ned tech help re: Outlook Express!

[wildernesslodgelover]

Hello! I was checking my "inbox" and I have about 15 emails saved in my inbox. A few (maybe 5) are very old, and the rest are from the past week or two. Well, the first 5 are still there (newest emails) and the last 5 are still there (oldest) but the middle 5 say this when I try to open them...

***************************************
Message has not been downloaded
Outlook Express has not yet downloaded this message.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To download the message:

Click here.

Press Space.




Outlook Express
*****************************************

Everything between the stars is what I copied and pasted. The word "here" is highlighted, but when I click it, nothing happens.

I have googled and found a few references to this problem, but I am VERY computer illiterate and wonder if anyone can tell me, in laymans terms, if this can be fixed (can I get these emails back?) and how to prevent it from happening again. Thanks so much for any help!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Have you tried to restart your computer?

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks for the response! Yes, I have.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I also deleted all my sent and deleted items folders, so I know it is not full!

 

[BunsenH]

What do your Google references recommend? I con't think of a solution, but may be able to help interpret someone elses suggestions.

Do the missing messages look legit?
Do they contain attachments?

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Oh yes...these are messages I have already read but I was saving for various reasons. For instance, one message contains emails back and forth between myself and an online store that I ordered something from in June. I never received the item, they admitted it, so just in case my credit card does not get credited the amount of the item, I want to preserve the email so I can show my CC company if need be. Another one was a receipt for something else I purchased...my printer is broken so I was just going to save the email until I received the item. None of the messages have attachments.

Here is one link I found...seems like a confusing format, I cannot figure out if it is a message board or what...

http://www.developerfood.com/messag...01c4-b0bb-49ca-b130-6bdffc9505d1/article.aspx

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

http://forums.techguy.org/web-email/482279-outlook-express-message-could-not.html

here is another.

Thanks again for taking the time to try to help.

 

[BunsenH]

Have you tried this?

" Options, hit the space bar to download and view the message or in
Outlook Express tools tab select options then the read tab then check
automatically download messages when viewing in preview pane. This
should get you in the ball park."

Also, try making a new folder and moving the messages there.

Have you 'compacted' your folders? (File - Folder - Compact All Folders)

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Ok...I was very excited because I understood what you suggested. I went to "options" and and the "read" and the box was already checked that says "automatically download..."

How do you make a new folder? The only folders I see are "Inbox" "Sent" "Deleted" and "Drafts."

I have, in the past, "compacted folders" because every once in awhile, OE asks me if I want to do that. I did as you said just now, and compacted files. Still nothing.

Thank you! Keep trying if you have any other ideas!

 

[BunsenH]

...
How do you make a new folder? The only folders I see are "Inbox" "Sent" "Deleted" and "Drafts."

...!

Right click on Local Folders and select New Folder. Name the folder and click OK. The folder will appear. Drag one of the pesky messages there and see if it is intact.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

*sobbing* I did it, I made a new folder and moved one of them in there. Same thing...same message.

*staring at sky and shaking fists at the computer gods*

You are so nice to keep trying though...any more ideas?????

 

[BunsenH]

-Grasping at straws-

Can you forward the message to yourself? (Or to someone who will reply it back to you) Maybe it will repair itself.

Keep that positive attitude! (I won't be DISing again until this time tomorrow.)

 

[Amapola]

In case you haven't yet found an answer (I was out all day, just checking the boards for the first time), I have another suggestion. I've had this happen and the way I've solved it is:

Tools -> Mark for offline -> download all messages later

It sounds like the contrary of what you want, but I did it once out of desperation and it worked... so I do it every time this happens. HTH! If it doesn't work,

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Hey Bunsen! I forwarded one of the emails to myself...NOPE...still not there!

Hi Amapola! Ok, I went to tools, but did not see "mark for offline." I see "mail and news" "pop up blocker" "manage add ons" "synchronize" "windows update" "windows messenger" and "internet options" Is it in one of those? Thanks!

 

[Amapola]

I have IE 6, maybe if you have another version it's different. Also, I was checking again to make sure and I noticed something. I can access two different email accounts using my IE -- Hotmail and my ISP email. The sequence I mentioned shows up when I am looking at Hotmail msgs but not when I'm on the ISP pane. Maybe that's the difference??

Sorry, I can't think of anything else! How frustrating this must be for you. Have you called your ISP tech support? Mine are useful only about half the time but it doesn't hurt to ask them.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks for trying. Maybe Bunsen is at home right now, trying to devise ways to help.

 

[BunsenH]

Hi w-l-l,

I did a little more research and saw many references to low disk space. Do you have a lot of room on your hard drive? Have you defragmented lately?

Also found this:

Your message store is probably corrupt. Go to File | Identities and set up
a new Identity and add your account there. If that works, then use File |
Import to get the messages out of the other identity. See also point 3
below.

3. All messages are lost.


There are two contributing factors to this problem. To fix this issue
a. Turn off background compaction under Tools | Options | Maintenance for
each Identity you have, and then compact manually and frequently using File
| Folder | Compact all. This will make OE more stable.
b. Turn off email scanning, autoupdate, and internet filter with your
antivirus software. Many antivirus products interfere with the operations
of OE resulting in loss of messages. Turning off these options does not
affect the ability of your antivirus software to block infections.

Caution - Possible solutions are becoming more complicated and risky.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Another option might be that you have not deleted any mail from the server/provider. If you fill your allowed space then you stop getting mail. It has happened to me, in the old days when there was much smaller account sizes.

I have seen (somewhere) a option to delete/do not delete messages on server when deleting from inbox. exit outlook and log in to your email on line. check your mails, if you see thousands then that may be the problem. My yahoo account shows how much memory is used on a little bar graph on my home page. it is usualy like 2%.

Mikeeee

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Hi again, Bunsen...I knew you didn't abandon me! I just knew it!

I am sad to say, but your suggestions made my brain hurt. Not because you are not explaining them well, but because when it comes to computer stuff, I have the brain of a ******** monkey. I did go to "file" but found nothing that said "identities." I also saw on another site when I was googling, that the messages are irretrievable. I guess at this point, I should try to figure out how to make this NOT happen again. Should I make my bellsouth.net mailbox my #1 mailbox? Should I stop using OE? Thanks you for your help and time!

Hi JR! Thanks for joining! Ok, I have deleted ALLLLLL my messsages in my sent folder AND my deleted folder. Are you saying they are still somewhere on the computer? Or were you just suggesting I delete what is in those folders now? Because I did delete everything a few days ago. Thanks!

 

[BunsenH]

The suggestions were cut & pasted from another site and are a bit cryptic.

I am using OE 6. Under File, about 3/4 of the way down, there is 'Identities'. I can 'Add an Identiy' or 'Manage Identities'. (I have the default 'Main Identity' and have never changed that.)

If this is the first instance of this problem, I would not abandon OE or your current set-up. I would make some additional folders to organize the mail you wish to save and get it out of the Inbox or Sent default folders.