Cannot delete spurious folder

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

murgatroyd

Senior Member
OS Version(s)
  1. Windows
Outlook version
Outlook 2021 64 bit
Email Account
POP3
I am running Outlook 2010 on Windows Server 2008 R2.

After doing manual archiving, the Archive section now contains an empty folder named "&Don't prompt me about this again", but the Delete option is greyed out. (A couple of these folders appeared, but all except this last one could be deleted.) How can I delete this spurious folder?

----------
[Diane Poremsky replied:] 1. Hmmm. If the right click Delete folder command isn't live, use MFCMAPI to delete it. (I'm assuming that is a folder you named, not a name Outlook made up - I've seen outlook create weird folder names when using an antivirus plugin, but it was a different name. )
----------

I did not create or name the "&Don't prompt me about this again" folder, it just appeared in the Archive section after the archiving procedure.

There are three plugins active in Outlook (AbleBits Template Phrases, Sperry AlwaysBcc, Sperry AttachmentSave), but these have never caused any issues previously and don't seem to have any connection with this issue.

I found the website for MFCMAPI, but are you able to advise whether it will work on Windows Server 2008 R2, and how to delete this folder with it.
 
Since my previous post, I found that although the spurious folder that appeared in the Archive section (named "&Don't prompt me about this again") initially had its Delete option greyed out, when I checked some time later after Outlook had been opened and closed a few times, this folder's Delete option became enabled, and I could delete it.
 
After living with this issue for a couple of years (spurious folders named "&Don't prompt me about this again" repeatedly appearing in Archive files in Outlook 2010) and receiving suggestions that it might be caused by things like add-ins or antivirus programs, I recently came across the following (go to this page and scroll down: "&Don't prompt me about this again." folder in Outlook), which immediately resolved the issue.

----------
We began seeing this issue in April 2013. The steps listed below resolve the issue for PSTs created in Outlook 2010; several of our customers have resolved the issue with the following instructions. However they don't work for PSTs created in earlier versions of Outlook. Any ideas for PST archives not originally created in Outlook 2010?

In Outlook, go to File>Account Settings>Account settings.
2. Click on the Data tab.
3. Highlight the problematic PST file (i.e. the one that contains the “don’t prompt…” folders) and click Set as Default.
4. If there are more than one data files, repeat step 3 for each problematic PST file.
5. After all problematic PST files have been set as default, click on the main Outlook PST file for the user and click Set as Default.
6. Exit and restart Outlook.
7. Notice that a new “Don’t prompt me folder” should not have been created. You can now delete all existing “Don”t prompt me” folders and when you exit and restart Outlook, no more should be created.

Kathi Jones
----------
 
the folders are created by antivirus or security program, if i recall correctly, one of the Norton products. Disable the antivirus addin in outlook (but do not disable the scanner in windows) and they wont be recreated.
 
I received many suggestions that this issue might be caused by add-ins or antivirus programs; however, it appears to be a bug in Outlook, to do with default file settings when additional PST files are created.

I do have a couple of third-party add-ins in Outlook (Sperry "Always Bcc", AbleBits "Template Phrases"), and a commercial-grade antivirus program (Sophos, not Norton) on the computer; however, they have been there all along, whereas this issue only started when I first used the archiving function in Outlook, after which the spurious folders repeatedly appeared in the archive file, and the issue then stopped immediately after I used the above procedure (setting and unsetting the archive files as the default file).
 
I have three spurious shared public contacts folders in the Office 365 business cloud that no one can remove after hours of powershell stuff.
 
Len Raphael said:
I have three spurious shared public contacts folders in the Office 365 business cloud that no one can remove after hours of powershell stuff.
Click to expand...
Are you using public folders? The public folder mailboxes and public folders within them can be removed from the admin center.
 
I was using shared public folders for a contacts folder. the spurius folders all have the same name as that real public folder has was exported into a local file and imported to become a personal contacts folder that is now shared out. Yes, could delete the real public contacts folder as you describe, but the other could not be deleted.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
< IMAP server | Converted .ost to .pst: Want to Import and Reconnect with IMAP Email Account >
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
Horsepower Cannot delete gmail in iPhone Outlook outbox Using Outlook 1
C Outlook 2016 cannot delete, email showing in root Exchange Server Administration 5
M Cannot Delete Emails from IMAP inbox Using Outlook 4
O Your IMAP server wants to alert you to the following: Cannot delete folder with subfolders. Using Outlook 4
T Cannot Delete a contact in Outlook Shared Contact List Using Outlook 0
D Cannot delete shared contact or calandar from views Exchange Server Administration 1
G Distribution Group Owners Cannot Add/Delete Members Using Outlook 1
W Cannot delete Outlook 2010 data file Using Outlook 1
D Cannot Delete Individual Email - Greyed Out Using Outlook 12
C User defined field not found in any views prints. Cannot locate to delete. Using Outlook 2
T Cannot delete single email in INBOX, delete grayed out Using Outlook 7
M Attempting to delete Exchange account in Office 2010 gives "primary account cannot be deleted" Using Outlook 8
E "The operation cannot be performed because the message has been changed" Using Outlook 3
T Cannot open .pst file Using Outlook 2
D Outlook 365 Outlook Message "Cannot be sent because the message has changed" Using Outlook 0
P Cannot understand how to use Favorites Using Outlook 4
U When opening shared Calendar "The set of folders cannot be opened" Using Outlook 0
J Cannot edit a calendar event received as an invitation Using Outlook 2
humility36 Cannot move emails to archive - 440 error Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
L I Cannot Sign Into My Outlook Account? Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 0
CWM330 This rule has a condition that the server cannot process? Using Outlook 1
U Outlook on the iPhone cannot approve filtered Emails Using Outlook 0
K Daily Task List Minimized Cannot Display Using Outlook 5
O The linked image cannot be displayed Using Outlook 2
C "The linked image cannot be displayed. The file may have been moved, renamed, or deleted. Verify that the link points to the correct file location" Using Outlook 1
B IMAP server rejects sent email - cannot deliver messages Using Outlook 2
T Outlook 2021 Cannot open attachments Outlook DeskTop 2021 Using Outlook 0
S Cannot print Contacts Using Outlook 7
J VBA Cannot programmatically input or change Value for User Defined field Using Outlook 1
T Outlook 2010 Cannot edit Calendar entries in OL 2010. Using Outlook 1
O Cannot expand the folder. The set of folders cannot be opened. You do not have permission to log on. Using Outlook 1
N Item cannot be saved because it was modified by another user or window, and, Item could not be moved... Using Outlook 0
D Cannot populate certain UserProperties in Outlook from Excel Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 2
D Outlook 2016 64bit, Cannot Save in 'HTML', format Using Outlook 1
D cannot view emails in View pane (in the right pane), I only see one line or nothing Using Outlook 21
M Cannot read the calendar Using Outlook 9
T The Linked Image Cannot Be Displayed in Outlook Using Outlook 7
D Outlook 2016 Outlook Error Msg "The operation cannot be performed ..." How to Stop it Using Outlook 4
S Custom Field Cannot Be Displayed In Views Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 2
G Cannot Move Autocomplete File to New Computer Using Outlook 15
rubaboo The vew cannot be found Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 0
A Cannot copy this folder because it may contain private items Using Outlook 0
L Cannot open PST file for first session each day Using Outlook 6
David in Mississippi New (Feb 2020) install of Outlook 365 - Cannot specify PST for different accounts Using Outlook 0
Marc2019 Need help please! Cannot Setup my outlook email account on my Mac Outlook 2011 Using Outlook.com accounts in Outlook 2
noshairwan Registry cannot be found, Outlook Security Using Outlook 2
Marc2019 Cannot input Vietnamese Characters on my MSOutlook 2016 in Windows 7 Using Outlook 0
T Cannot remove needless PST Using Outlook 1
Marc2019 Cannot setup Outlook Account on Mac Os 10.6.8 Using Outlook 3
N pst files are recreating automaticaly and cannot be deleted Using Outlook 5

Similar threads

Back
Top