all aspects of the program work normally except i cannot
delete any messages in the inbox. i can copy them to other
folders. they are piling up. i've tried to repair,
uninstall, and reinstall. no help.

Do they delete from any folder? If not, Deleted Items is corrupt. Do the
following if that is so. If it is only from the Inbox, move any mail you
wish to save and do the following for that folder.

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 Windows XP, 2K & 3K, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default
marked as hidden. To view these files in Windows 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 {Deleted
Items.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: FileWork 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~

wrote in message
ups.com...
all aspects of the program work normally except i cannot
delete any messages in the inbox. i can copy them to other
folders. they are piling up. i've tried to repair,
uninstall, and reinstall. no help.