Most ISP's have online webmail available.
Maybe you could read your email online,
delete the junk and those you don't need,
before you download with OE.

maybe this is yours ??....

Here is a link that might be useful: https://webmail.cpinternet.com/cgi-bin/cwmail.cgi

Please don't let mail build up for long. I had to rebuild my father in law's deleted items and sent items folder so that he could download new mail. There were so many old emails (10,000 something) that OE just locked up trying to download. That ties in with Mikie's suggestion ;-)

Pam

Many people don't even realize that sent and deleted items are saved. Sis-IL never opened those folders and had thousands too. Mostly jokes forwarded then deleted, and thought gone.

I would definitely start using webmail easier on the pc.

and for sure delete delete delete all that old stuff in ALL the folders.

outlook express is so outdated I would move to a newer faster option.

Found this, hope it helps

Make Windows Mail or Outlook Express Purge Deleted Mail Automatically

Let Windows Mail do the clicking and have it purge deleted messages automatically:

ÂSelect Tools : Options from the menu in Windows Mail.
ÂGo to the Advanced tab.
ÂClick Maintenance.
ÂMake sure Purge deleted messages when leaving IMAP folders is checked.
ÂClick Close.
ÂNow click OK.
In Outlook Express:
ÂSelect Tools : Options from the menu in Outlook Express.
ÂGo to the Maintenance tab.
ÂMake sure Purge deleted messages when leaving IMAP folders is checked.
ÂClick OK.

As a user stuck on an antique DUN I recognize your concern regarding your e-mail. It is my guess you are not speaking of your e-mail in general, but rather e-mails that are graphic intensive or have photo attachments. Since you are on a DUN it will make little difference if you convert to a web-based account or not. Your system will still have to download the e-mails and their attachments into a temporary file for the web-based client to open them.

There are a couple of things that you can do, but I am going to wait to see if my assumption is correct.

I do as Gene reports and automatically purge my deleted e-mail upon closing Windows Mail, and previously OE. However, if you decide to enroll in this option once the e-mail is deleted it is gone forever.

If Windows ever wants to compact your e-mail allow it to do so.

DA

Oh you guys brought back memories.. at one time I recall OE being slow and I deleted all the filtering rules I had made over time to stop the spam. Speeded it way faster. It didnt have to scan each message so much.

I'm using Mozilla's Thunderbird and like a lot. It has similarities to the old Netscape utility.