deleted folders keep re-appearing even if re-named

Hi Euphrosene,

Please delete all Outlook profiles, then create a new Outlook profile for your current account to check the results. Here are the detailed steps:

1.Exit Outlook.

2.In Control Panel, click or double-click Mail.

Where is Mail in Control Panel?

Mail appears in different Control Panel locations depending on the version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, Control Panel view selected, and whether a 32- or 64-bit operating system or version of Outlook is installed.

The easiest way to locate Mail is to open Control Panel in Windows, and then in the Search box at the top of the window, type Mail.

NOTE    The Mail icon appears after Outlook starts for the first time.

3.Do any of the following:

4.To add another email account, click E-mail Accounts.

5.To change Outlook data storage options, click Data Files.

6.To see a list of the current profiles, click Show Profiles.

7.Click “Remove” to remove all of the Outlook profiles one by one.

8.Click “Add” to add a new Outlook profile.

9.Check “Always use this profile”

If the issue still exists, could you provide the following information, so we can better understand your situation?

a.What is the type of the affected account, Yahoo.com, Gmail.com or Office 365 Business Online account?

b.The Outlook version. Click File < Office Account < Office Updates. The latest version should be 16.0.4229.1024, please upgrade it to the latest version to check the result.

c.To confirm if the issue is a client related issue. Please configure this account to another computer to check if the issue persists.

Regards,

Toby

Okay will try this again tomorrow.

I DID create a new profile but when I opened Outlook none of my existing folders were there so how can I import all my contacts and folders into the new profile? That bit seems to have been left off this excellent checklist.

Look forward to hearing from you soon
Euphrosene

PS the millions of emails suddenly stopped - just like that. I hope.

PS To clarify (for me):

I create a new profile

This creates its own new ost file.

All my original data is on another previously saved pst file

Which I have to import into the new profile?

But how does this get rid of the undeletable folders?

Hi Euphrosene,

Your data should have been synced to the server, so after you create a new profile, all data will be downloaded from there. You don’t need to import the PST file to the new profile again.

However, to prevent data losing, please export your data from Outlook client before deleting all of the Outlook profiles.

Regards,

Toby

Hi Euphrosene,

Please let us know if you need further assistance.

Thanks,
Toby

Thanks Toby. Still having problems as the new profile did not pick up all my current folders. Plus I still have the undeletable folders.

Hi Euphrosene,

I have read the whole post and want to confirm whether you are using the Office 365 account on your Outlook 2016.  If you can provide your domain name of the email address here that will be great.  For the question you mentioned, you can NOT remove the folders, it could be related to PST file corruption. To resolve that, you can take a look the following steps:  

1. Exit Outlook if it is running

2. Find ScanPST.exe on your computer (it can usually found at <disk drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\<your office version>)

3. Double click on ScanPST.exe

4. Browse to locate the PST file that needs to be repaired or physically type its location in the box “Enter the name of the file you want to scan”. If you are not aware of the location of your PST, these steps will help you find it:

a. Launch Outlook

b. Click File -> Info -> Account Settings -> Account Settings -> Data Files

c. Note the path and file name of your .pst file.

d. Click Close -> OK

e. Exit Outlook

5. Click on “Start” to initiate the repair process.

6. Once the process ends, launch Outlook and create a new PST in your profile.

7. Drag the recovered items (these will be present in a ‘Lost and Found’ folder) to your new PST.

Regards,

Alan

Hello Alan

Yes, I am using Outlook in Office 365 which I subscribe to - not sure what you mean by domain name euphrosene at my first name my last name dot com (sorry I put gmail dot com which is my MS log in email.

I have run scanpst.exe a few times and it has found nothing to repair - and I tried to run scanpst.exe on the ost which seems to be the one the new profiles create but presumably being an ost file it doesn't do anything.

Oddly, I have during these many shenanigans, managed to delete two of the renamed, empty folders and, so far, they have not come back.

The one I renamed zzzz which has a sub-folder (which cannot be deleted or re-named) so far refuses to disappear. Ditto another empty sub-folder though that one did allow me to move it (into another main folder sharing the name (ie Get Togethers. I thought if I couldn't delete it at least I'd try and keep them together!)

The zzzz folder though refuses to play ball.

All very Twilight Zone.

But, as I said, I have now tried to create new profiles - which it does - but which it does not pick up all the current folders/emails. So, for the time being, I will have to grin(!) and bear it or lose information.

But thank you for taking the time to try and help.

Euphrosene

PS I am confused about various pst ost profile and archive folders/files.

I always export my pst every week which I save on my dekstop - this is the one I tend to treat like the Holy Grail.

I seem to have an archive folder/file from time immemorial - it would not allow itself to scanpst'd.

When I installed Office 365 (and then subsequent differently-named profiles) another file was created - the Outlook Data File - found in PCWIndowssUsersOwnerAppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook. This too would not be scanpst'd.

To be honest, I haven't the faintest idea which I need so keep them all.