I have Windows XP2 (completely reinstalled after reformatting last month),
latest patch level, IE7 for 3 weeks and Outlook Express 6. Before the
latest Microsoft automatic updates earlier this week, the following problem
did not exist.

In OE6, part way during downloading emails, the "needs to close" message
appears.
I've discovered that the emails continue to fully download if I ignore the
closedown message (of course I then have to allow the closedown).

The error signature in the closedown message says "AppName: msimn.exe" and
"ModName: directdb.dll".

I've compacted all OE6 folders (although, strangely, one folder wasn't
compacted because a message said it was in use - unlikely since it was a
store only for messages associated with a hobby of mine).

I've done scans for any malware - none found.

I've also deactivated the McAfee VirusScan on emails and downloads.

No shutdown message appears when sending emails, or when sending or
receiving newsgroup messages.

Still the closedown message appears ...

I'm running out of ideas! Can somebody give me a clue as to what's wrong and
how to fix it?

Best regards
Roy

"Roy Hammond" wrote in message
...
In OE6, part way during downloading emails, the "needs to close" message
appears.
I've discovered that the emails continue to fully download if I ignore the
closedown message (of course I then have to allow the closedown).

The error signature in the closedown message says "AppName: msimn.exe" and
"ModName: directdb.dll".

I've compacted all OE6 folders (although, strangely, one folder wasn't
compacted because a message said it was in use - unlikely since it was a
store only for messages associated with a hobby of mine).

There's the problem. An error in directdb.dll is almost always due to a damaged
dbx file.

In the OE Folder list (View| Layout| Folder List),
click Outlook Express so that no mail or news folder is open.
Now click File| Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving.
Finally, click File| Folder| Compact All Folders.
This process can take several minutes and you should not attempt to use your
computer until it is finished. If an error occurs, such as "cannot compact,
folder in use", just close OE, wait a second or two, then re-open OE and begin
the process again.

You might have to remove the damaged *.dbx from the store folder if the
compaction process does not repair it. You might also want to use something
like DBXtract to recover messages from the damaged file.

For more on file corruption in OE:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

--
Tom Koch, former MVP for IE/Outlook Express 1997-2005
http://www.insideoe.com
Awareness is free.

Thanks Tom, tried that. Followed your suggestion fully. All folders appeared
to compact OK this time.
However "need to close" message still appears when downloading emails only.
Each of my local .dbx folders can be opened OK, with no problems seen which
could suggest a damaged folder...so far as I can tell (but what do I know?)
So I'm still at a loss to see what's wrong!
Anything else I can try?
Roy



"Tom Koch" wrote in message
...
"Roy Hammond" wrote in message
...
In OE6, part way during downloading emails, the "needs to close" message
appears.
I've discovered that the emails continue to fully download if I ignore
the
closedown message (of course I then have to allow the closedown).

The error signature in the closedown message says "AppName: msimn.exe"
and
"ModName: directdb.dll".

I've compacted all OE6 folders (although, strangely, one folder wasn't
compacted because a message said it was in use - unlikely since it was a
store only for messages associated with a hobby of mine).

There's the problem. An error in directdb.dll is almost always due to a
damaged dbx file.

In the OE Folder list (View| Layout| Folder List),
click Outlook Express so that no mail or news folder is open.
Now click File| Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving.
Finally, click File| Folder| Compact All Folders.
This process can take several minutes and you should not attempt to use
your computer until it is finished. If an error occurs, such as "cannot
compact, folder in use", just close OE, wait a second or two, then re-open
OE and begin the process again.

You might have to remove the damaged *.dbx from the store folder if the
compaction process does not repair it. You might also want to use
something like DBXtract to recover messages from the damaged file.

For more on file corruption in OE:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

--
Tom Koch, former MVP for IE/Outlook Express 1997-2005
http://www.insideoe.com
Awareness is free.

"Roy Hammond" wrote in message
...
Thanks Tom, tried that. Followed your suggestion fully. All folders appeared
to compact OK this time.
However "need to close" message still appears when downloading emails only.
Each of my local .dbx folders can be opened OK, with no problems seen which
could suggest a damaged folder...so far as I can tell (but what do I know?)
So I'm still at a loss to see what's wrong!
Anything else I can try?
Roy


Yes, I would try creating a new Identity from the File|Identities menu. You can
first export your mail and news accounts (one at a time) under Tools|Accounts,
Export button. Then File|Identities|Add New Identity. Switch to the new
Identity, cancel the New Account wizard, click Tools|Accounts and use the
Import button to import your accounts. You can then also import your old
Identity's mail folders using File|Import.

--
Tom Koch, former MVP for IE/Outlook Express 1997-2005
http://www.insideoe.com
Awareness is free.

Tom
I've just had a thought...
In thinking through the steps you advocate, I realised that I have some 60
rules set up (will they be transferred into my new identity?)..could it be
one of my rules that's causing my "need to close" problem?
I await your advice before going the new identity route...
Roy



"Tom Koch" wrote in message
...
"Roy Hammond" wrote in message
...
Thanks Tom, tried that. Followed your suggestion fully. All folders
appeared to compact OK this time.
However "need to close" message still appears when downloading emails
only.
Each of my local .dbx folders can be opened OK, with no problems seen
which could suggest a damaged folder...so far as I can tell (but what do
I know?)
So I'm still at a loss to see what's wrong!
Anything else I can try?
Roy


Yes, I would try creating a new Identity from the File|Identities menu.
You can first export your mail and news accounts (one at a time) under
Tools|Accounts, Export button. Then File|Identities|Add New Identity.
Switch to the new Identity, cancel the New Account wizard, click
Tools|Accounts and use the Import button to import your accounts. You can
then also import your old Identity's mail folders using File|Import.

--
Tom Koch, former MVP for IE/Outlook Express 1997-2005
http://www.insideoe.com
Awareness is free.

Start he http://www.insideoe.com/problems/errors.htm#crash

General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a manual
compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- WinXP SP2 only: Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown
your machine if Automatic Compacting is taking place.

- WinXP SP2 only: If your machine is fully up-to-date at Windows Update,
installing the following patch (KB918766) will help to avoid such data loss
in the futu
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...2-98af2256ccc3

This patch will be included in the next Cumulative Update for Outlook
Express/WinXP SP2.

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), AH-VSOP

Tom Koch wrote:
"Roy Hammond" wrote in message
...
In OE6, part way during downloading emails, the "needs to close" message
appears.
I've discovered that the emails continue to fully download if I ignore
the
closedown message (of course I then have to allow the closedown).

The error signature in the closedown message says "AppName: msimn.exe"
and
"ModName: directdb.dll".

I've compacted all OE6 folders (although, strangely, one folder wasn't
compacted because a message said it was in use - unlikely since it was a
store only for messages associated with a hobby of mine).

There's the problem. An error in directdb.dll is almost always due to a
damaged dbx file.

In the OE Folder list (View| Layout| Folder List),
click Outlook Express so that no mail or news folder is open.
Now click File| Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving.
Finally, click File| Folder| Compact All Folders.
This process can take several minutes and you should not attempt to use
your
computer until it is finished. If an error occurs, such as "cannot
compact,
folder in use", just close OE, wait a second or two, then re-open OE and
begin the process again.

You might have to remove the damaged *.dbx from the store folder if the
compaction process does not repair it. You might also want to use
something
like DBXtract to recover messages from the damaged file.

For more on file corruption in OE:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

"Roy Hammond" wrote in message
...
Tom
I've just had a thought...
In thinking through the steps you advocate, I realised that I have some 60
rules set up (will they be transferred into my new identity?)..could it be
one of my rules that's causing my "need to close" problem?
I await your advice before going the new identity route...
Roy


No.

They are in the Registry. Export this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Micro soft\Outlook
Express\5.0\Rules

Before merging it into a new Identity or new machine, edit the REG file with
WordPad and change the GUID to agree with where you want to Merge it.

Have you checked for malware?

Help with malware
All MS-MVP Sites.
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
(http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm)
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...moving_Malware
(http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm)
(http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/darnit.html)
(http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm)

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
For quite a few people it's by installing Messenger Plus, whose ads for
malware don't identify the malware as such and try to convince you that you
owe it to the author. See also:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=27971
Don't ever do a "default" install of anything. Always choose Custom and see
what else is being carried along. Don't install any extras you're not sure
of.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Answer in newsgroup. Don't send mail.

"Roy Hammond" wrote in message
...
Tom
I've just had a thought...
In thinking through the steps you advocate, I realised that I have some 60
rules set up (will they be transferred into my new identity?)..could it be
one of my rules that's causing my "need to close" problem?

I doubt it. Early versions of OE5 had a bug with certain rules that would crash
OE, but that was fixed a very long time ago, before OE6, and hasn't been
reported since.
http://www.insideoe.com/problems/errors.htm#badrules

In case you missed Frank's post, here's how to backup your rules and restore
them to another Identity:
http://www.insideoe.com/backup/partial.htm#settingsbu

--
Tom Koch, former MVP for IE/Outlook Express 1997-2005
http://www.insideoe.com
Awareness is free.

"PA Bear" wrote in message
...
Start he http://www.insideoe.com/problems/errors.htm#crash

General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a
manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- WinXP SP2 only: Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown
your machine if Automatic Compacting is taking place.

- WinXP SP2 only: If your machine is fully up-to-date at Windows Update,
installing the following patch (KB918766) will help to avoid such data
loss in the futu
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...2-98af2256ccc3

This patch will be included in the next Cumulative Update for Outlook
Express/WinXP SP2.

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), AH-VSOP


Good info here, I will take all the emails in the "Sent" folder and put them
in my own created folder.

I turned off the A/V email scanning program too.

I have the auto compact and auto email check boxes, unchecked so they don't
go on either, I can do that manually.

So when will there be an OE7 with fixes and upgrades to follow with IE7?


--
Sprockets
IE7, OE6, YIM8, WinXP2

"sprockets" wrote in message
...
So when will there be an OE7 with fixes and upgrades to follow with IE7?


There won't be. Windows Vista will have Windows Mail, not Outlook Express.

--
Tom Koch
http://www.insideoe.com
Awareness is free.