Vista - Empty messages from the 'Deleted Items' folder on exit not working

Hello. I have checked the box for emptying the Deleted Items folder upon
exit. However none of my messages are being deleted. The Deleted Items folder
grows and grows.....

I've read about others having a problem manually deleteing items from this
folder and wonder if it is the same issue. I also have encountered the 'an
unknown error has occurred' problem when attempting to 'select all' and
delete the messages in my Deleted Items folder. I was just hoping that I
didn't have to jump through all those hoops about finding the folder and
deleting it and all that. Anything easier (a update from microsoft?) been
found lately?

I'd really rather have the 'empty messages upon exit' function work. I use
it with Outlook at work and would prefer that method.

I have Microsoft Windows Mail on Vista Home Premium. V6.0.6000.16386

"ND Campbell" <ndenni01(yuckyspam)@flastatealumni.org> wrote in message
news:7DBE08E8-09E8-48F0-8D6C-5C45BF5FC8A9@microsoft.com...
> Hello. I have checked the box for emptying the Deleted Items folder upon
> exit. However none of my messages are being deleted. The Deleted Items
> folder
> grows and grows.....
>
> I've read about others having a problem manually deleteing items from this
> folder and wonder if it is the same issue. I also have encountered the 'an
> unknown error has occurred' problem when attempting to 'select all' and
> delete the messages in my Deleted Items folder. I was just hoping that I
> didn't have to jump through all those hoops about finding the folder and
> deleting it and all that. Anything easier (a update from microsoft?) been
> found lately?
>
> I'd really rather have the 'empty messages upon exit' function work. I use
> it with Outlook at work and would prefer that method.
>
> I have Microsoft Windows Mail on Vista Home Premium. V6.0.6000.16386

If you are not willing to just ignore them, the only way is to delete both
copies of the database (which does not contain the messages, but only
references to them) and let WinMail rebuild it.
First close WinMail, then use Task Manager to make sure there are no
instances of it under applications or processes.
Then click Start | Search | Advanced Search
Check the box to include non-indexed, hidden and system files.
In the Name field type WindowsMail.MSMessageStore and click the Search
button.
It should show you two copies. Delete both of them and re-open WinMail.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
Do not send mail.

If I delete both versions of that file will it delete all of my messages or
just the deleted ones?

Frank, I seem to have dug myself an even deeper hole by thinking I was doing
something good by 'cleaning up' the files in
c:/users/<username>/local/microsoft/windows mail/local folders. I guess not.
Now I have folders in my Windows Mail Local Folders that are indexing my
messages but when I open the messages themselves, the contents are 'not
found'. Now if I go to the individual folders through Windows Explorer I can
open the messages. They are there. It just seems they aren't indexed properly
anymore. I did restore everything I deleted from the Recycle Bin, however
things just aren't synched up right anymore. Any suggestions?

"ND Campbell" <ndenni01(yuckyspam)@flastatealumni.org> wrote in message
news:052EF2DB-8E95-4518-969D-B8BBA23DAF8B@microsoft.com...
> If I delete both versions of that file will it delete all of my messages
> or
> just the deleted ones?
>
> Frank, I seem to have dug myself an even deeper hole by thinking I was
> doing
> something good by 'cleaning up' the files in
> c:/users/<username>/local/microsoft/windows mail/local folders. I guess
> not.
> Now I have folders in my Windows Mail Local Folders that are indexing my
> messages but when I open the messages themselves, the contents are 'not
> found'. Now if I go to the individual folders through Windows Explorer I
> can
> open the messages. They are there. It just seems they aren't indexed
> properly
> anymore. I did restore everything I deleted from the Recycle Bin, however
> things just aren't synched up right anymore. Any suggestions?

It won't delete any messages. It will just remove the database references
to messages that aren't really there. The actual messages are stored
outside the database and this seems to happen when a message gets deleted
but the database doesn't know about the deletion. I think that it is
usually cause either by an anti-virus or by a user fooling around - the
latter being uncommon.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
Do not send mail.