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Help - Outlook express freezes

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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby Red Earth » April 10th, 2008, 12:31 pm

Hi John

Yes, you are right I've used both Microsoft Outlook and also Outlook Express. I never use Microsoft Outlook, but when my Outlook Express froze and I was trying to see if I could somehow get to the emails, I launched Microsoft Outlook for the first time and tried to import the mails from Outlook Express into Microsoft Outlook. Everytime I tried it would always stop at the same place (71% of the inbox I think), and then freeze. This is why there are emails in both. The emails in Outlook Express are the original ones, and the complete ones. The emails in Microsoft Outlook are only those which imported - only a partial copy of what is in Outlook Express.

This is the filepath for the Outlook Express folder which contains the dbx files - C:\Documents and Settings\k\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{CD7F7514-6099-466D-AA00-DEFF991D3784}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

(the folder after Identities has a different number to the one you had in your filepath).


The folder for Outlook(2) does contain outlook.pst and no other files or folders.

Hope that clears up the confusion!

Thanks!
Kothai
Red Earth
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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby John B. » April 12th, 2008, 2:54 am

Hi Kothai,

Just wanted to let you know we have worked out some plans, but there are just a few details that have to be made clear to me. Won't be soon until I know exactly what to do.

Greets, John.
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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby Red Earth » April 12th, 2008, 5:35 am

Thanks John, I appreciate the trouble you are going to to help me. Looking forward to your solution!

Best
Kothai
Red Earth
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Posts: 20
Joined: March 29th, 2008, 5:52 pm

Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby John B. » April 13th, 2008, 5:33 am

Hi,

Before we can fix this I want to know to things:
  • Are you using Outlook Express 5 or 6?
  • Have you got Windows XP CD?
Greets, John.
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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby Red Earth » April 13th, 2008, 6:39 am

Hi John

I am using Outlook Express 6.

I have a recovery disc which we had to make when the computer was new, it has the pre-loaded applications on it, so there will be Windows XP and also Outlook Express on it. I was thinking that maybe I should run that disc - but I will wait to see what you say.

Thanks!
Kothai
Red Earth
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Joined: March 29th, 2008, 5:52 pm

Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby John B. » April 13th, 2008, 8:28 am

Hi Kothai,

Here is the plan. There is one thing I would like to tell you and that is that these things are not undangerous. Of course I would not post this if I don't have faith in it, but there is always something which can turn out wrong. Please keep it in mind.

First, make a new folder on your desktop (or some other place you consider very safe) called 'emails'. (You could also make another 'email' folder somewhere else to have two backups.)

Then go to your Outlook Express e-mails folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\k\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{CD7F7514-6099-466D-AA00-DEFF991D3784}\Microsoft\Outlook Express
There, copy all the files . Now paste the copied dbx files in the 'emails' folder(s) you have created.

You can also back up the Address Book if you want to. Make one or two back up folders somewhere called 'address'. Into that copy all the files from this folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\j brouwer\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book

The settings of your e-mailprofile will probably also be erased when reinstalling Outlook Express, but the problem may be in there so it is safest not to back up those files (which is more difficult).

Now reinstall Outlook Express:
  • Click Start
  • Choose Run
  • Then type the following command:
    Code: Select all
    %systemroot%\inf
  • Click OK to open the INF folder
  • Locate this file: MSOE50.inf
  • Right-click on the file and choose Install
  • This will reinstall the files of Outlook Express. It may ask you to put in the Windows XP disk.
After the installation is done reboot your computer (if not done automatically).

Start Outlook Express and see if it works. If it does not work please inform me. Your Address Book and e-mails will not yet be in there. To restore the Address Book and e-mails COPY the files (dbx files and address book files) back into the folders where they were when Outlook Express was not working. You will have to overwrite the new (empty) ones. Now try Outlook Express again and see if it still works and if you have your e-mails and your Address Book back.

Please let me know.

Greets, John.
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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby Red Earth » April 13th, 2008, 3:44 pm

Hi John

Followed your instructions, but when it came to after locating MSOE50.inf, and right clicking to install, the computer couldn't find the replacement file on my recovery disc - I did a browse myself, and then launched just the application recovery independently, and found that outlook express is not there as an individually locatable file. In fact the only individually locatable files seem to be little add ons, like a DVD burner application, i.e. not the applications that might come with Windows XP operating system as standard. So it seems like the only way I could pursue this is to contact Vaio support and see if they can help. I'll try that tomorrow. Thanks for all your help. I'll let you know what they say.

Best wishes
Kothai
Red Earth
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Posts: 20
Joined: March 29th, 2008, 5:52 pm

Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby John B. » April 14th, 2008, 11:50 am

Hi Kothai,

Was scared this would happen ;)

Please tell me what Vaio support said. Remember that if Vaio support does not come up with something reasonable you could also borrow a Windows XP Installation Disk from a friend or maybe even your neighbor.

Greets, John.
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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby Red Earth » April 15th, 2008, 9:40 am

Hi John

Just wanted to update you on my problem. The advisor on Vaio support told me first there was no way to reinstall outlook express and I would have to do a complete recovery!! Eeek. Fortunately I persisted and they asked their supervisor - you can remove outlook express in control panel, add and remove programmes, add/remove windows components by unchecking the outlook express tick box finishing the wizard, then launching the same wizard again and re-checking the outlook express tick box. HOWEVER, it didn't solve the problem, it didn't remove any settings or emails, and the programme was behaving in the same way when it launched. So I was told again I would have to do a complete recovery and there was no hope for saving my emails. Fortunately, as you had already told me how to find my dbx files and make copies of them elsewhere, what I did was to un-install outlook express. Delete all the existing dbx files, re-install outlook express, and uncheck the automatic download of new emails on launch. I then copied in my sent items dbx file and deleted everything I didn't need or archived the ones I might need, and then again with my inbox and other folders - I realised that because I had more than 4,000 messages in my inbox and 4,000 in my sent items it might be that which was freezing outlook express, but because it was autolaunching the mail download and then freezing there was no way for me to get in and delete or archive any. So now I've managed to delete at least my sent items and other folders. Only the inbox is still a problem. Now that I have copied all the other folders and reduced them to the bare minimum, I have finally copied the inbox dbx in. But the same old thing happens, when I launch outlook express it freezes. There is obviously something in the inbox that it doesn't like!!

Do you have any recommendations left???

Best wishes
Kothai
Red Earth
Regular Member
 
Posts: 20
Joined: March 29th, 2008, 5:52 pm

Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby John B. » April 15th, 2008, 10:37 am

Hi,

Stupid support people! I just knew they were going to say that you will have to reinstall your computer just because they do not know a simple solution and want to help you 'solve your problem'.

First I was going to tell you to go to Add/Remove Windows Components but found out that it will only remove some general things like Outlook Express' shortcuts (if you go to Add/Remove Windows Components and click on Outlook Express you can see the description on the bottom of the window).

I do not think the problem has something to do with your e-mails, but with some kind of damaged Outlook Express file.

As a temporary solution can't you import your e-mail into Outlook now? You said it always stuck at 71% percent, but you deleted a lot of e-mails now.

I spoke to another helper here at MalWare Removal and he said he had a speech on how to do it. It was the same as recommendations I found a couple of times when Googling your problem. The thing is that Outlook Express is closely related to Internet Explorer. If you change something in the registry both Outlook Express and Internet Explorer will be removed. Then you can download Outlook Express coming with Internet Explorer 6. The only thing that you will have to do afterwards is update to Internet Explorer 7 again.

The reason why I chose this as one of the last resorts is that we will not only have to back up e-mails, etc. but also your favorites in Internet Explorer and you will lose not only your Outlook Express settings but also those in Internet Explorer.

Please let me know whether importing the e-mails into Outlook works now (as then we are sure it is Outlook Express and not the e-mails) and if you would like to try fixing this problem by reinstalling Internet Explorer..

Greets, John.
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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby Red Earth » April 15th, 2008, 1:53 pm

Hi John,

Good to hear your thoughts - and yes, those support people were quite stupid, more even than I dared mention in my post to you! I did borrow an installation disc from my partner's computer and I could locate the exe file my computer was asking for when I followed your steps - but though it completed its task, nothing had changed with my outlook express.

I also did a few experimental things with renaming dbx files and dropping them in the outlook express folder. I made a copy of the inbox (seeing as that seems to be the problem area) and renamed it deleted items dbx. On launching then Outlook Express, which automatically opens the inbox, had no problem, it also can now send and receive new mails. BUT if I go to the deleted items folder, any new deleted items don't show up and outlook express freezes again, we are back to square 1. But what's good is that as long as I don't go to the deleted items folder I can use outlook express!! It does mean I can't get hold of my old emails though. I also noted that if you delete all the emails out of one of the folders (like sent items), it still thinks the folder has the same huge MB storage as when all the emails were there - the only way to get rid of it is to delete the dbx folder and relaunch outlook express which replaces the absent folder with a new folder that has a low KB as an empty folder would. Just thought you might be interested to know that!

Now I tried what you asked, I imported the email folders to Microsoft Outlook - and interestingly enough, what it always does is import the deleted items folder first (which is the folder with the inbox emails) - and it got stuck in exactly the same place as the former inbox emails when it was importing that last time, i.e. at 71%!

So yes, I would like to try to re-install internet explorer - is there anyway I could save my favourites?

I can use my partner's operating system CD which probably has the programs if I know what to look for.

Thanks John!

Best wishes
Kothai
Red Earth
Regular Member
 
Posts: 20
Joined: March 29th, 2008, 5:52 pm

Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby John B. » April 16th, 2008, 1:50 am

Hi,

Your post pretty much proved me wrong and proves that it is your e-mails. Probably reinstalling Outlook Express will not help.

To test if it is something related to reading e-mails at all you could move one of your sent or deleted items into the right Outlook Express and put the one which freezes it away again. If you know start Outlook Express can you read the sent or deleted items?

That Outlook Express does not automatically remove e-mails from the dbx file if you delete it in Outlook Express is a known fact.

Greets, John.
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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby Red Earth » April 16th, 2008, 2:45 am

Hi John

Not quite sure what you want me to do to test if it is my emails. When you say move one of my sent or deleted items into the right outlook express, I'm not sure what that means? Do you want me to delete the dbx file that is the problem (originally the inbox dbx, but now renamed to be the deleted items dbx)? Then to move an email into the new deleted items dbx file that outlook creates? I've just done that - I've deleted the deleted items dbx file and relaunched outlook express, and there are no emails in the deleted items anymore. Now I've deleted one of my sent items and it is in the deleted items folder, I can open it, read it, no problem. Everything is working fine. Does this mean my whole former inbox file is corrupted?? It would be awful if I couldn't retreive anything (except for the first 71%, which anyway only goes up to emails more than a year old!!).

Best
Kothai
Red Earth
Regular Member
 
Posts: 20
Joined: March 29th, 2008, 5:52 pm

Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby John B. » April 16th, 2008, 11:57 am

Hi,

I wanted you to have NO dbx files in the Outlook Express folder and then move a dbx file (one of the back ups) like Sent Items.dbx or Deleted Items.dbx into the folder and see if you can read them with Outlook Express.

That is what you did, right?

While you are reading this and replying I will ask for a second opinion.

Greets, John.
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Re: Help - Outlook express freezes

Unread postby Red Earth » April 16th, 2008, 12:19 pm

Hi John

I get you. Now I have done that. I deleted all the existing dbx files from the Outlook Express folder and then copied one back again - the sent items folder. It's all working fine. I can open it.
Red Earth
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Posts: 20
Joined: March 29th, 2008, 5:52 pm
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