Outlook - OUTLOOK EXPRESS Issue - MSIMN.EXE

Asked By pfei

11-Mar-08 04:33 PM

Microsoft Windows XP/SP2
Internet Explorer 7
Outlook Express 6.0

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

When I try to open my OUTLOOK EXPRESS e-mail, I don't get any error
messages, but msimn.exe starts up and hogs anywhere from 50 to 98% cpu. And
then nothing happens. The cpu usage goes up and down a bit, but no OE.

Every other program seems to work fine, including IE. I've tried running
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318378 ("How to Reinstall or Repair
Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP"), but that didn't help.

I'm hesitant to uninstall and reinstall Outlook Express, because I'm not
confident in my ability to preserve all the folders, email messages, and
multiple identities I've got set up.

Any suggestions or instruction would be greatly appreciated.

Note: Nothing was added or changed.  This happened upon booting up the
computer today.  It had been fine prior.

11-Mar-08 04:39 PM

Start here: 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.

- Frequently perform a manual compact of all OE folders while "working
offline".  More at http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

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

- Disable email scanning by your anti-virus application.  It can cause
corruption (i.e., loss of messages), it provides no additional protection,
and even Symantec says it's not necessary:

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.
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/docid/2002111812533106
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), AH-VSOP

11-Mar-08 05:41 PM

THANK YOU, PA Bear! =)

I disabled e-mail scanning thru my anti-virus application...and that
resolved my problem.  I am so happy that I didn't have to re-install OE!

Thanks, again!

11-Mar-08 07:55 PM

I spoke too soon. *sigh*

In the link you sent, it reads:

files being damaged, or being  marked as Read-only. So begin trouble-shooting
by verifying none are marked as Read-only.

1. Close OE and open the store folder in Windows Explorer.
2. Select all files (Edit| Select All, or CTRL-A), then right-click on
any selected file and select Properties. Clear the checkbox for the Read-only
attribute. "


Where do I find the "store folder"???

11-Mar-08 08:10 PM

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Stire Folder

11-Mar-08 08:12 PM

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.

--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

11-Mar-08 08:22 PM

I can see that this is going to be difficult....

I do not have a MAINTENANCE option! =O

11-Mar-08 08:14 PM

Ignore that for now.

1. Move everything in Sent Items and Deleted Items folders that you want to
keep into other OE folders you've created for this purpose, then delete
everything else in both of these default folders.

2. Move 99% of your Inbox messages to other user-created OE folders, too.

3. Compact all OE folders (ALT+F+F+F).

Any better?
--
~PA Bear

11-Mar-08 08:36 PM

Yes, you do.  See http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm#storemain
--
~PA Bear

11-Mar-08 08:47 PM

I am back to the problem in my OP...upon opening OE, the cpu is high and OE
freezes-up when I click on anything.  Have to terminate it thru the TASK MNGR.

11-Mar-08 10:23 PM

What is the size of Folders.dbx in the message store?
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

11-Mar-08 11:01 PM

I cannot get to the message store! =S

11-Mar-08 11:15 PM

Please tell us why you can't get to the message store? Did you enable Hidden
Files and Folders as explained?

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.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

12-Mar-08 08:55 AM

Yes, Hidden File and Folders is enabled.  Under TOOLS / OPTIONS, there is no
MAINTENANCE. =S

12-Mar-08 09:13 AM

Look up at the top line of your email program window.  Does it say Outlook
Express or Windows Mail?

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
www.fjsmjs.com
Do not reply with email

12-Mar-08 09:22 AM

My email program reads : OUTLOOK EXPRESS

12-Mar-08 10:19 AM

1. Click on OE Tools | Options: You should see two rows of tabs;

- The first row should include 5 tabs: General, Read, Receipts, Send,
Compose, Signatures

- The second row should include 4 tabs: Spelling, Security, Connection,
Maintenance

What do you see in each row?

2. OE Help | About | Files box at bottom: What versions (e.g.,
v6.00.12345.6789) are displayed here for the files MSOE.DLL, DIRECTDB.DLL,
and INETCOMM.DLL?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

12-Mar-08 11:19 AM

What are you doing?   After Options you should be clicking or pressing Enter.
That opens the Options dialog.   Maintenance is a tab in the Options dialog.

However, there is an alternative route to see the path for your Message Store.
Simply right-click, Properties on any folder item in the OE Outlook bar.
Then press Tab and Ctrl-c.   Then before using it the way that the others want
you would just have to remove the file name from that string.

Alternatively, you could switch to a cmd window and build a cd /d and a dir command
with what that previous step would have put in the ClipBoard.   E.g. in the command line
type  cd /d  and an extra space, then right-click, Paste; then backspace to the last backslash
and press Enter.   Then enter:   dir/a  Folders.dbx   and tell us what you see.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---

12-Mar-08 01:05 PM

The size of my Folders.DBX is 73KB

12-Mar-08 01:07 PM

Got it.  (Had to be able to get back into OE in order to find where the file
was located)

Thanks for bearing with me...much appreciated!

13-Mar-08 05:59 PM

The size of my Folders.DBX is 73KB