Go to Windows Updates. You are missing at least two that directly affect OE.
This is why you don't have the BAK files in your Recycle Bin when you
compact. Don't rely on Automatic Updates to download everything.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Bobm0001" wrote in message
...
msoe.dll 600 2900 2869

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

Open OE | Help | About. In the box, scroll down to msoe.dll and post the
numbers you see there.

What do you mean by using my delete file as a garbage pail? Are you
telling
me top clean it out more often?

Yes. As I said befo

General precautions for Outlook Express:

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupt. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move
your
mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while
working *offline* and do it often.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are
open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the
Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything
until
the compacting is completed.

If I use the OEQB, does it overwrite the info that I had in it
previously?

You can set it to overwrite, or not.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Bobm0001" wrote in message
...
Thanks for your help. I'm getting there.

I don't have the msoe.dll patch. How do I get it? I went into windows
update and they can't find it by the number.

Also,. I do not have a program that automatically cleans out the
Recycle
Bin.

What do you mean by using my delete file as a garbage pail? Are you
telling
me top clean it out more often?

If I use the OEQB, does it overwrite the info that I had in it
previously?

Thanks agin. You've been a big help.

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

Did you read the Help for OEQB? Did you create the requires folder?
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/oeqb.htm

In OE | Help | About......., scroll down to msoe.dll. Are your numbers
600.2900.3028? If not, then you're not fully patched and won't find
BAK
folders.

Do you have any program that automatically empties the Recycle Bin?
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Bobm0001" wrote in message
...
Thanks for your advice. I assume I'm fully patched. I have my
computer
set
to automatically update, yet I can't find BAK files in the Recycle
Bin.
Also, wshen I try to use OE Quick Backup, I keep getting a message
"Please
select a backup folder before proceding further." I'm embarassed to
say I
don't know how to do this.

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

Why are you keeping messages in a garbage pail? (Deleted Items).

Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact

Compacting your folders periodically is a must to keep OE
functioning
well
and at some point, you may lose all your saved messages if you
don't.
When
you delete, or move messages, the space they had used remains until
you
compact.

See:
www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#2

With SP2, automatic background compacting was removed due to
problems
it
caused. Now you will get a prompt to compact after 100 OE closings,
which
you should do, and don't touch anything until it has finished. See
this
for
more information:
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm#compact

If you are fully patched, you will also now see a copy of your dbx
files
being copied to the Recycle Bin as BAK files. Should something go
awry
when
compacting, the messages can easily be restored from this backup. A
manual
compact will also reset the counter in the registry back to zero
now.

For more info, see the information outlined in red he
www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#2

To keep things running smooth, and for faster compacting:

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually
become
corrupt and you may lose mail. Create your own user defined folders
for
storing mail and move your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder
regularly. Keep user created folders under 100MB, and Default
folders
as
empty as is feasible.

And backup often.

Backup and Resto

http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/

http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx

http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Bobm0001" wrote in message
...
About every four or five times I follow the compact messages
directions, I
lose 1-6 months of messages in either the deleted or send file.
Each
time,
I swear I'll never compact messages again, but OE wears me down
by
forcing
me
to reject the compacting.

Can I retreive the lost messages? How do I backup the messages
so I
don't
lose them permanently?