I am trying to help a friend of mine with this problem. I have read several posts on the subject and have tried one of the solutions. Uncheck "break up email...." and disable AV "email scan", but it doesn't work. The break up email check box was already unchecked. Should he create a new identity, back up all email (inbox, outbox and sent items) and contact list, and, then, import them in the new identity? What are the steps to follow? Should he, then, delete the old identity? He has a couple more identities that he almost never use; what should he do with those? He OS is Windws xp sp3.Thank you for any help1 person needs an answerI do too

Remove the AV program and then do a custom installation and opt out of e-mail scanning when it is offered.If the problem persists, repair some dbx files.Move most of your messages out of the Inbox and then create new Outbox and Sent Items folders after you move any messages you wish to save to a local folder you create.Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.In WinXP, Win2K & Win2K3, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default marked as hidden. To view these files in Windows Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options Icon | View, or in Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | View.With OE closed, find the DBX files for the Outbox & Sent Items and delete them. New ones will be created automatically when you open OE.After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while working *offline* and do it often.Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until the compacting is completed.General precautions for Outlook ExpressDo not archive mail in the Inbox or Sent Items. Create your own user defined folders and move the messages you wish to save to them. Empty Deleted Items folder daily. Although dbx files have a theoretical capacity of 2GB, I recommend about a 300MB max for less chance of corruption.Information about the maximum file size of the .dbx files that are used by Outlook Express:http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=903095Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer of protection that eats up CPUs, slows down sending and receiving, and causes a multitude of problems such as time-outs, account setting changes and has even been responsible for loss of messages. Your up-to-date A/V program will continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3 Why you don't need your anti-virus to scan your emailhttp://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htmNote that for some AV programs, it may be necessary to uninstall the program and reinstall in Custom Mode and uncheck e-mail scanning when the option arises. Compact often as specified above.And backup often.Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx ******************************Do a new identity as a last resort.You may have a damaged identity especially if it is the default Main Identity. File | Identity | Add New Identity. Create a new one and test it. If all is well, you can import your messages and Address Book from the old identity and delete it.Note: Do not use the word Main in the name of the new identity.How to Create and Use Identities in Outlook Expresshttp://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=209169An Outlook Express basic repair kit:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/oerepair.mspx#EHH Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Thank you for your quick reply. There is one part of the response that is not quite clear to me. I need to make sure that I understand the steps clearly because I will be the one guiding my friend, over the phone, through the process and, the last thing I want is to make an irreparable mistake on sombody else's computer. So, here are a couple of questions I have. When you say "move most of your e-mail out of the Inbox...... what does it mean? Export it, copy it? and where to? Why most and not all? The new Outbox and Sent Items folder I'm supposed to create where does it go, Desktop, whitin OE or ?Do the DBX and WAB folders contain the data for the Inbox, Outbox and Sent Items? If so, are they not a sort of archive? What happens when the DBX folder has reached its max?If you have the time, would you be able to give me a specific example?Thank you again for your help

When you say "move most of your e-mail out of the Inbox...... what does it mean? Export it, copy it? and where to? Why most and not all? You can move all, but you are not going to create a new Inbox, only compact, so 'most' is enough.Create a new folder. (File | New | Folder). Open the Inbox and highlight the message headers, all or most. Left click on them and drag them into the new folder.The new Outbox and Sent Items folder I'm supposed to create where does it go, Desktop, whitin OE or ?You do not create a new Outbox or Sent Items folder. You close OE and delete the dbx files for those to folders. When you open OE, everything will look the same, but the Outbox and Sent Items folders are new. OE created the folders for you and if you had any corruption in either of the old ones, it's gone.Do the DBX and WAB folders contain the data for the Inbox, Outbox and Sent Items? If so, are they not a sort of archive? The dbx files hold the data for the messages in their respective folders. If you delete any, you lose the message that were in them. Hence, moving any messages you want to save first. They are not an archive, but the messages themselves in an unreadable format.What happens when the DBX folder has reached its max? If you have the time, would you be able to give me a specific example?All your messages disappear. That is why I suggest a 300MB limit to be safe, and also backing up the messages.Don't hesitate to post back if that didn't answer all your questions.Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Thank you Bruce, I think I now understand better how OE works. I've used Outlook for years and find it a whoe lot better.I will follow your instructions and I will let you know the outcome, good or bad.Giovanni

July 7, 2010Hi,This morning, before following your above instructions, I thought that I should take a precautionary step by having my friend back up OE as per instructions in an article named "How to back up and restore Outlook Express". When we got to the listing of the .DBX files he told me, we were doing this on the phone, that there were twenty items, 13 with DBX extension, 2 with BAK extension and 5 Identities, excluding the main. He, also, has had problems with compression. Every time he closes OE he's asked if he wants to compress the files and, when he clicks OK nothing happens or he gets some kind of message that he cannot remember.I don't know if all this matter and don't know what to do. Should I proceed as per the above instructions or what? Following is the list of files previously mentioned:Antispam.dbx - Antispam(1).dbx - Antispam2).dbx - Deleted Items.dbx - Drafts.dbx - Folders.dbx - Inbox.dbx - Inbox.bak - Macaffey Antispam.dbx - Norton Antispam Folder.dbx - Offline.dbx - Outbox.dbx - Sent Items.dbx - Sent Items.bak - Pop3UIDL.dbx+ five identities or accounts.Can you help?Giovanni

He needs to open OE and do a File | Folder Compact all, then switch to each Identity and do the same for each Identity. That will take care of the prompting for compaction. If OE is sending multiple copies, then there may be a glitch in the Identity that is sending such copies, so he needs to probably set up a new Identity and then see if that works okay. If it does, then he can import the messages from the older Identity. Also check for 3rd party program interference such as antivirus software. Seewww.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3 And backup frequently. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx steve "unoeduefatre" wrote in message news:5d273139-bc17-4c21-9cd6-9770a1d76f3b...July 7, 2010Hi,This morning, before following your above instructions, I thought that I should take a precautionary step by having my friend back up OE as per instructions in an article named "How to back up and restore Outlook Express". When we got to the listing of the .DBX files he told me, we were doing this on the phone, that there were twenty items, 13 with DBX extension, 2 with BAK extension and 5 Identities, excluding the main. He, also, has had problems with compression. Every time he closes OE he's asked if he wants to compress the files and, when he clicks OK nothing happens or he gets some kind of message that he cannot remember.I don't know if all this matter and don't know what to do. Should I proceed as per the above instructions or what? Following is the list of files previously mentioned:Antispam.dbx - Antispam(1).dbx - Antispam2).dbx - Deleted Items.dbx - Drafts.dbx - Folders.dbx - Inbox.dbx - Inbox.bak - Macaffey Antispam.dbx - Norton Antispam Folder.dbx - Offline.dbx - Outbox.dbx - Sent Items.dbx - Sent Items.bak - Pop3UIDL.dbx+ five identities or accounts.Can you help?Giovanni

The BAK files are backups that were created when OE compacted at same time. They are supposed to go to the Recycle Bin, but occasionally end up in the message store. They are harmless.As far as compacting, do it from within OE and not via the prompt when closing.Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until the compacting is completed.As far as the above instructions, delete the Outbox.dbx and bak files as well as the Sent Items.dbx and bak files.Continue as per above.Do not worry about the 5 identities in the message store right now.The presence of both McAfee and Norton alarm me. Neither is OE friendly and could be the cause of the issue, not to mention that only one AV program should ever be used at one time.I strongly suggest the following.Download this program and save it to the Desktop.Microsoft Security Essentialshttp://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/default.aspxDownload both of these and also save them to the Desktop.McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool three-step fixhttp://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?lc=1033&id=TS100507Norton Removal Toolhttp://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039Check to Work OfflineRemove both Norton and McAfee from the machine via the Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs.Run the McAfee and Norton tools, even if one program was already removed.Reboot.Install Microsoft Security Essentials as a replacement AV, Anti-Spyware and Anti-Malware program.Reboot.Post back when the above is completed.Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Hi,I checked the 3 links you sent. In addition to the 2 AV programs he also has AVG. Norton, I know, is not active but, because he uses Winfax Pro I will have to find out from Symantec how to save and restore certain data. I don't know for sure if AVG is active and running; I'll check it out. McAffe is provided free by Cox (ISP) and is running. I will let him decide if he wants to reinstall it afterwords, instead of using MS Essentials. I will tell him to disable the Mail Scan. Is it your suggestion that by using MS Essentials, instead of McAffe, any possible conflict would be eliminated? Should I, also, tell him to remove AVG?ThanksGiovanni

He should be using only 1 antivirus program. steve "unoeduefatre" wrote in message news:53d3dabd-5263-47a5-9b5a-8493cb5a51c2...Hi,I checked the 3 links you sent. In addition to the 2 AV programs he also has AVG. Norton, I know, is not active but, because he uses Winfax Pro I will have to find out from Symantec how to save and restore certain data. I don't know for sure if AVG is active and running; I'll check it out. McAffe is provided free by Cox (ISP) and is running. I will let him decide if he wants to reinstall it afterwords, instead of using MS Essentials. I will tell him to disable the Mail Scan. Is it your suggestion that by using MS Essentials, instead of McAffe, any possible conflict would be eliminated? Should I, also, tell him to remove AVG?ThanksGiovanni

What Steve said. You should only run one AV program at a time and for some it is hard to keep them from running if they are on the machine.My advice it to get rid of all of them and install MSE. I do not suggest MSE because it is made by MS. I am not an MS advocate but they got this one right, Of all the ones mentioned here, it is the most compatible.I use Cox too and could have free McAfee but I wouldn't use it if they paid me.Here is another tool that will help in removal of all the AV programs.App Removerhttp://www.technibble.com/appremover-repair-tool-of-the-week/AppRemover is a small, free and portable utility designed to be a single removal tool for a huge list of security products. It can remove products made by Avast!, AVG, Avira, BullGuard, CA, ClamWin, ESET, F-Secure, Kaspersky, Lavasoft, McAfee, Microsoft, Norman, Panda, Sophos, Symantec, TrendMicro, TrustPort, Webroot and many more. AppRemover Supported Applicationshttp://www.appremover.com/supported-applicationsBruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Thank you all. I'll let you know what happens.Giovanni

Good Morning,Over the weekend I've had a radical idea. We started the process as per all of the above, over the phone, but, because of my friend's almost total ignorance of the computer (I've being coaching him, in the use of it, for only the past 15 years), it took one and a half hour just for the first step. This is my suggestion: Unistall the 2 AV programs, d/load and install Microsoft Security Essentials, then, start using, from now on, Windows Mail, which is already on his computer, and make that his default mail program. He would be happy with that solution because he would be using OE only as reference. Even though he has 5 more identities, he can just recreate them, one by one, and go on with his life. Of course, we could migrate the mail and contacts to Windows Mail but, if there is any corruption in the OE data, we would, then, compound the problem. He's happy with this idea. What do you think?Giovanni

The first part about the AV programs, I agree with. Only difference would be to download and save MSE and then remove the others so not to be connected to the Internet unprotected. Install MSE after removing the others.Now, this thread is about Outlook Express which only runs on XP and earlier. Windows Mail is Vista only. How is this already on his machine?Or do you mean Windows Live Mail which runs on XP, Vista and Win7?If WLMail, what you propose does sound reasonable, but beware of one caveat. You cannot create multiple identities in WLMail like in OE. However, is he actually using them, or are they old, defunct identities?If he is using more than one identity, the way I did it with WLMail is just to make separate Inboxes for the extra identities and divert mail to them via message rules.If he is happy with this, and it work, then it sounds like a plan to me.Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Hi,You're right. He has Windows Live Mail. I'm the one using Windows Mail on my laptop, which runs Vista. I will have to help him set it up. He does want to retain one or all of the five identies (Cox Accounts), so I've been reading a couple of articles on how to add accounts in WLM.We have successfully removed McAffee with the removal tool. A couple of years ago he had uninstalled Norton so, when we tried the removal tool, it would not work because it requested that we uninstall the program from the "add/remove programs" first, which, of course, could not be done. Finally we installed the Security Essentials program. Hopefully this is the last thread on this subject. You have been wonderful and my friend and I appreciate it very much.Before closing, I would like to ask your opinion on the following. As I undertand it, Windows Mail (Vista) is older than Windows Live Mail and is no longer supported. Should I change to WLM? Also, my PC runs Windows Xp Home Ed. and I've been using Outlook 2003 for years. Should I change from Outlook to WLM ? If so, will I get the same kind of services (or most of them) offered by Outlook?Thank you again,Giovanni

Before closing, I would like to ask your opinion on the following. As I undertand it, Windows Mail (Vista) is older than Windows Live Mail and is no longer supported. Should I change to WLM? Also, my PC runs Windows Xp Home Ed. and I've been using Outlook 2003 for years. Should I change from Outlook to WLM ? If so, will I get the same kind of services (or most of them) offered by Outlook?You're welcome & thanks for the kind words.This last question is mostly preference.If running XP/SP3, OE will be supported until April, 2014. Windows Mail will be supported as long as your updated Vista is. (I do not have the exact dates handy).Support in this case means security updates only. Between them and a decent AV program, you are save using OE or WinMail, even after the date it is no longer supported. Neither program will have any changes to them whatsoever. That ceased in June, 2006.As far as WLMail goes, if you like it, fine. If out don't, (and I abhor it, which is mostly opinion also), get it. But I wouldn't feel 'pressed' into getting it. It is a constant work in progress and who knows what it will end up looking like in a few years.As far as Outlook, there is nothing wrong with that program as long as you are happy. Office 2003 is compatible with Windows 7 and many people are using 2003 on it, so again, if you like it, I would keep it.If you like the bells and whistles Outlook offers, many are not available with WLMail. WLMail has a few differences from OE and WinMail, but nothing added to make it at all like Outlook.Hope that covers it, but post back anytime.Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Hi and thanks for the reply. The bottom line, if I understand correctly, is, as far as my friend is concerned, repair and stay with OE for little or no surprises. As far as my systems go, keep the WindowS Mail on my laptop with the Vista OS, and keep Outlook 2003 on my PC, with Windows XP SP3; maybe upgrade to Outlook 2010 if Ireally want to. After reading a number od posts and articles on the subject, I think you're probably right.Thnaks againGiovanni

Hi and thanks for the reply. The bottom line, if I understand correctly, is, as far as my friend is concerned, repair and stay with OE for little or no surprises. As far as my systems go, keep the WindowS Mail on my laptop with the Vista OS, and keep Outlook 2003 on my PC, with Windows XP SP3; maybe upgrade to Outlook 2010 if Ireally want to. After reading a number od posts and articles on the subject, I think you're probably right.Thnaks againGiovanniIf you are happy with what you have, then I concur 100% with your assessment. If it were me, I would stick with that you have. Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Thanks!

You're welcome.Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]