Outlook attachment too big

[jimoblak]

I have a rogue piece of email that has an attachment with too many separate files. Outlook says it does not have enough memory to open or delete the message.

Is there another way to delete this message? Outlook is locked up over this large message so I cannot access any other messages.

I have turned off the preview pane but it does not help.

 

[smah]

Do you have the capability to access your mail server. You will have to delete the message on the mail server or have your ISP do it for you.

Before you do that though, are you sure of the cause? This is a very unusual error becuase most mail servers will limit the size of a message long before Outlook has any problems with it. What version of Outlook are you using?

 

[jimoblak]

version: Outlook 2000

The email is already downloaded.

I found out from the sender that there are about 300 file attachments. Outlook seems to be choking on the small file attachments. The collective file size may not be at issue - - just the number of attachments.

 

[smah]

Try to use the Rules Wizard. Something like: message from so&so with subject whatever, delete it. Then run the rule.

 

[jimoblak]

FYI - for anyone else that finds themselves in a similar situation...

I ended up downloading a utility that directly acts on the Outlook mailbox file (PST) without running Outlook. The program will selectively delete file attachments.

http://www.crystalsoftware.com.au/detachpipe.exe

I don't know how the sender got away with attaching so many files on their client program. This could certainly be a nasty way to propagate a DoS attack. ...Instead of sending a flood of emails, just send a flood of attachments in a single email.