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can't delete an email message, trouble?

15 years ago

I am wanting to clean up the inbox in prep for compacting messages there. I have had this message, it is an attachment, with a clip, since February, and it won't delete. Tried many ways, and as someone else had written her problem was like that, she got away with hiliting a group of messages, with the errant one in it, and got rid of it that way. i have tried that, and no go.

I cleaned out pictures, etc., and am wondering if perhaps this email that I can't delete could be the cause of holdups when compacting the messages currently?

If someone could help me figure out how to get rid of this monster, would be most grateful, I am tired of having it on the screen. Not a virus, am sure, but just can't delete it, OE6 probably XP running, and just cleaned everything up not too long ago.

I can hilite the message, and it stays hilited, nothing happens, locks up the program, have to shut down to restart it again.

Much appreciate any help you could provide.

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Comments (8)

zep516
15 years ago
The only Idea I can think of is boot to save mode open outlook if your able to and try to delete it from there.

Restart the computer now keep hitting the f8 key this may take a few tries to get but keep trying when you see the advanced options menu use the arrow keys to select "Safe Mode"

Then as I said open outlook if you can from safe mode.

This is a real shot in the dark but it's all I can think of.
PKponder TX Z7B
15 years ago
If Zep's fix doesn't work, the last resort may be to call your ISP and have them delete the message from the server. It could be too large or maybe an infection.

Pam
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shaddy101
Original Author
15 years ago
zep, can get to safe mode easy enuf, hit the up/down keys to hilite, and got safe mode in purple down in left corner of screen. Hit enter, and got a screen full of microsoft addies, or something, couldn't get rid of them, so i just shut down. Maybe will try Pam's suggestion, I don't really have an ISP, will have to call their support, and see what gives.
Thanks to all. You have been most kind.
PKponder TX Z7B
15 years ago
shaddy,
When opening Safe Mode it is normal to have multiple lines of text on the screen while Safe Mode loads the drivers. How long are you allowing this to load before you shut down? It takes a few minutes, longer than a boot into normal mode.

Pam
camp56
15 years ago
Shaddy,

Move all of the messages you want to keep from the inbox and then do this.

How to delete inbox/outbox files

NB: Email program has to be closed.

1) Click on Start/Find/Files or Folders
2) Ensure you have c:\ selected in 'Look in'
3) Type in inbox.idx and click 'find now'
4) Ensure you can see the correct file by checking in 'in folder' so you can see if it's an outlook express or internet mail file etc
5) Right click on the file and select delete.
6) Change the search to look for inbox.mbx and click 'find now'
7) Repeat steps 4 and 5
8) Restart the PC

The same procedure applies to outbox.mbx and outbox.idx
camp56
15 years ago
Shaddy, please excuse my fumble fingers. File extension should be inbox.mdx not mbx.
shaddy101
Original Author
15 years ago
camp56/Pam, thanks to you both for your assistance here. I did go to the support for my provider, and he did just exactly what you have written camp56. As I am skeered to go ahead on my own, and do this sort of thing, having someone at my shoulder thru the process showed me, I could do it on my own, and have copied for future reference.
Thanks so much for being there for some of us that are just not that literate about these machines. They are a boon, but always afraid of doing the wrong thing.
camp56
15 years ago
Great to hear you got your problem fixed Shaddy. I think we all have a lot to learn about these machines, but they sure can do great things for us too can't they?

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