A while ago you explained how to remove items from Outlook Express that remain in the mail store files on the hard drive (even after emptying the ‘Deleted Items’ folder). I periodically removed the messages, in accordance with your article, by going to File and then Deleted Items.dbx. However, since I have started using Windows 2000 searching for Deleted Items.dbx does not produce the results it previously did. How can I remove Outlook Express Deleted Items from my hard drive if I am running Windows 2000.

I believe the advice to which you are referring was in relation to a different query. There should be no need to manually manipulate the Outlook Express mail store files in order to remove messages. Instead, you use a function within Outlook Express. To permanently delete the items from the Deleted Items folder in Outlook Express go to the ‘File’ menu > ‘Folder’ > ‘Compact All Folders’.