[buf]

A friend running ME says she has about 150 emails in her OE 6 and cannot open them. I have never heard of something like this. She uses IE 6. Anyone offer any suggestions or remedy? As usual, TIA.

EDIT: OH, she can send emails but just can't open any received emails.

[EAFiedler]

Hi buf

Can I assume these messages are in the Inbox?

Is she receiving any errors when attempting to open a received message?

Has she tried dragging or copying a message into a folder of her own creation in Outlook Express and then attempting to open the message there?

If messages cannot be opened in the Inbox but can be opened in a different folder, the Inbox may be corrupted.

Let us know what happens.

[buf]

Thanks for your questions/advice. I haven't a way to communicate with her but she said she could "see" the emails but could not open them.
I have to assume that she hasn't done any of those thoughts you mention.
I may just try to call her tonight (in another city) but will keep you informed.

[EAFiedler]

OK, let us know.

If the Inbox is the problem and moving the messages to a folder of her own creation in Outlook Express allows her to open the message, then compacting the Inbox folder may help.

With the Inbox open and empty, in Outlook Express:
File > Folder > Compact
After that process is complete, copy a message back into the Inbox and see if the message will open.

• If that fails, deleting the Inbox.dbx file may be in order.
• The Message Store may need to be compacted.
• If the above fails a new Identity will most likely correct the problem.

Let her know that the default folders of Outlook Express should not be used as storage.
Keep the Inbox empty, move messages she wants to keep to folders of her own creation in Outlook Express.
Default folders:

1. Inbox
2. Outbox
3. Drafts
4. Sent Items
5. Deleted Items

Having a backup e-mail account wouldn't hurt either.
Tell her to sign up with Yahoo, Hotmail or Gmail, that way she will always have an avenue to contact someone...unless she loses her internet connection.

[buf]

I strongly suspect you have known "the type" over the years. She alerts me of 'some' of her problems hoping to help solve them for her. All of a sudden, she emails back that things are OK but cannot tell me what was done to correct the problems. I think she probably paid someone some bucks to remedy her problems but hasn't told me that.
At any rate, I wanted you to know that I appreciate your help in the matter. Til I hear from her again!!!!

[EAFiedler]

Thanks for letting us know.

Those mystery solutions...I am always at a loss as to why they can't remember.

[bjohn]

EAfiedler,
why should one keep the inbox or any other OE default folder empty? Isn't that what they are for?

[EAFiedler]

Originally Posted by bjohn

EAfiedler,
why should one keep the inbox or any other OE default folder empty? Isn't that what they are for?

If those folders are used to collect and accumulate messages they can become corrupted. If a default .dbx file becomes corrupted, Outlook Express will fail to see the file and create a new empty .dbx file to replace it. They are the default or "special" folders.

The size of the Inbox grows with each new message added, but, when a message is deleted from the folder, the size of the Inbox (or any .dbx file) does not shrink. To reclaim that space, the folder needs to be compacted.

This article may be of interest:
The Other E-Mail Threat: File Corruption in Outlook Express