The size of the folder is the size of the corresponding dbx file in the
message store. The dbx file holds the folder's data.

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in
Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.

In WinXP, Win2K & Win2K3, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default
marked as hidden. To view these files in Windows Explorer, you must enable
Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options
Icon | View, or in Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | View.
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA


"Andy" [email protected] wrote in message
...
Hi Bruce,

Please excuse me for "butting in", but.......... having followed your
excellent advice on this subject long ago, I'm still mystified about this
bit:
"Keep user created folders under 100MB".

When I look at Properties for my user-created folders, I see only the
number
of files contained, no MB's. Perhaps other numbskulls will benefit from
your solution to this "problem".

Andy I.


"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
: Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
: http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact
:
: About File Corruption:
:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx
:
: 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.
:
: ***Never touch anything until the compacting is finished.***
:
: 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. If you
: compact manually, at your convenience, this will also set the counter
back
: to zero. 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/OEBackup/Default.aspx
: --
:
: Bruce Hagen
: MS-MVP Outlook Express
: Imperial Beach, CA
:
:
: "tommyvin" wrote in message
: ...
: When I leave Outlook Express I get this - "Outlook Express can
compact
: messages." I have just been canceling it.
:
: I'd like to find what this is all about. Can someone direct me to a
: mini-tutorial about this subject.
: