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Bob Rufener
02-23-2010, 9:29 AM
My desktop computer-non Mac-has slowed down considerably. I am having some problems with Microsoft Outlook Express. Acting strange. Some times, I can't open it up and it cuts off my sending of messages on occasion. Occasionally, when I try to shut down the computer, a message window pops up that a program is not responding. Title of program is msimn.exe I have no clue what that executible program is nor if this is the source of my issues. Anyone have an idea as to what this program is and, if it is a problem, how to correct it?

Thanks for any help.

Off to work I go

Chuck Wintle
02-23-2010, 10:41 AM
My desktop computer-non Mac-has slowed down considerably. I am having some problems with Microsoft Outlook Express. Acting strange. Some times, I can't open it up and it cuts off my sending of messages on occasion. Occasionally, when I try to shut down the computer, a message window pops up that a program is not responding. Title of program is msimn.ese I have no clue what that executible program is nor if this is the source of my issues. Anyone have an idea as to what this program is and, if it is a problem, how to correct it?

Thanks for any help.

Off to work I go
found this after a search of msimn.exe

"Had the same problem with Outlook Express not responding and msimn.exe using 98% cpu resources.The inbox folder was corrupt. Moved the inbox.dbx file out of the Outlook Express folder(this folder is hidden so must unhide folders) and after restarting Outlook it worked fine. It will make a new
inbox.

Good luck."

Anthony Scira
02-23-2010, 10:57 AM
If it has been a couple years I would reinstall Windows.

As much as you can tinker with things like slow performance, nothing comes close to a reinstall.

And to beat all the Mac users here, "Get a Mac" /S ;)

Funny how a new computer will fix (Be it Mac or PC) anything but never solves the problems you are having.

Scott Shepherd
02-23-2010, 11:27 AM
Outlook also have a limit on the size of your inbox. Don't quote me, but I heard someone mention it last week, and they said it was 2GB??? They said it's a common problem when it hits that limit to really cause bad things to happen from the email standpoint.

If you've had it for a while, you might consider looking to see if you have 1000's of emails. If so, it might be time to purge the old, not important ones.

Just one thing to look at. Might not be that at all.

Bryan Morgan
02-23-2010, 4:41 PM
Good points on the dbx files. Outlook Express does not work to well with these files. If you move your inbox file, that moves all the messages with it and they will disappear.

Fixing this stuff is part of what I do for a living so without actually sitting in front of the machine, this is what I would check:

1. Double check your email settings. Make sure the servers are set correctly. Viruses like to change these settings to steal your stuff and spread more viruses. (tools -> accounts -> properties)

2. Clean up your inbox. If you don't need it, delete it. If you aren't sure, create another folder and put it in there or just archive it out.

3. Empty your deleted items. I get a lot of users that don't realize they actually have to empty their deleted items from time to time.

4. Delete the deleted items dbx file. Even though you empty the deleted items, outlook express just keeps growing this file. Make sure OE is closed when you do this. It will create a new one when you relaunch the application (file located: c:\documents and settings\<username>\local settings\application data\identities\<some long gibberish folder name>\microsoft\outlook express). Don't "store" old stuff you "might" still need in the deleted items. You'd be amazed at how many people I talk to that do this... you don't store your old tax documents in a trash can do you? :)

5. Somebody touched on file size... this is true depending on the version of Windows, which filesystem you are running, and which version of Outlook you are running. "Back in the day" is was 2GB. With newer versions this really isn't an issue but it is worth checking into. Outlook (not express) goes crazy in the older versions when it nears that 2 gig limit.

6. Load up a better email client like Thunderbird or something. The Office version of Outlook has some better tools for archiving, compressing, and repairing your email data files.

Bob Rufener
02-23-2010, 7:29 PM
I took up the suggestion to download Thunderbird. It was very simple and transferred all files and current email to the new email program. Seems to be working fine. I appreciate the suggestion. I did not have a lot of saved emails from Outlook Express and do empty the sent file and deleted file frequently. I must have had a corrupted file. I'll hang on to Outlook Expess for a while and probably wind updeleting it.

Thanks for your help.

paul cottingham
02-23-2010, 8:30 PM
Check for a virus. It sounds very suspicious to me. They often masquerade as msimn.exe. What antivirus are you using?

Bob Rufener
02-23-2010, 10:00 PM
Trend Micro Internet Security. I have run this and found no virus. Also ran MalWare and AdWatch. All seems to be working well.

Chuck Wintle
02-23-2010, 10:20 PM
I took up the suggestion to download Thunderbird. It was very simple and transferred all files and current email to the new email program. Seems to be working fine. I appreciate the suggestion. I did not have a lot of saved emails from Outlook Express and do empty the sent file and deleted file frequently. I must have had a corrupted file. I'll hang on to Outlook Expess for a while and probably wind updeleting it.

Thanks for your help.

Stick with thunderbird....it works!

paul cottingham
02-24-2010, 2:11 AM
Trend Micro Internet Security. I have run this and found no virus. Also ran MalWare and AdWatch. All seems to be working well.

Try something different, and try it from safe mode if you can. If you can get an internet connection from safe mode, even better. I still think this sounds like a virus.

JohnT Fitzgerald
02-24-2010, 8:19 AM
Outlook also have a limit on the size of your inbox. Don't quote me, but I heard someone mention it last week, and they said it was 2GB??? They said it's a common problem when it hits that limit to really cause bad things to happen from the email standpoint.

If you've had it for a while, you might consider looking to see if you have 1000's of emails. If so, it might be time to purge the old, not important ones.

Just one thing to look at. Might not be that at all.


Outook (normal...not Outlook Express) used to have a 2GB "limit" on the inbox. we ran into this at my employer - it would run ridiculously slowly, be impossible to search, etc. There are some ways to "change" it (go to unicode formatting of messages) that extends the limit, but that is with Outlook and Exchange....not sure how OE would work.

+1 on cleaning up the inbox. It also might be possible to export older emails into offline/.PST folders.