Outlook downloading old emails... again!

[Demonic Angel]

After much umming & ahhing, I decided to format my HD and re-install XP onto my laptop

So far so good, however I've re-installed Outlook and imported my messages through, but its now connecting to the mail server and downloading over 17,000 messages again!

Is there anyway to stop this other than deleting them off the mail server? (I stupidly set Outlook to keep them on the mail server ) and I don't have immediate access to the server - I can access it but it means contacting my ex for a favour which I really don't want to do if I can help it....

I've tried attempting to re-download all 17,000 but it crashed Outlook halfway through and now its starting all again.

Can anyone help?

[deckster]

Open a DOS prompt

telnet <server address> 110
<username>
<password>
dele 1
dele 2
dele 3
....
dele 16999
dele 17000
quit

(this may take some time)

Or, at a pinch, you could google for 'delete all emails from server' - this one looks like a good start.

[bingbong]

What version of outlook is it? this is a known problem in outlook 2003, see here for a fix http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885870

[Demonic Angel]

Thanks, problem sorted!