Outlook Express cannot open my Inbox File, so I can't receive e-mails, although I can send them. It says Folder cannot be displayed: Possible causes Low disk space, Low memory1 person got this answerI do too

...not to be obvious but...how much free disk space do you have? -B- http://www.officeforlawyers.com Author: The Lawyer's Guide to Microsoft Outlook

About 230Gb. I'm sure it's referring the the Outlook Inbox size, but I can't open it, compact it, delete it, or anything.

Your OE Inbox is corrupt. Since you cannot open it to move or delete messages, you will need to create a new Inbox and rely on a tool to retrieve the messages. Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run. In WinXP, Win2K & Win2K3, 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 Icon | View, or in Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | View. With OE closed, find the Inbox.dbx and rename it to Inboxold.dbx. A new Inbox will be created automatically when you open OE. Now OE should be working, but you still have messages to retrieve from the Inboxold file. DBXtract {could take days} http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/Default.aspx DBXpress {much faster for large files} http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx General precautions for Outlook Express: Do not archive mail in the Inbox or Sent Items. Create your own user defined folders and move the messages you wish to save to them. Empty Deleted Items folder daily. Although dbx files have a theoretical capacity of 2GB, I recommend about a 300MB max for less chance of corruption. Information about the maximum file size of the .dbx files that are used by Outlook Express: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=903095 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: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until the compacting is completed. Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems such as time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program will continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see: http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3 And backup often. Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB) http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

Thank you very much. I can now receive e-mail. I actually use the contact management software ACT which has to go through Outlook Express, or Outlook, or something else in order to send e-mails through itself because it only uses outgoing port 19 (or something) which I guess is blocked by a lot of ISP's because hackers like to use it. At least that's the way I understood it. When you said create new folders to store Inbox and Sent Items, do I create those in the OE, or in another area like My Documents. If the folders are elsewhere, will my ACT program still be able to access them when I need to go back and check an attachment if necessary? Lastly, regarding turning off the e-mail scanning. Do I turn off receiving and sending scanning on my Norton Anti-Virus program? It now tells me I'm not protected. Thanx,

When you said create new folders to store Inbox and Sent Items, do I create those in the OE, or in another area like My Documents. If the folders are elsewhere, will my ACT program still be able to access them when I need to go back and check an attachment if necessary? Lastly, regarding turning off the e-mail scanning. Do I turn off receiving and sending scanning on my Norton Anti-Virus program? It now tells me I'm not protected. I am not at all familiar with ACT. That said, you do not need to create folders outside of OE, just user created Local Folders. Since the Inbox is accessed every time you receive and Sent Items every time you send, that is what makes them more vulnerable. As far as Norton goes, it is one of the least compatible with Outlook Express. I would rather see you dump it completely in favor of MSE or Avast, (both freeware), but short of that, you need to remove Norton. Then do a custom install opting out of e-mail scanning when you see it offered. Otherwise, Norton will keep nagging you. Turning off e-mail scanning is safe. See: Viral Irony: The Most Common Cause of Corruption: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx#EOAAC Why you don't need your anti-virus to scan your email: http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm Turn off email scanning in your antivirus software: http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3 And this is from Symantec, but applies to all anti-virus programs. http://snipurl.com/bmf6 Is my computer still protected against viruses if I disable Email Scanning? Disabling Email Scanning does not leave you unprotected against viruses that are distributed as email attachments. Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect scans incoming files as they are saved to your hard drive, including email and email attachments. Email Scanning is just another layer on top of this. To make sure that Auto-Protect is providing the maximum protection, keep Auto-Protect enabled and run LiveUpdate regularly to ensure that you have the most recent virus definitions. Avast: http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html In the case of Avast, choose Custom Installation and under Resident Protection, uncheck: Internet Mail and Outlook/Exchange. Microsoft Security Essentials: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/default.aspx (No e-mail scanning to worry about) Download and run the Norton Removal Tool http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039 Glad to here you're somewhat back in business though.Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

I have a very similar situation. I can send email but can't receive and have nothing in my inbox anymore. Everything in folders is still there? Will the retrieval tool bring over all my folders and sent mail?For the record, I don't recall anything in the instructions that said we should ever back up our inbox.One other question. My emails are still sitting on the comcast servier. Is it possible to download them back into my outlook express, and if so, how?Thank you for your help.

I have a very similar situation. I can send email but can't receive and have nothing in my inbox anymore. Everything in folders is still there? Will the retrieval tool bring over all my folders and sent mail?For the record, I don't recall anything in the instructions that said we should ever back up our inbox.One other question. My emails are still sitting on the comcast servier. Is it possible to download them back into my outlook express, and if so, how?Thank you for your help.What instructions? OE doesn't come with any, but you should back up your messages no matter what e-mail program you are using. You probably lost the messages due to bloating the Inbox and lack of compacting.Before we proceed, are you confidant that all the messages you are missing are still on the Comcast server? If yes, is everything OK other than the missing messages?Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA