SFC is System File Checker, an inbuilt windows facility for ensuring that System Files are intact and undamaged.

It's accessible from Start\Run by typing SFC.

However, it's not easy to understand what's going on when you run it.  Oh, it'll report very accurately on which files are no longer 'normal', as it simply checks to see if any files have changed since Windows was first installed.

But it'll also pick up on, and warn you, about any files which have been changed legitimately, as will happen in the installation of a program or application.

So unless you know what to expect, SFC can be confusing.

If you were to take the time and trouble to get into the habit of running SFC right from Day1 in the life of your computer, and 'retraining' it to accept every change that's made when you install something new, then you'd probably know when a situation was truly amiss.

But most users would find this impractical.

However, SFC will diligently find every 'changed' or 'corrupted' file, so IF you know what to look for, it may be possible to repair OE by this method.

Most of the suggested fixes I've seen on the net for serious XP\OE problems are to either re-install XP or install another mail client, like Eudora, Pandora or (shudder) Intellimail.

Seems radical but there it is.  If anyone knows of (and has ACTUALLY TRIED it) another way of repairing OE in XP, I'd love to hear it, also.

Ian Porter
Computer Guys Inc.
Arrowtown
New Zealand
[log in to unmask]

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Nancy R. 


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Ian" <[log in to unmask]>
  >As far as I know, this can't be done without reinstalling XP.  Even
  Tomsterdam's >very good OE helpsite makes no mention of a workable
  method.  Running SFC >might help.

  What is SFC?

  Nancy Richard

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