Troubleshoot Outlook Express DBX 2GB Limit Problem – Top Free Methods

  

Written By Kumar Raj

Approved By Anuraag Singh

Published On July 18th, 2022

Reading Time 6 Minutes Reading

Issue: Outlook Express DBX 2GB Size Limit Problem

Though Outlook Express is outdated and scrapped yet, it is still used by many professionals or organizations. It uses DBX file to stores all its email data and each folder of it has its own DBX file such as Inbox.dbx, Outbox.dbx etc. Every mail folder has a specific storage limit and Outlook Express maximum mailbox size is 2GB. Either it is Inbox, Sent Items or Outbox folder each has the 2GB storage limit and users often use emails to exchange different files and other crucial information.

As a rule, all the documents, images, program files etc., are large in size due to which user’s mailbox can eventually reach the 2 GB storage limit. Exceeding the defined DBX file size limit may cause some serious issues also, might result in Outlook Express errors. When the Outlook Express files override the 2GB storage limit, users cannot place any message in it anymore or cannot work with the corresponding folder also cannot delete any email from the DBX file to make its size smaller. After that, the Outlook Express will stop receiving new email messages. Sometimes the condition becomes worse that users even cannot read the content of the file.

This problematic situation is called ‘Outlook Express DBX 2GB limit issue’. There are several Outlook Express users who are facing the same issue and searching for the fixes to resolve it. Below is a user-query taken from a forum website related to the same:

“One client of our organization is using Outlook Express 6 and its sent items limit exceeds over 2GB. So now we have taken out the 2008 and 2009 sent email messages from the sent items folder and created two new folders of 380 and 720 MB DBX files. Still the size of Sent Items.dbx did not shrink. After this, we have searched for the commercial solutions however, did not know which is really worth and actually works. Can somebody tell us that how to fix Outlook Express DBX 2GB limit problem even without any kind of data loss? Thank you!”

When DBX File Exceeds the 2GB Limit Following Error Messages are Encountered by Users:

1. Outlook Express: There is no enough space to receive emails
2. Unknown errors like SMTP Port: 0 Secure or 0*800c0131, etc.
3. MSIMN causes an invalid page fault in module “Directdb.dll”
4. MSIMN caused an exception C0000006h in module “Directdb.dll”
5. Outlook Express Error 0x800c0133 (corrupted inbox file)

How to Fix Outlook Express DBX 2GB Limit Problem?

In this section, we are going to discuss an easy technique to rectify the issue. Follow the mentioned steps cautiously and sequentially in order to avoid any kind of data loss.The manual technique to resolve the problem is classified into 4 major steps. However, before proceeding further it is important to fulfill the below-mentioned prerequisites:

1. Remove all unnecessary emails from the oversized DBX folder
2. To manage emails, create new DBX folder to shift old emails

Step 1: Locate Outlook Express Store Folder

1. To find out the store folder first, launch the Outlook Express application
2. Click on Tools tab and select Options from the opened menu list
3. In Options dialog box hit a click on Maintenance tab >> Store Folder
4. Store Location wizard will prompt now. From here Copy the entire Outlook Express storage path
5. Now, click on Cancel button twice to close the Outlook Express options wizard and then, quit all Outlook Express windows
6. After that, hit a double-click on My Computer and in its address bar Paste the copied location. Hit Enter button
7. Now, from the standard buttons menu toolbar hit a click on UP button to navigate to the parent folder

Step 2: Backing up Outlook Express Storage Folder

1. It is essential to create an archive file of the DBX folder for further use. Follow the below steps for this:
   Hit a right click on the Outlook Express folder and select Copy option
2. Now, without closing the explorer window open the new explorer window and Paste the Outlook Express folder in another disk location.

Step 3: Deleting Outsized Outlook Express File

To free up some storage space from the Outlook Express 6 storage file, we need to delete the oversized DBX file. Below are the steps for this:

1. Open the file explorer wizard or the original location of Outlook Express folder:
   C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\
2. Select and open Outlook Express folder to fix Outlook Express 2GB limit problem
3. Now, Delete the oversized DBX file (larger than 2GB)

Step 4: Recreate and Restore Emails from Backup File

After restoring all the emails from the backup file, one can view them in new DBX file. For this follow the subsequent guidelines:

1. Open Outlook Express application and click on File >> Import >> Messages
2. From Select Program window select Microsoft Outlook Express 6 >> Next
3. In Specify Location window, enable Import mail from an OE6 option and click on OK
4. Browse the location of message to find out the Outlook Express backup folder in Location of Messages window
5. Choose the backup folder and hit the OK button
6. After selecting the Outlook Express backup folder click on Next
7. Select the Outlook Express folder that you have deleted earlier due to oversize and hit Next button
8. Let the import process completed successfully and eventually click on Finish

After import operation, users can access all their email messages again from the Outlook Express program and can work without any hurdle.

Conclusion

Considering users query i.e, how to fix Outlook Express DBX 2GB limit problem, we have come up with this article. Here we have discussed a manual technique to fix the issue. However, sticking around with an outdated email client like Outlook Express is very annoying as any serious issue will catch up with you. Thus, moving on to a newer product version such as Microsoft Outlook is recommended. Outlook Express Converter is an eminent utility to help out with such a conversion.

  

By Kumar Raj

A versatile writer with the vast knowledge of technology helps to reduce the gap between a user and technology. Provides easy and reliable ways to resolve multiple technical issues, which users encounter in their day-to-day life.

View all of Kumar Raj's posts.