You can't compact with OE closed.
OE may not be visible on your screen, but it is still running.

Each local folder will be backed up to the Recycle Bin before it is
compacted.
The compaction process is going to take a long time.

Are you scrolling to the top of the Folder List and selecting Outlook
Express before compacting?
--
Ronald Sommer

"marrie" wrote in message
...
: and as a follow up when I do that compact with OE closed, it still gets
: stuck.
:
: marrie
:
: Bruce Hagen wrote:
:: You are always going to get the prompt after 100 closings until you
:: compact.
::
:: If you can't figure out what folder the compacting process gets
:: stuck on, and you should be able to move the error box out of the
:: way to see it, then either delete Folders.dbx with OE closed, or
:: create a new identity and test it. If the new ID works, import your
:: folders to it and when you are satisfied you have everything you
:: need, delete the old identity. --
:: Bruce Hagen
:: MS-MVP Outlook Express
:: ~IB-CA~
::
:: "marrie" wrote in message
:: ...
:: and just to follow up the message also appears when OE is closed
:: for the hundredth time and there are no folders open.
:: Thanks.
::
:: marrie wrote:
:: :I don't have an anti spam app. Ad-aware is only set to scann when
:: : I turn it on.
:: : marrie
:: :
:: : PA Bear wrote:
:: : : Then something /else/ is causing the problem (e.g., AVG's
:: : : email scanning; anti-spam application). Good luck.
:: : : --
:: : : ~PA Bear
:: : :
:: : : marrie wrote:
:: : : Yeah did. I always empty sent tmes and put them n to an
:: : : archive folder and
:: : : remove that once in a while to.
:: : :
:: : : PA Bear wrote:
:: : : But did you do #1 through #3 /before/ you compacted?
:: : : --
:: : : ~PA Bear
:: : :
:: : : marrie wrote:
:: : : I compacted before importing the messages and after nd it
:: : : worked, but now it
:: : : is not. I'll have a look at my security programs to see
:: : : what in the blazes is going on.
:: : :
:: : : PA Bear wrote:
:: : : If you close OE, reopen to the new identity and compact
:: : : manually again, does the behavior persist, Marrie?
:: : :
:: : : If not: Did you (1) make sure that Sent Items and
:: : : Deleted items were empty, (2) close OE, (3) delete the
:: : : file Folders.dbx from the original identity's message
:: : : store, (4) open OE, and (5) compact all folders before
:: : : you imported the messages into the new identity? --
:: : : ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
:: : : MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
:: : : AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org
:: : :
:: : :
:: : : marrie wrote:
:: : : follow up. the new identity worked for the first
:: : : compact but now it still says the same mesage even
:: : : though all folders are closed and I'm off line. This
:: : : is nuts!
:
: