Can't Delete Email in Outlook Express

Category: Email

"I received an email recently, with no attachment, and when I tried to open it, my computer froze. Even a ctrl-alt-del wouldn't help. Every time I try to open, or just click on and delete this message my computer freezes. I didn't think it was possible for an email to cause this kind of problem, if there was no attachment. I'm using Outlook Express, and running Windows XP Professional Version, Service Pack 2. I just want to delete this message from my inbox -- I have no idea what is in it and I don't care at this point!"


Stranger things have been known to happen to folks using Outlook Express, but I'm sure that's little comfort to you now. Here are some things you can try to remove the offending item from your inbox.

  • First, have you made sure that you are current with Windows Update patches and fixes? There are a bunch of nasty bugs in Outlook Express that can leave you open to attacks from specially formatted emails -- with or without attachments. Some viruses can be activated and spread to others just by viewing a message in the preview pane, but ONLY if you are using an old, unpatched version of Outlook.

  • Next, is your anti-virus protection up to date? If your service has expired, renew it ASAP. Or check with your ISP to see if they offer any free anti-virus software.

  • Try turning off the preview pane in Outlook (use View / Layout and UNcheck Show Preview Pane). Then right-click the offending message and select Delete.

  • Some users report success with pressing the Shift and Delete keys after highlighting the message. Note: This technique will delete the message without sending it to the Deleted Items folder.

  • Finally, it's possible that the undelete-able email does not contain any harmful content, but attempting to open it triggers a flaw in your anti-virus scanner. If you are certain that the email is a harmless message from a known person (and they are using anti-virus software), you could try suspending your anti-virus program, then attempt to delete the message.




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    Posted by Bob Rankin on July 7, 2005 01:56 PM


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    Related Keywords: Email   can't delete email   outlook express   inbox   delete email   shift delete  

    Most recent comments on "Can't Delete Email in Outlook Express"

    (See all 74 comments for this article.)

    Posted by:
    T J Edler
    15 Nov 2008

    Can't delete file addresses.
    I downloaded a large file(7,000 email addresses)
    in Outlook which already had 100 files with 50 email addresses ea. Now I cannot delete anything. It allows me to delete names or files, but the name or file pops back up.How do I fix the delete function?

    EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm a bit confused when you say you're trying to delete "files" while in Outlook. Do you mean individual emails, address book contacts, or something else?


    Posted by:
    curt line
    19 Dec 2008

    i can not delete emails without opening it up and then delete.


    Posted by:
    Alex
    09 Jan 2009

    This operation can do with help-dbx convert,tool helped me not once,as far as i know software is free,it good solution against email failures regardless of the reasons of email corruption,program features easy system requirements, it can work on all PC’s, CPU performance may be very low, it influences the speed of email recovery only,utility works under Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Me and even Windows 98, the last one is not supported any more.


    Posted by:
    John J. Wall
    09 Jan 2009

    THANK YOU-THANK Y0U-THANK YOU. I had a problem with deleting attachments in the e-mail section and i read your articales and low and behold there was an answer that did work, God i love this site. one again Thank you. Shift/delete and they are gone.


    Posted by:
    kim savvas
    14 Jan 2009

    I have mail in my inbox, when I try to delete it I end up with a line through it but it won't delete. Please advise. Thanks


    Posted by:
    zlatan24
    23 Jan 2009

    For work with outlook express files advise use-outlook express will not open,because tool helped me many times and as far as i know it is free,program helps to stand against email issues and it does not matter, why your mailbox has become corrupted,can read online user’s guide for this program, where all steps of email recovery process are clearly described,keeps your mailbox in several source files, such as Inbox.dbx, Outbox.dbx, Sent Items.dbx and Deleted Items.dbx, all of these files should be located in the same folder,program can save separate files with eml extension, please create a separate folder for this purpose to avoid confusion,works with Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista.


    Posted by:
    mutu26
    12 Feb 2009

    In this situation advise use-fix dbx files,yet as far as i know program is free,it recovering corrupted Outlook Express folders,extract all messages that should be recovered from the dbx repair file,save all extracted messages to the hard drive as message files in the eml format before a repairing Outlook Express,tool repairing corrupted Outlook Express folders comes down to the process of repairing the corresponding *.dbx files (dbx repair, repairing Outlook Express),recover on the hard drive, on a CD or a DVD or on a flash drive,supports files of the .dbx format for Outlook Express versions 5, 5.5 and 6,repair dbx files of Outlook Express in the batch mode,recovers information from *.dbx files up to 4GB in size.


    Posted by:
    David
    15 Feb 2009

    I don't know what html tags mean. I'm having a problem in deleteing my old email address all together.Everytime i go to send a email my old email address pops up to send it.I've tried everything to get it completely removed.I went to my old server con.and they said they completely removed it all.Well i just found out that peoplepc is automatically created in outlook express also,but i can't find out how to delete it from there,and sometimes i don't receive my email right.


    Posted by:
    Nancee
    06 Mar 2009

    When highlighting an email, then selecting to delete, it also deletes the one below it. Even though the email below wasn't highlighted.


    Posted by:
    Leopold
    05 Jun 2009

    After trying lots of other "fixes" I simply disabled the preview pane and hit Shift Delete and all was well again. THANKS SO MUCH.


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