SYMPTOMS

CAUSE

Outlook Express (and most IMAP clients) work by keeping a local client index synchronized with the server index.

From time-to-time (either as a result of a server bug; network issue; or mail client bug), the client message list can become out of sync with the server list. Outlook itself seems to deal with this and overcome the issue if the folder is re-selected, however Outlook Express is somewhat less forgiving.

To synchronize Outlook Express folder lists with the list of messages on the server you should perform the following actions: Using the folder list, navigate to the folder that you wish to re-synchronise.

1. Right click on the folder and select properties
2. Select the "Local File" property page.
3. Select the option to "Delete". (This will remove the cached local messages, but not the messages on the server)
4. Close all windows and select a folder other than the folder than the one just cleared; then click back on to the folder.
5. The mail client will now fetch all messages that are held on the server. At the end of this procedure, the mail client will have a message list that matches the messages that are stored on the server.