This sounds similar to my problem and I was able to fix it by moving my Sent mail items to a new archive folder I created of the Personal Folders directory in Outlook XP, essentially cleaning out my Sent mail folder. Now e-mails that gave me probems in the past, don't hang in the Outbox.

-P
   
    ----- david wrote: -----
   
    mail is stuck in outbox, but the mail actually does get
    sent.  just after it is sent it still stays in outbox.  
    what can I do?
   
    thanks,
   
    Dave
    outlook and windows 2000
    .