executable called scanpst.exe that's provided by MS to "repair" outlook files, i.e. files ending with the extension .pst.

The path is normally: "C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033\SCANPST.EXE"

I believe - but, I don't know - that there's a similar program that performs similar functions for OE files, but I don't know what it's called?

I'll try and find out some more about this and come back to you.

Cheers

Mayfly

 

[Mayfly]

Roger,

Just to add to the above: I suggest that you need to repair your .WAB (Windows Address Book) file.

If you type "WAB repair" into google you should find a choice of free tools to help you to do the repair? If not get back to me via PM.

HTH

Cheers

Mayfly

 

[zambuck]

Try 'achieve' function...and archieve all into a file....

alternatively try to 'export' from outlook into a file and then bring it back as another name...

Close the folder that contains data of 'outlook' and then try to open this folder that you have 'imported'...

have you loaded or updated 'Norton Internet protector'?...of so check that script file feature is clicked on under outlook.exe....

HTH

 

[Buddhist]

It sounds like either your default file directory has been changed (unlikely), or Outlook Express may be broken. I really suspect the latter.

What you could do is download IE and OE upgrades (has to be both iirc) from one of the purveyors of such files, - this will effectively allow you to re-install. May not be the right thing but it is what I would do next.

Hope this helps and doesnt lead you to completely balls up your Windows... :-D

Help!! When I open Outlook Express, I get the list of folders on the left as usual, but the default (inbox) shows nothing in the main window. Connection takes place as usual and emails download but I can't see them. If I try clicking on any of the Local Folders, the words (Not Responding) appear along the window header. The eggtimer runs throughout.

I am told that over-full folders may have this effect, and I know that the sent folder is humungously large.

But how do I empty it if I cant open it, or in fact do any operation in OE? I've done a search and found a "sent items" folder but it is very small and definitely doesn't account for the volume I know it contains. Also unable to open it!

Any other easy fixes I might try?

I am using XP Pro.

 

[oatman]

Gooogle Repair Outlook Express. There are a few shareware and a free one.

 

[Volatile]

If you still haven't fixed it with the suggestions above, I've had problems in the past with OE that I've fixed by getting it to rescan it's folders. Note this will unlink all your rules and you have to manually go through and edit them if it is still happening.

Please only do this as a last resort, I have done it myself several times and something has always gone awry, however I have been able to access my emails froim before and everything has run fine after the changes. I won't be held responsible if anything goes wrong if you do it however

Close down outlook express and all emails etc so that it is not running anywhere.

Go into your outlooked express data folder - try searching for "Outlook express", and you'll find it exists in somewhere like

Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Application Data\Identitied\.0970908980\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Inside this folder, you will see a small file called "Folders.DBX" Rename this to something like "Old-Folders.DBX"

If you restart outlook express, then it will rescan the folders and should reset itself to an earlier condition. This has fixed my problems of a similar nature in the past. Your emails will all remain intact in your OE folder, so even if you cannot see them, you should be able to link to them by readding any folders that you had.

HTH

 

[RogerM]

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. None have worked so far unfortunately. About to try Volatile's suggestion.

 

[oatman]

System Restore?

 

[RogerM]

Oatman - sadly, no. That was the first thing I tried, using a restore date from about 2 weeks ago when OE was working. It made no difference.

 

[Rognvald]

Have you searched the MS knowledge base for possible solutions

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;EN-US;KBHOWTO

 

[oatman]

Did you try any of the OE file recovery programmes that Google shows?


might be worth a post on Pitstop
http://pcpitstop.ibforums.com/

 

[RogerM]

Finally found a solution - renamed the OE store folder xxx _old, and restarting Outlook Express. Without its stored messages, it started up fine; and then we reimported the folders we wanted to keep into the new store folder (using File > Import).

All seems to be working fine so far...