I cannot compact my inbox. I get a message that it is open or being used by
another program. I have done what everyone says. I closed and opened, I
clicked on the main screen and selected no folder. I closed my copernicus
search program and my antivirus..

I even moved half the files to somewhere else and compacted them. When I
moved them back, it made my inbox file even bigger!!! What can I do?

Move /all/ your messages out of the Inbox to local folders you create.
Reboot and try. If still no joy, create a new Inbox.

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight the folder
location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will put the
location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files. Otherwise, write
the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.

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.

With OE closed, find the DBX file for the folder in question {Inbox.dbx} and
delete it. A new one will be created automatically when you open OE.

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.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer
of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems such as
time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program will
continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

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

"radman2020" wrote in message
...
I cannot compact my inbox. I get a message that it is open or being used by
another program. I have done what everyone says. I closed and opened, I
clicked on the main screen and selected no folder. I closed my copernicus
search program and my antivirus..

I even moved half the files to somewhere else and compacted them. When I
moved them back, it made my inbox file even bigger!!! What can I do?

ok.. but I still have plenty of active stuff in my inbox. I can move it to a
new folder...old inbox.... but it still is too big and it won't compact.
How would I compact that one? It was 1 gig until I started all this and now
it is 2 gigs!!!

thx

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

Move /all/ your messages out of the Inbox to local folders you create.
Reboot and try. If still no joy, create a new Inbox.

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight the folder
location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will put the
location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files. Otherwise, write
the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.

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.

With OE closed, find the DBX file for the folder in question {Inbox.dbx} and
delete it. A new one will be created automatically when you open OE.

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.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer
of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems such as
time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program will
continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

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

"radman2020" wrote in message
...
I cannot compact my inbox. I get a message that it is open or being used by
another program. I have done what everyone says. I closed and opened, I
clicked on the main screen and selected no folder. I closed my copernicus
search program and my antivirus..

I even moved half the files to somewhere else and compacted them. When I
moved them back, it made my inbox file even bigger!!! What can I do?

"radman2020" wrote in message
...
I cannot compact my inbox. I get a message that it is open or being used by
another program. I have done what everyone says. I closed and opened, I
clicked on the main screen and selected no folder. I closed my copernicus
search program and my antivirus..

I even moved half the files to somewhere else and compacted them. When I
moved them back, it made my inbox file even bigger!!! What can I do?

Don't store messages in the Inbox. It is the folder most apt to be
corrupted. As soon as you read them move them to user created folders.
Then compact the Inbox regularly.

Go to Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder and write down where OE
is storing its data.
Close OE.
Go there with Windows Explorer and move (not copy) Inbox.dbx to an empty
Windows
folder. With Win2K, WinXP and Win2K3 it will be a hidden file.

You can use either of these tools to extract the messages from the old DBX
file:

DBXtract ($5): http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/ although this tool is faster
and better:
DBXpress: ($25) http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
Do NOT extract to the desktop!
With a large file this can take a long time, so let it keep running.

The messages can be dragged from a Windows folder back into an OE folder in
OE's Folder List.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Answer in newsgroup. Don't expect an answer to email.

ok... even if I put everything in a new inbox... I'll call it inbox hold...
then I can't compact that one!! what should I do?

thx.
"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

"radman2020" wrote in message
...
I cannot compact my inbox. I get a message that it is open or being used by
another program. I have done what everyone says. I closed and opened, I
clicked on the main screen and selected no folder. I closed my copernicus
search program and my antivirus..

I even moved half the files to somewhere else and compacted them. When I
moved them back, it made my inbox file even bigger!!! What can I do?

Don't store messages in the Inbox. It is the folder most apt to be
corrupted. As soon as you read them move them to user created folders.
Then compact the Inbox regularly.

Go to Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder and write down where OE
is storing its data.
Close OE.
Go there with Windows Explorer and move (not copy) Inbox.dbx to an empty
Windows
folder. With Win2K, WinXP and Win2K3 it will be a hidden file.

You can use either of these tools to extract the messages from the old DBX
file:

DBXtract ($5): http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/ although this tool is faster
and better:
DBXpress: ($25) http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
Do NOT extract to the desktop!
With a large file this can take a long time, so let it keep running.

The messages can be dragged from a Windows folder back into an OE folder in
OE's Folder List.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Answer in newsgroup. Don't expect an answer to email.

See the end of Frank's reply about DBXtract & DBXpress.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"radman2020" wrote in message
...

ok... even if I put everything in a new inbox... I'll call it inbox
hold...
then I can't compact that one!! what should I do?

thx.
"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

"radman2020" wrote in message
...
I cannot compact my inbox. I get a message that it is open or being used
by
another program. I have done what everyone says. I closed and opened,
I
clicked on the main screen and selected no folder. I closed my
copernicus
search program and my antivirus..

I even moved half the files to somewhere else and compacted them. When
I
moved them back, it made my inbox file even bigger!!! What can I do?

Don't store messages in the Inbox. It is the folder most apt to be
corrupted. As soon as you read them move them to user created folders.
Then compact the Inbox regularly.

Go to Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder and write down where
OE
is storing its data.
Close OE.
Go there with Windows Explorer and move (not copy) Inbox.dbx to an empty
Windows
folder. With Win2K, WinXP and Win2K3 it will be a hidden file.

You can use either of these tools to extract the messages from the old
DBX
file:

DBXtract ($5): http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/ although this tool is
faster
and better:
DBXpress: ($25) http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
Do NOT extract to the desktop!
With a large file this can take a long time, so let it keep running.

The messages can be dragged from a Windows folder back into an OE folder
in
OE's Folder List.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Answer in newsgroup. Don't expect an answer to email.

ok... I assume you are suggesting these because you think the dbx file is
corrupt and that is the reason it is not compacting. I will say that it
functions otherwise just fine so there isn't a lot of reason to start buying
things. It takes up too much space but I guess I can just put it all in
another folder and start with a new uncorrupted inbox. I would get one of
these programs if I couldn't read the emails...

any other thoughts?

thanks so much.

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

See the end of Frank's reply about DBXtract & DBXpress.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"radman2020" wrote in message
...

ok... even if I put everything in a new inbox... I'll call it inbox
hold...
then I can't compact that one!! what should I do?

thx.
"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

"radman2020" wrote in message
...
I cannot compact my inbox. I get a message that it is open or being used
by
another program. I have done what everyone says. I closed and opened,
I
clicked on the main screen and selected no folder. I closed my
copernicus
search program and my antivirus..

I even moved half the files to somewhere else and compacted them. When
I
moved them back, it made my inbox file even bigger!!! What can I do?

Don't store messages in the Inbox. It is the folder most apt to be
corrupted. As soon as you read them move them to user created folders.
Then compact the Inbox regularly.

Go to Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder and write down where
OE
is storing its data.
Close OE.
Go there with Windows Explorer and move (not copy) Inbox.dbx to an empty
Windows
folder. With Win2K, WinXP and Win2K3 it will be a hidden file.

You can use either of these tools to extract the messages from the old
DBX
file:

DBXtract ($5): http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/ although this tool is
faster
and better:
DBXpress: ($25) http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
Do NOT extract to the desktop!
With a large file this can take a long time, so let it keep running.

The messages can be dragged from a Windows folder back into an OE folder
in
OE's Folder List.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Answer in newsgroup. Don't expect an answer to email.

Can you move messages out of the folder still? Try making many user created
folders and move smaller amounts of messages to each folder so they are not
much more than 100MB each. The current folder is way to large.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"radman2020" wrote in message
...
ok... I assume you are suggesting these because you think the dbx file is
corrupt and that is the reason it is not compacting. I will say that it
functions otherwise just fine so there isn't a lot of reason to start
buying
things. It takes up too much space but I guess I can just put it all in
another folder and start with a new uncorrupted inbox. I would get one of
these programs if I couldn't read the emails...

any other thoughts?

thanks so much.

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

See the end of Frank's reply about DBXtract & DBXpress.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"radman2020" wrote in message
...

ok... even if I put everything in a new inbox... I'll call it inbox
hold...
then I can't compact that one!! what should I do?

thx.
"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

"radman2020" wrote in message
...
I cannot compact my inbox. I get a message that it is open or being
used
by
another program. I have done what everyone says. I closed and
opened,
I
clicked on the main screen and selected no folder. I closed my
copernicus
search program and my antivirus..

I even moved half the files to somewhere else and compacted them.
When
I
moved them back, it made my inbox file even bigger!!! What can I
do?

Don't store messages in the Inbox. It is the folder most apt to be
corrupted. As soon as you read them move them to user created
folders.
Then compact the Inbox regularly.

Go to Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder and write down
where
OE
is storing its data.
Close OE.
Go there with Windows Explorer and move (not copy) Inbox.dbx to an
empty
Windows
folder. With Win2K, WinXP and Win2K3 it will be a hidden file.

You can use either of these tools to extract the messages from the old
DBX
file:

DBXtract ($5): http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/ although this tool is
faster
and better:
DBXpress: ($25) http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
Do NOT extract to the desktop!
With a large file this can take a long time, so let it keep running.

The messages can be dragged from a Windows folder back into an OE
folder
in
OE's Folder List.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Answer in newsgroup. Don't expect an answer to email.

"radman2020" wrote in message
...

ok... even if I put everything in a new inbox... I'll call it inbox
hold...
then I can't compact that one!! what should I do?


Don't put it all in the same folder.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Answer in newsgroup. Don't expect an answer to email.

thanks. I dragged it into separate folders. Every time I got greedy and
put too many messages in, it said it wouldn't move them. Finally I got it
divided and I compacted each. Then I coalesced them into 3 folders (it is
very inefficient to try to clear many folders of junk because when I sort by
name and get blocks of junk, I get rid of all at the same time. That is
defeated if they are spread in lots of folders). Thanks for all your help
Frank and Bruce!

Why does OE have this clunky way of working where it doesn't really clean
out the folder.... and it is so easily corrupted. Yes we should keep our
folders clean but.. I get 50-60 emails a day. It would be full time job to
try to keep on top of all the trash.... (and I am not counting the spam that
gets automatically filtered)



"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

"radman2020" wrote in message
...

ok... even if I put everything in a new inbox... I'll call it inbox
hold...
then I can't compact that one!! what should I do?


Don't put it all in the same folder.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Answer in newsgroup. Don't expect an answer to email.