Computer gurus - Outlook problem

[WolfeMacleod]

I'm using Outlook 2007 for my email stuff.

Lately, I've had a couple occasions that, when downloading a batch of email, I'd get one blank email.... no from or to, no message body, no message subject... completely blank.
Initially I figured it was some sort of spam that came in just as I opened outlook.
Before opening Outlook, I go into my web-based email, and delete all the junk I don't want, so they don't make it into Outlook at all.

This morning, I did the same. I had about 40 emails or so to answer...
Downloading it all, they ALL came up as blank, with the same size and time stamp. No body, nothing...

In the web-based email, they were all valid emails...

I had a couple people send me test emails. Some made it through, some were blank...

Any thoughts on this? I've checked online, but the solutions don't seen to pertain (IE: disabling antivirus integration, etc)

[stomachmonkey]

backup a copy of and then run maintenance to rebuild your database

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

backup a copy of and then run maintenance to rebuild your database

Already backed up the PST files.

Strange thing, I've tried archiving older emails, but it doesn't seem to be working. Either that, or I can't find them. I told it to archive everything older than 2008, but I still have stuff older than that in my inbox...

Following the direction to view the contents of the archive pst file, I get an empty inbox with a PST file that's 2.14GB in size...

[beepbeep]

check the headers for at least two of those empty mails? It will tell you who sent them, through which server and whether they are legit or ghost mails that somehow were generated "internally" by your mail server.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by beepbeep

check the headers for at least two of those empty mails? It will tell you who sent them, through which server and whether they are legit or ghost mails that somehow were generated "internally" by your mail server.

I've tried that. There are NO headers whatsoever. Nothing in the source code to them, either.

Nothing at all. No to:, from: , ip address, mail server information at all. nothing. OUtlook wiped every bit of information from them as they were downloaded.

They were legit emails when they were on the server. I could open them read them, reply to them, etc. If fact, several of them had already been replied to while they were still on the sever via web-based email.

They got broken somehow between server and outlook... or outlook broke them during download.

[winders]

Are you using Exchange or IMAP/POP? If Exchange, try enabling the "Use Cached Exchange Mode" option. It is in the settings for the email account.

Another possibility is anti-virus software. Try turning off the email scan function and see what happens.

[Scott R]

How big is your .pst file?

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by Scott R

How big is your .pst file?

9.56GB currently.

My antivirus is not set to scan for virii.

Just did another email check. They came in fine... I answered, then refreshed the web-based email, and saw a new (unimportant) email. Had Outlook download, and it blanked the email again...


so.. issue not resolved.

[Scott R]

Well, that's good we had a guy over the 20gb limit here the other day. But I would create a new pst and see if the problem follows it.

[slodave]

Just off the phone with Wolfe. My suggestion, check the main pst for corruption and also compact the file. Sounds like a lot if email being stored/deleted, without ever compacting. That can cause corruption.

Max pst for outlook 2007 is 20 gigs.

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by slodave

Just off the phone with Wolfe. My suggestion, check the main pst for corruption and also compact the file. Sounds like a lot if email being stored/deleted, without ever compacting. That can cause corruption.

Max pst for outlook 2007 is 20 gigs.

Scanning the PST file now, Dave. I'll report back.

FWIW, I chew through email databases like nobodies business. Back when I used Outlook Express, I'd crash it every couple months hitting the 2GB limit.
That's what happens when the entire freaking world seems to be constantly emailing you.

My email intake is outrageous.

I found a March PST backup at 10.5GB, way before this started.. so I don't seem to be hitting that 20GB wall.

[WolfeMacleod]

[slodave]

Not surprising.

[stomachmonkey]

I stopped using database dependent email clients a long time ago and only use flat file clients.

Specifically the day that I hit the unpublished database limit and lost all my mail.

Stupid Entourage popped up a message after the fact, "You have exceeded the limit, you are now ****ed, all your **** be gone"

Why couldn't it pop up a message BEFOREHAND?

To add insult to injury a few days later MSFT issued an update that increased the size limit and gave a warning as you approached the limit.

[slodave]

Where ya at on this, Wolfe?

P.S. I can't send you a text! Keeps getting rejected with an invalid number.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by slodave

Where ya at on this, Wolfe?

P.S. I can't send you a text! Keeps getting rejected with an invalid number.

Rebuilding MSFT mail databases is torture.

So slow.

It's like watching grass grow. Then when it's tall enough you paint the grass one blade at a time and watch the paint dry.

[slodave]

DB repaired. Told Wolfe to compact the file before he goes to bed.