I am running OE 5.5 in Windows ME and recently a problem came up that I'm at
a loss. When ever I try to send out a new message, it goes directly into the
outbox. I have to close OE as it freezes on me. After a short time I get a
window come up that states "OE could not be started because another instance
of it is still running on your computer"
I have to reboot my computer in order to get into OE. At this time my
message will be sent but as soon as I try to send a new message again the
same thing happens.
I ran repair internet explorer from control panel / remove & install
programs, but that didn't do anything.
any suggestions?

When you press Send, the message should go directly to the Outbox, but you
may have a damaged one.

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store folder will reveal the location of
your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight the folder
location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will put the
location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files. Otherwise, write
the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.

In WindowsXP, 2K & 3K, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default marked
as hidden. To view these files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden
Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options | View.

With OE closed, find the DBX file for the folder in question {Outbox.dbx}
and delete it. A new one will be created automatically when you open OE.

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupt. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move your
mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

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.

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS MVP - Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Stan" <Stan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CF81F83B-615B-48E6-B44D-F3AF1EEC392A@microsoft.com...
>I am running OE 5.5 in Windows ME and recently a problem came up that I'm
>at
> a loss. When ever I try to send out a new message, it goes directly into
> the
> outbox. I have to close OE as it freezes on me. After a short time I get a
> window come up that states "OE could not be started because another
> instance
> of it is still running on your computer"
> I have to reboot my computer in order to get into OE. At this time my
> message will be sent but as soon as I try to send a new message again the
> same thing happens.
> I ran repair internet explorer from control panel / remove & install
> programs, but that didn't do anything.
> any suggestions?

I tried deleting the outbox folder but get a pop up saying that "Cannot
delete Outbox. Acess is denied. The source file may be in use. . I have "show
hidden files checked off. CTRL+ALT+DEL shows me that Msimn is not
responding.
Read somewhere that an older version of MSN gave problems but the MSN is
installed is version 6

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

> When you press Send, the message should go directly to the Outbox, but you
> may have a damaged one.
>
> Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store folder will reveal the location of
> your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight the folder
> location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will put the
> location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files. Otherwise, write
> the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.
>
> In WindowsXP, 2K & 3K, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default marked
> as hidden. To view these files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden
> Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options | View.
>
> With OE closed, find the DBX file for the folder in question {Outbox.dbx}
> and delete it. A new one will be created automatically when you open OE.
>
> Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
> corrupt. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move your
> mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
> folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.
>
> 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.
>
> In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
> leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.
> --
> Bruce Hagen
> MS MVP - Outlook Express
> ~IB-CA~
>
> "Stan" <Stan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CF81F83B-615B-48E6-B44D-F3AF1EEC392A@microsoft.com...
> >I am running OE 5.5 in Windows ME and recently a problem came up that I'm
> >at
> > a loss. When ever I try to send out a new message, it goes directly into
> > the
> > outbox. I have to close OE as it freezes on me. After a short time I get a
> > window come up that states "OE could not be started because another
> > instance
> > of it is still running on your computer"
> > I have to reboot my computer in order to get into OE. At this time my
> > message will be sent but as soon as I try to send a new message again the
> > same thing happens.
> > I ran repair internet explorer from control panel / remove & install
> > programs, but that didn't do anything.
> > any suggestions?
>
>

Stan wrote:
> I tried deleting the outbox folder but get a pop up saying that "Cannot
> delete Outbox. Acess is denied. The source file may be in use. . I have "show
> hidden files checked off. CTRL+ALT+DEL shows me that Msimn is not
> responding.
> Read somewhere that an older version of MSN gave problems but the MSN is
> installed is version 6

You're trying to delete the wrong thing. Close OE. Open Search. Search
for .dbx and make sure that hidden files are being shown. THAT's the
outbox.dbx you need to delete.

Alias
>
> "Bruce Hagen" wrote:
>
>
>>When you press Send, the message should go directly to the Outbox, but you
>>may have a damaged one.
>>
>>Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store folder will reveal the location of
>>your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight the folder
>>location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will put the
>>location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files. Otherwise, write
>>the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.
>>
>>In WindowsXP, 2K & 3K, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default marked
>>as hidden. To view these files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden
>>Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options | View.
>>
>>With OE closed, find the DBX file for the folder in question {Outbox.dbx}
>>and delete it. A new one will be created automatically when you open OE.
>>
>>Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
>>corrupt. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move your
>>mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
>>folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.
>>
>>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.
>>
>>In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
>>leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.
>>--
>> Bruce Hagen
>>MS MVP - Outlook Express
>> ~IB-CA~
>>
>>"Stan" <Stan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>news:CF81F83B-615B-48E6-B44D-F3AF1EEC392A@microsoft.com...
>>
>>>I am running OE 5.5 in Windows ME and recently a problem came up that I'm
>>>at
>>>a loss. When ever I try to send out a new message, it goes directly into
>>>the
>>>outbox. I have to close OE as it freezes on me. After a short time I get a
>>>window come up that states "OE could not be started because another
>>>instance
>>>of it is still running on your computer"
>>> I have to reboot my computer in order to get into OE. At this time my
>>>message will be sent but as soon as I try to send a new message again the
>>>same thing happens.
>>>I ran repair internet explorer from control panel / remove & install
>>>programs, but that didn't do anything.
>>> any suggestions?
>>
>>