How to fix "Operation cannot be performed because message has been changed" message. when using Outlook and Gmail.

Anonymous
2020-04-21T11:53:43+00:00

Over the last two years, I have been using Outlook 2013, now Office 365. I've been experiencing an ongoing issue where I receive this message "Operation cannot be performed because message has been changed" message.  Typical scenarios: 1) A new email arrives in my Outlook inbox. I preview, or read the email. I attempt to delete the email. Operation cannot... message appears.  I either type a new email, or reply to an email, go on to another task leaving the draft until later. When I return to the draft email, complete the email, and attempt to send the email, Operation cannot... message appears. I also cannot even save the draft, same error message. This is the worst part of this bug, as I've wasted/lost the time effort spent on the draft email.

I have run the Office repair utilities. I have tried unchecking the email cleanup boxes, and a variety of fixes recommended on these Microsoft answers communities. I've noticed sometimes when I come back to a message, it does allow me to move/delete the message. It's like there's a sync issue that needs time to resolve. However, nothing appears to work when a draft message gets hung in this loop. I have to start over with a new reply email.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-11-20T06:40:03+00:00

    Thanks so much Princess Wonder Woman! 

    I actually did a major .pst backup three days ago - but then I caught up on 500 unread emails and created some new folders. This led me to try the INBOX thing and, hey - where did things go?

    And you assumed well - I am at home, recently unemployed due in part to Covid crisis.  Now, before I saw your reply I was trying to get the missing emails from my backup but it seems like maybe the backup is corrupted. It keeps saying the files aren't Outlook data files. Yet they are labelled as Outlook Data Files.  And now of course I'm being offered expensive solutions when I search the issue. 

    I will try the webmail idea but I note that on my phone it never showed a lot of these and earlier subfolders so maybe they weren't synced to the account properly!

    I'll try your suggestions now - I just read your answer. I'll be back to you with an update. Cheers!

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-11-20T07:02:50+00:00

    Sadly, the folders aren't on the ISP's webmail.

    Any other ideas? I am struggling to get my backup to import.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-11-20T07:11:37+00:00

    PS I haven't deleted anything or emptied deleted items at any point today.

    Surely the emails (and possibly the folders) should be somewhere?

    I'm using Outlook from the Office 2013 bundle. 

    One set of instructions suggested to go to Outlook/Home and then click 'recover deleted items' but that isn't an option that I can find. Maybe its only for workplace server setups.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-11-20T09:16:00+00:00

    Hello Jim,

    Thank you for your kind words in your reply I am sorry you did not find what you were looking for on their web interface but I do have some questions for you.

    thank you for your kind words in your reply I am sorry you did not find what you were looking for on their web interface but I do have some questions for you.

    First I’ll let you know that I am writing to you from New Jersey in the United States where it is roughly 5 minutes after 4:00 AM. For this reason I’m going to try and make this reply as short as possible. No worries on the time I’m in insomniac that’s why am up at this hour.

    So I can best help you without giving me your email address because I’m not wanting that is it a Gmail account is it a yahoo account etc. what exact type of email is it?  If I know what type it is I might be able to help figure out a way of getting back or finding some of what you might be looking for by looking at their settings by setting up my own garbage account to be thrown away later so I can look at the settings if it’s not a Gmail account. As long as it’s a free email account. LOL!

    The file that you were trying to read with your back ups in it can you please tell me if it is a.PST file or a.0ST file? There is a difference. The 0ST is not a back up file archive that can be read the same way you would look at your email normally in fact it’s not even really used by users the one that is used as back ups is the .PST file.  If it is a PST file and it’s giving you a message about not a valid etc. don’t despair there are some software tools out there that can help with any possible corruption.  The PST files can get corrupted over time or sometimes from being too large. I don’t have any particular software I can recommend to you you will have to inquire about that on here because I’ve never had to use a software like those but I do know that there are third-party options that do exist but I haven’t done my research in the past on them there are no free recovery ones you will have to buy it but it is usually not that expensive.

    Those are my questions for now I am heading off to bed now please reply and I’ll read it when I get up.

    Those are my questions for now I am heading off to bed now please reply and I’ll read it when I get up.

    Sincerely,

    Princess wonder woman

    As for the dock PST file not functioning correctly is it in fact a PST or is it possibly an OST because there is a difference. The PST file yes can get corrupted overtime or if it gets too full but there are some software out there that usually can fix the corruption

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-12-01T14:58:18+00:00

    Great advice, and just what I have been looking for, as opposed to these ridiculously complex and artificial account settings malarkies. Many thanks!

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