Is it normal to have 2 versions of folders.dbx [for Outlook Express]? One older, larger version of FOLDERS.DBX is in C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Identities\{E558CFA0-68D2-11D3-A54D-E20E3ADD862A}\Microsoft\Outlook Express-- but this appears to be no longer in use. Another newer,smaller version of FOLDERS.DBX is in C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express--& this is now the official store folder according to Outlook Express. And In that same folder I also have a second, newer version of these .dbx files: inbox.dbx, outbox.dbx, offline.dbx, Pop3uidl.dbx. _______________________________________________________________________ BACKGROUND: About a year ago I deleted FOLDERS.DBX & the other .dbx files --& all except folders.dbx were recreated in the original “Identities” folder the next day. Then, it seems a NEW, second version of FOLDERS.DBX was created 10 days later, BUT in the other folder: C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express-- not in the -“Identities” folder! AND likewise 6 months later a NEW, second version of the other .dbx files were created in the other folder: C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express. -------------- MY PROBLEM: I’m having a problem in Outlook Express when I try to open the list of NewsGroups--OUTLOOK EXPRESS FREEZES & I have to reboot--20 times in the last 2 days. One Error Message said: “An OE Store file may have been damaged..use Scandisk to repair it.” So I did this repair & the problem was solved but recurred immediately,then I did a 2nd repair. The Scandisk log described the repair of these 2 sucessive errors above as: 1] “Incorrect information about Folders.dbx The size of the file was different from the size recorded for it in its folder.” in C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express, ------------------------- then :2]“[the] folder contained incorrect information about ALT.GUITAR.TAB.DBX The size of the file was different... etc” in C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express-- --this was after visiting the ALT.GUITAR.TAB.DBX newsgroup. ---------------------- Scandisk log also describes some errors as: The last-modified date or time for the file or folder was invalid. or as Lost file fragments--up to 1 Meg in size ------------------- Frustratingly enough, at the moment, as I try to recreate the problem, I cannot find any combination of factors to make Outlook Express freeze up! But I believe that after a freezeup it’s usually necessary to use Scandisk to correct errors or they will reoccur. The problem may be related to running a program called yproxy [which unencodes yenc files.] It requires changing my server name to local host--but having done that I must then launch yproxy first, or Outlook Express can freeze up.

Just to get you started . Try choice 2 . http://www.windows-help.net/windows98/ie50-11.shtml http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q194177 W95 you have 3 choices . With W98 , if you have IE5.1 or higher & you still have IE4 installed the following applies . No IE4 only 2 choices . IE5.5 if over the top of 5.1 , offers 3 choices . You can install IE5.1 straight over 4 . A big feature with IE5.1 or higher is that it can be repaired without uninstalling . Here is how to do it . Open Control Panel , Add / Remove , click on Microsoft Internet Explorer , then click on add / remove down the bottom . This opens a window with 3 choices . Choice 1. Add , insert your IE5.1+ install program & you can find other items you may not have installed 1st time . Choice 2. Repair , fixes problems that may crop up with IE5.1+ / Outlook Express Choice 3. Restore . If unfixable , removes IE5.1+ & goes back to the previous version , now if you want to you can reinstall IE5.1 or a later version or another browser altogether . No Microsoft Internet Explorer in Control Panel ! http://www.windows-help.net/windows98/ie50-11.shtml http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q194177 Start > Run , key in msinfo32 and press Enter . Click on Tools > IE Repair Tool or Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Information . Click on Tools > IE Repair Tool . Internet Explorer Repair tool from a command prompt: http://www.windows-help.net/windows98/ie50-11.shtml http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q194177 Click Start , and then click Run . In the Open box, type the following command, and then click OK : rundll32 setupwbv.dll,IE5Maintenance "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Setup\SETUP.exe" /g "C:\WINDOWS\IE Uninstall Log.Txt" NOTE : This command is case sensitive.

TO CLARIFY my own Post: These extra duplicate versions of FOLDERS.DBX [& the other .dbx files] do not have numbers appended--they have exactly the same name-- but appear in different folders. PS-I have only ever had 1 identity. Isn't this abnormal?---could someone please make a quick check in Explorer? Isn't this likely to cause the freezing I'm getting?

STORE FILE REPEATEDLY CORRUPTED--OE5.5 NEWSGROUPS DISPLAY FREEZES PC Here's an Update to my own previous post: --would appreciate serious moderator consideration--I’ve spent HOURS on this. [Win98,2nd ed.]Outlook Express 5.5 freezes when Displaying the list of Newsgroups for my Access4Less Server & sometimes when Downloading the list of Newsgroups or even when changing from another server to the A4L server on the list. But I’ve had 1 or 2 similar freezes with another server,I don’t think it’s limited to A4L. [Note:I never have a problem with MSNews server -- & it has very few Newsgroups] The most likely scenario is: After a large number of downloads [in any server], when I then change from another server to the A4L server & then reply yes to the prompt: “You are unsubscribed...Do you want to see a list of NewsGroups?”--- the PC is frozen & I have to do a bad shutdown--OVER & OVER again!! THERE SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH DAMAGED [OR INCONSISTENT SIZE RECORDING OF] .DBX FILES-- “STORE FILES” --------------------- Early on I got this Error Message:”An Outlook Express store file may be damaged.Please use a utility such as ScanDisk to verify and repair any damaged files.” So I ran Scandisk which made the repairs & the problem was solved, but recurred immediately & I did a 2nd repair. Here’s the Scandisk log of these 2 errors:Note: the 1st one is by far the MOST COMMON ERROR: 1] “Incorrect information about Folders.dbx The size of the file was different from the size recorded for it in its folder.” in C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express ------------ 2] [details same as above] for the file: ALT.GUITAR.TAB.DBX --this was after visiting the ALT.GUITAR.TAB.DBX newsgroup. -------------------- I noticed from then on that the errors had to be repaired up w ScanDisk or the freeze would usually will reoccur immediately, or sometimes OE5.5 wouldn’t even open. ________________________________________ I did try the technique of renaming,or deleting all the .dbx files -- which definitely helped in preventing a immediate reoccurrence--but didn’t solve the freezups!. ------ Other typical errors repaired by ScanDisk were: frequent Lost File Fragments, Temp File Size Errors , see examples below: 1]ScanDisk found 5177344 bytes of data in 2 lost file fragment(s).Resolution: Discard lost file fragment(s) 2]The C:\WINDOWS\temp folder contained incorrect information about ~WRS0006.tmp (MS-DOS name ~WRS0006.TMP): size of file different from size recorded in its folder. __________________________________________________________ Other weird problems I have had include: 1]Repeated change of my password A4L server password--this has stopped. 2]Multiple numbered copies of Deleted items & Sent folders & inabilty to delete items--this apparently was caused by not doing an immediate Scandisk repair! 3]Loss of all Newsgroup lists & downloaded stored content [& all visited NG’s suddenly changed to “Subscribed” status] --this was BEFORE I had purged any .dbx files! 4]2 different ver’s of NG list displayed. _______________________________________________________ I tried to no avail the self repair of IE 5.0 ,ie : Control Panel , Add / Remove , click on Microsoft Internet Explorer/ Choice 2. Repair ,[ fixes problems that may crop up with IE5/ Outlook Express] _________________________________________________________ I DON’T have auto compact of messages turned on I cleaned out TIF & Temp. _____________________________________________________ I also tried changing the Store File location [back] to the default: C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Identities\{xxxxxxxxxxxx}\Microsoft\Outlook Express ___________________________________________ I also used RegMon Log to record the moment of the freeze--ie: the moment of the display of the NG’s & tried comparing that to the normal display of the NG’s. I see that the frozen vs. non-frozen RegMon logs for the moment of display of NG’s are virtually identical [but have different numbers] & don’t seem to shed any light. The 2 frozen RegMon logs have different numbers but otherwise virtually identical altho the 2nd has 4 xtra entries. All say “Outlook Express\5.0\Columns” does this mean version 5.0?--but mine is 5.5! ________________________________________________________________ The problem is not likely related to a video driver--it’s only under OE5.5 & specific. ______________________________________________________________ I have combed MSKNB ,Google--under groups [which indexes OE5.5 NewsGroups],the OE5.5 NewsGroup itself, & Computing.net windows forum & all the links at tomsterdam. _______________________________________________________ My last 3 questions are: 1]Is reinstalling OE5.5 my best bet now? ------------------------ 2]I assume I have to reinstall IE5.0 to reinstall OE5.5--yes? -I’ve looked around & don’t see any other way .. So: Does anyone recommend uninstalling IE5.0 before reinstalling ? How about Upgrading to IE 5.5? ------------ 3] I mainly use OE5.5 for NewsGroups-- Altho I‘d like to solve this problem---would I better off with FreeAgent ...or ?