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.

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.

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.
:

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.
:

Many thanks Bruce. One of my User-created folders was up to 419 Mb!

Andy I.


"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
: 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.
: :
:
:
:

Full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3), please?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

tommyvin wrote:
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.