Is there any way to turn off compacting? I have Windows XP home, OE6
xp_sp2. It seems like there is no option to turn it off.

Or should I just allow the compact process and not interrupt it or
use OE during the compacting process in order not to lose files?
Thanks.
Bruce

Let it do its thing and walk away from the machine until it's done. You
won't see the prompt again for another 100 closings of OE.

*************************************

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~

"brucegooglegroups" wrote in message
oups.com...
Is there any way to turn off compacting? I have Windows XP home, OE6
xp_sp2. It seems like there is no option to turn it off.

Or should I just allow the compact process and not interrupt it or
use OE during the compacting process in order not to lose files?
Thanks.
Bruce

See replies to your earlier posts (which may not be available via Google
Groups due to the problems they've encountered in the past few days).

The answer is No.

Assuming your machine is fully patched, compact all OE folders manually &
frequently and you'll never encounter Automatic Compacting.

See http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?p=135065#135065; also see the Notes
section of the following KB article for an explanation of sorts:

All e-mail items may be missing when you start Outlook Express 6 Service
Pack 1
[NB: Despite what the KB article might imply, you do NOT need to install
KB918766!]
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918069

General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [not available in SP2] and frequently
perform a manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- WinXP SP2 only: Do not shut down your machine while Windows is
automatically compacting your message store.

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause such
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org

brucegooglegroups wrote:
Is there any way to turn off compacting? I have Windows XP home, OE6
xp_sp2. It seems like there is no option to turn it off.

Or should I just allow the compact process and not interrupt it or
use OE during the compacting process in order not to lose files?
Thanks.
Bruce