Vista - Unsent message in outbox, unable to delete

Error message states: An unknown error has occured

This happened when an email that I tried to send remained in my Outbox and the following is in the message, in place of what I placed in the message:


Message could not be displayed

Windows Mail encountered an unexpected problem while displaying this message. Check your computer for low memory or low disk space and try again.



Windows Mail



I am unable to delete this unsent messages. In addition, other messages that I have since tried to send remain in my outbox unsent.

First thing is to remove McAfee or Norton AV and antispam from the computer
if they exist. You may need to visit their website to fully uninstall the
product. Then get something less invasive. There are a number of free
antivirus programs, but with any you have to disable email scanning. See
www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

After that, the only solution so far is to wipe out the database. So go to
Tools | Options | Advanced | Maintenance | Store Folder to find the message
store location. Then move everything under that Windows Mail directory to
another directory. Then restart WinMail and it will open fresh with nothing
in the database. You can then add your accounts and if they work correctly
then you can use File | Import | Messages and choose WinMail format and
point to the directory to which you moved the files.

steve

"dlee2" <dlee2.2oga3s@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:dlee2.2oga3s@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> Error message states: An unknown error has occured
>
> This happened when an email that I tried to send remained in my Outbox
> and the following is in the message, in place of what I placed in the
> message:
>
>
> MESSAGE COULD NOT BE DISPLAYED
> Windows Mail encountered an unexpected problem while displaying this
> message. Check your computer for low memory or low disk space and try
> again.
>
>
>
> WINDOWS MAIL
>
>
> I am unable to delete this unsent messages. In addition, other messages
> that I have since tried to send remain in my outbox unsent.
>
>
> --
> dlee2

Yeah, me too. The only way I could remedy this situation, first make sure
that the intended recipient of the email is not blocked as that could be one
reason it won't send. Then if all else fails. Save all your contacts and
emails and delete your account. Start again....by adding your account again.
I had to do the same thing.



"dlee2" wrote:

>
> Error message states: An unknown error has occured
>
> This happened when an email that I tried to send remained in my Outbox
> and the following is in the message, in place of what I placed in the
> message:
>
>
> MESSAGE COULD NOT BE DISPLAYED
> Windows Mail encountered an unexpected problem while displaying this
> message. Check your computer for low memory or low disk space and try
> again.
>
>
>
> WINDOWS MAIL
>
>
> I am unable to delete this unsent messages. In addition, other messages
> that I have since tried to send remain in my outbox unsent.
>
>
> --
> dlee2
>

Steve,
Just a thought ...
Isn't your method (2nd part) just basically replacing/rebuilding the
"WindowsMail.MSMessageStore" file?

Wouldn't this do the same?

Close Windows Mail
Click Start > Search > Advanced Search
Location = Everywhere
Place a check in "Include non-indexed, hidden, and system files"
Name = (type) WindowsMail.MSMessageStore

When completed, you should only see 2 instances
Highlight, right-click and select: Delete
Ok any prompts, close Search and restart WinMail

Mike Burgess
Microsoft MVP - Internet Explorer - 1999-2007
"There's no place like 127.0.0.1"
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

"Steve Cochran" <scochran@oehelp.com> wrote in message
news:8F27A262-4718-45CF-BA32-6F440CEFD214@microsoft.com...
> First thing is to remove McAfee or Norton AV and antispam from the
> computer
> if they exist. You may need to visit their website to fully uninstall the
> product. Then get something less invasive. There are a number of free
> antivirus programs, but with any you have to disable email scanning. See
> www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3
>
> After that, the only solution so far is to wipe out the database. So go
> to
> Tools | Options | Advanced | Maintenance | Store Folder to find the
> message
> store location. Then move everything under that Windows Mail directory to
> another directory. Then restart WinMail and it will open fresh with
> nothing
> in the database. You can then add your accounts and if they work
> correctly
> then you can use File | Import | Messages and choose WinMail format and
> point to the directory to which you moved the files.
>
> steve
>
> "dlee2" <dlee2.2oga3s@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
> news:dlee2.2oga3s@no-mx.forums.net...
>>
>> Error message states: An unknown error has occured
>>
>> This happened when an email that I tried to send remained in my Outbox
>> and the following is in the message, in place of what I placed in the
>> message:
>>
>>
>> MESSAGE COULD NOT BE DISPLAYED
>> Windows Mail encountered an unexpected problem while displaying this
>> message. Check your computer for low memory or low disk space and try
>> again.
>>
>>
>>
>> WINDOWS MAIL
>>
>>
>> I am unable to delete this unsent messages. In addition, other messages
>> that I have since tried to send remain in my outbox unsent.
>>
>>
>> --
>> dlee2
>

That only gets rid of the database and the eml and nws message files are
still there. So when WinMail starts, then its going to start importing all
those eml and nws files into Recovered Files and some are reporting it does
this everytime WinMail starts then. That's why I recommended moving the
entire contents to another directory. One can then use File | Import |
Messages to get the messages from the directory that was moved, and one
doesn't then have the file recovery issue contaminating things.

Wiping out both instances of the database is probably sufficient, but this
way it starts completely "clean".

We need a more surgical approach, though, rather than having to wipe
everything out to remove one spurious database entry.

steve

"Mike Burgess" <winhelp2002@invalid.net> wrote in message
news:e7YT%23YndHHA.208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Steve,
> Just a thought ...
> Isn't your method (2nd part) just basically replacing/rebuilding the
> "WindowsMail.MSMessageStore" file?
>
> Wouldn't this do the same?
>
> Close Windows Mail
> Click Start > Search > Advanced Search
> Location = Everywhere
> Place a check in "Include non-indexed, hidden, and system files"
> Name = (type) WindowsMail.MSMessageStore
>
> When completed, you should only see 2 instances
> Highlight, right-click and select: Delete
> Ok any prompts, close Search and restart WinMail
>
> Mike Burgess
> Microsoft MVP - Internet Explorer - 1999-2007
> "There's no place like 127.0.0.1"
> http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
>
> "Steve Cochran" <scochran@oehelp.com> wrote in message
> news:8F27A262-4718-45CF-BA32-6F440CEFD214@microsoft.com...
>> First thing is to remove McAfee or Norton AV and antispam from the
>> computer
>> if they exist. You may need to visit their website to fully uninstall
>> the
>> product. Then get something less invasive. There are a number of free
>> antivirus programs, but with any you have to disable email scanning. See
>> www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3
>>
>> After that, the only solution so far is to wipe out the database. So go
>> to
>> Tools | Options | Advanced | Maintenance | Store Folder to find the
>> message
>> store location. Then move everything under that Windows Mail directory
>> to
>> another directory. Then restart WinMail and it will open fresh with
>> nothing
>> in the database. You can then add your accounts and if they work
>> correctly
>> then you can use File | Import | Messages and choose WinMail format and
>> point to the directory to which you moved the files.
>>
>> steve
>>
>> "dlee2" <dlee2.2oga3s@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
>> news:dlee2.2oga3s@no-mx.forums.net...
>>>
>>> Error message states: An unknown error has occured
>>>
>>> This happened when an email that I tried to send remained in my Outbox
>>> and the following is in the message, in place of what I placed in the
>>> message:
>>>
>>>
>>> MESSAGE COULD NOT BE DISPLAYED
>>> Windows Mail encountered an unexpected problem while displaying this
>>> message. Check your computer for low memory or low disk space and try
>>> again.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> WINDOWS MAIL
>>>
>>>
>>> I am unable to delete this unsent messages. In addition, other messages
>>> that I have since tried to send remain in my outbox unsent.
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> dlee2
>>
>

"Steve Cochran" <scochran@oehelp.com> wrote in message
news:05E45F80-594D-440A-81D3-A2379B049F34@microsoft.com...
> That only gets rid of the database and the eml and nws message files are
> still there. So when WinMail starts, then its going to start importing
> all those eml and nws files into Recovered Files and some are reporting it
> does this everytime WinMail starts then. That's why I recommended moving
> the entire contents to another directory. One can then use File | Import
> | Messages to get the messages from the directory that was moved, and one
> doesn't then have the file recovery issue contaminating things.
>
> Wiping out both instances of the database is probably sufficient, but this
> way it starts completely "clean".
>
> We need a more surgical approach, though, rather than having to wipe
> everything out to remove one spurious database entry.

re: Recovered Files
I've only seen this folder generated when WinMail crashed, or the system
was shut down (lost power) unexpectedly ... (easy enough to delete)

re: One can then use File | Import | "
True ... but for "Joe average user" it's too complicated and confusing.
Perhaps one of you regulars could put up a web page with detailed
instructions on "How To" ...

re: We need a more surgical approach"
Well ... doesn't look like this will happen any time soon ...

Mike Burgess
Microsoft MVP - Internet Explorer - 1999-2007
"There's no place like 127.0.0.1"
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

> "Mike Burgess" <winhelp2002@invalid.net> wrote in message
> news:e7YT%23YndHHA.208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Steve,
>> Just a thought ...
>> Isn't your method (2nd part) just basically replacing/rebuilding the
>> "WindowsMail.MSMessageStore" file?
>>
>> Wouldn't this do the same?
>>
>> Close Windows Mail
>> Click Start > Search > Advanced Search
>> Location = Everywhere
>> Place a check in "Include non-indexed, hidden, and system files"
>> Name = (type) WindowsMail.MSMessageStore
>>
>> When completed, you should only see 2 instances
>> Highlight, right-click and select: Delete
>> Ok any prompts, close Search and restart WinMail
>>
>> Mike Burgess
>> Microsoft MVP - Internet Explorer - 1999-2007
>> "There's no place like 127.0.0.1"
>> http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
>>
>> "Steve Cochran" <scochran@oehelp.com> wrote in message
>> news:8F27A262-4718-45CF-BA32-6F440CEFD214@microsoft.com...
>>> First thing is to remove McAfee or Norton AV and antispam from the
>>> computer
>>> if they exist. You may need to visit their website to fully uninstall
>>> the
>>> product. Then get something less invasive. There are a number of free
>>> antivirus programs, but with any you have to disable email scanning.
>>> See

Same problem here. I've now spent a LOT of money on tecchies trying to diagnose my Vista PC - and McAfee is almost always part of the problem. Dell, for example, bundles it with its latest products - and it doesn't seem to have carried out even the most rudimentary compatibility checks.

People: stick to XP. I can't see any advantages with the new platform - and believe me, I've been trying.

EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com

Same problem here. I've now spent a LOT of money on tecchies trying to diagnose my Vista PC - and McAfee is almost always part of the problem. Dell, for example, bundles it with its latest products - and it doesn't seem to have carried out even the most rudimentary compatibility checks.

People: stick to XP. I can't see any advantages with the new platform - and believe me, I've been trying.

EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com