# Outlook Express 6 sends multiple copies of email but remains in Outbox



## nan.wellins (Oct 8, 2007)

I paged through the archives and couldn't find this - please forgive if this has been answered dozens of times.

My Outlook Express 6 is driving my colleagues crazy. It sends and resends the same message multiple times, all the while informing me that it can't send the specified message, which remains in the Outbox. Each time I open the program, it tries and "fails" to send yet again - yet in fact sends it. It informs me there was an error, but doesn't specify an error # (the error message window is blank).

I got so frustrated that I started using Netscape's email software. But now Netscape has acquired its own bugginess and is refusing to download my mails. Grrr.

Desperate, I actually did pay for and use RegCure - but nothing has improved, except RegCure's financial situation.

If anyone can help with this, I'll be grateful. I'd like to get back to doing some actual work.


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## EAFiedler (Apr 25, 2000)

Hi *nan.wellins*

Welcome to Tech Support Guy Forums!

Several things could be the cause:
What anti-virus program are you using?
Is e-mail scanning enabled?
Do you have an anti-spam program?

Is there an attachment included with the message?
Does this occur with all messages?
How do you connect to the Internet?
Dial-up, DSL, broadband?

Let us know.


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## nan.wellins (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi - Thanks for taking an interest in this problem!

I have MacAfee installed but have now disabled the virus scanning utility on all outgoing email. 

I haven't installed any proprietary spam blocking software but would guess my ISP does some filtering at source (?) I still get the ads for Viagra and penny stocks, though I'm not inundated. A few a day make it past.

I connect to the Internet via high-speed cable modem. My ISP is RCN.

Yes, this happens with all emails, regardless of attachments. I sent myself a simple "test" message today, after I'd disabled outbound email virus scanning. I received multiple copies of it, at about 3 minute intervals, till I deleted it from the Outbox.

I had accepted that Outlook was no longer functioning for me and had transferred my emailing to Netscape, till today, when Netscape began acting up and refusing to download incomings. (RCN webmail allows 500MB, but since my work involves jpg files, I can run through that allowance real quick.)

Thanks again for any help you might be able to offer!


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## EAFiedler (Apr 25, 2000)

Usually, it occurs on the client side and not the mail server side.

Just to clarify, you are using Windows XP?

In Outlook Express,
Locate the directory where Outlook Express keeps it's message store:
Tools > Options > Maintenance tab > Store Folder
Note the location, then *Cancel* out of the window.

Using Windows Explorer, navigate to that directory and locate the *Outbox.dbx* file.
Rename it *Outbox.old*
Outlook Express will need to be closed before you can rename the file.

Restart Outlook Express, and send yourself another Test message.
A new Outbox.dbx file will be created when the Test message is sent to the Outbox folder.
_________________________________________________________________________

Also, keep your default folders empty, move messages you want to keep to folders of your own creation in Outlook Express.
If your Sent Items folder has messages in it, move those to a folder called: Sent Items 2007.
Do the same for the Inbox, move those messages to other folders in Outlook Express and keep the Inbox empty.

I empty my Sent Items folder every few months.
_________________________________________________________________________

Let us know if that makes a difference or not.


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