Disappearing messages?

[Wayne Ek]

Lately when I open my e-mail (Outlook Express) I get the normal message (receiving 2 0f 2 messages) but let's say it says receiving 6 of 6 messages, then only 2 messages appear. This happens almost everytime now. What are the missing messages and do I have a virus or other problem. And is there a fix?

[DTro]

This is the main reason I quit using Outlook for my email and went to GMail.

There is a lot of info out there if you do a search for "disappearing messages in outlook".

Most of the issues relate to a host client such as AOL deleting your messages, or Outlook auto archiving them to a different folder. Usually it just means changing a setting in your options.

I was tired of messing around with it, so I just totally switched over to GMail and had anything sent to that outlook address ported to my GMail account.

[MN Mike]

I've seen this behavior before on Outlook Express, first I have to ask if you have a spam filter with your virus protection, those programs can move the message from your inbox to it's filter right after the message is downloaded.

If you don't have a spam filter, then you might have a mailbox that is getting corrupted, in that case, I would probably download a program like Mozilla Thunderbird and let it import your messages from Outlook Express and you'll probably get your messages back. I've seen this before in Outlook Express and I ended up forcing Outlook Express to recreate the mailboxes, then re-import the old messages. It came around pretty good but it's a process to make Outlook Express do that.

Mike

[upnorth]

Check your junk folder. I have been using windows live on windows 7 and Mozilla Thunderbird on XP as of late. Outlook Express is not a real good app.

[Shack]

Yeah, most likely it is one of the above. Most times this issue crops up right after an unpdate, which I believed happen a couple weeks back. If you have your updates set to install silently then you really never know. The update might changes things and most times it is just firewall related. Windows Live mail has the same concept but less issues because its install is much lighter and less dug in. If you search "email client windows" you will see Outlook is not even in the top ten, but Windows Live Mail is ranked about 2nd or 3rd. Good program.

[pureinsanity]

Switch to outlook, get rid of outlook express.

[upnorth]

Outlook is a bit pricey when you can Thunderbird or Live Mail for free.

[pureinsanity]

Good point upnorth! Most people who have microsoft word have outlook. I wouldn't buy outlook by any means, but if you already have office suite. Use outlook.

[Iambjm]

I am also a fan of Thunderbird, I dumped Outlook Express a long time ago, just too many problems.

[Iambjm]

Lately when I open my e-mail (Outlook Express) I get the normal message (receiving 2 0f 2 messages) but let's say it says receiving 6 of 6 messages, then only 2 messages appear. This happens almost everytime now. What are the missing messages and do I have a virus or other problem. And is there a fix?

Have you gone to your email server to see if there is a copy left on there? I always do my settings to leave a copy on the server, then I go in once a month and delete whatever I don't want.