From time to time we get requests for assistance with all sorts of matters. However, these two requests have persisted and have increased in number in the recent past. There doesn't seem to be any definitive answers regarding a number of issues, including these two, that we have been able to find. What we did find, was a lot of confusion and sometimes just plain inaccuracies. So here are the answers; plain and simple.

Spoolsv  is a part of the Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems' print spooler. This applications is not a virus, irrespective of what you might find elsewhere on the web, although it may appear to behave like one. The problem of Spoolsv spiking in task manager and progressively hogging system resources is specific to an incompatible printer driver. Examine all the printers in your printers folder for print jobs. Make sure none has any print jobs in them. If not, delete your printers, one at a time, checking if the spiking stops. Make sure you have a way to reinstall your printers. You can also terminate this service in task manager without any ill effects, if navigating your system becomes a choir. Once you isolate which printer is at fault, reinstall any other drivers you may have deleted as collateral damage. As you install these, make sure you keep checking to make sure Spoolsv is not acting up. Once you isolate the culprit manufacturer, try to get an updated driver. If you can't, call them, and be polite. If they deny the problem exists or tell you it's on OS issue, BLAST THEM FOR POOR QC!!! What kind of manufacturer puts out a driver that they did not test for this???!!  These shall remain nameless, but they include some that would surprise you. Well, not you -- since you have the problem and you already know who they are.

If you're having problems deleting an email or a number of emails, or Outlook Express just goes away after you attempt to do this, and you can't move the email to another folder and delete that, here's what you do. Start a search and find the location of Inbox.dbx. Make sure your Inbox has no folders under it or move these out. Create a new folder on the same level as Inbox, and call it Rescue. Selectively mark the emails you wish to keep and that are not giving you trouble and drag them into the Rescue folder. If your PC locks up, go back, and keep dragging avoiding the emails that caused the lock up. After you examine the contents of the Rescue folder and are satisfied with what you see, navigate to the location of your Inbox. Close Outlook Express and delete the Inbox. Now start it up again. OE will create an empty fresh Inbox for you. Now mark all the contents of the Rescue folder and drag it into the new Inbox and delete Rescue after you've confirmed data integrity. Now go and compact your email folders just for kicks.

Ok, here's some legal stuff. All of these solutions are provided as a possible suggestion only without any representations to accuracy or a definitive answer to solve your problems. You understand that computer environments are complicated and we make no warrantees and you are ultimately responsible for proper execution if you wish to utilize any of the aforementioned suggestions.