OS= W2K (SP4)
On two random occasions now I have had my mail & newsgroup accounts erased -
clean.
I use only two accounts - mail with POP & SMTP server names for my ISP
account - and this newsgroup account.

I suspected that an application like a hard drive defragger or register
cleaner might be at fault. I tested them with no results. I have had no
leads on Internet or the Microsoft Knowledge Base searches. I have good
anti-virus & malware protection. I've never had this issue - ever.

I'd greatly appreciate a pointer. Thanks -
Blithe

"Erased clean" as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools | Accounts
or as in "all of my messages were deleted from OE"?
--
~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/

Blithe wrote:
OS= W2K (SP4)
On two random occasions now I have had my mail & newsgroup accounts
erased -
clean.
I use only two accounts - mail with POP & SMTP server names for my ISP
account - and this newsgroup account.

I suspected that an application like a hard drive defragger or register
cleaner might be at fault. I tested them with no results. I have had no
leads on Internet or the Microsoft Knowledge Base searches. I have good
anti-virus & malware protection. I've never had this issue - ever.

I'd greatly appreciate a pointer. Thanks -
Blithe

Yes, Bear, "as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools | Accounts " -
everything else, folders and messages, was & still is intact and
functioning.

When the 1st episode came to my attention, the OE account installation
Wizard popped up (I don't know what triggered it) & I just closed the window
thinking it just a random aberrration. It was not until I got OE server
errors that I checked the Tools - Accounts & discovered both Mail & News
tabs for 'Internet Accounts' window were blank - no accounts being listed.
Blithe


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
...
"Erased clean" as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools |
Accounts
or as in "all of my messages were deleted from OE"?
--
~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/

Blithe wrote:
OS= W2K (SP4)
On two random occasions now I have had my mail & newsgroup accounts
erased -
clean.
I use only two accounts - mail with POP & SMTP server names for my ISP
account - and this newsgroup account.

I suspected that an application like a hard drive defragger or register
cleaner might be at fault. I tested them with no results. I have had
no
leads on Internet or the Microsoft Knowledge Base searches. I have good
anti-virus & malware protection. I've never had this issue - ever.

I'd greatly appreciate a pointer. Thanks -
Blithe

Your current Identity may be damaged, especially if its the default-named
Main Identity. Try one or more of your mail accounts in a new Named
Identity...

File | Identities | Add new identity

Assuming all is well, (1) compact all folders in the old identity, (2)
import any remaining messages from the old identity into the new one, and
then (3) delete the old one (File | Identities | Manage Identities).

To avoid such corruption in futu

- 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 and frequently perform a manual compact of
all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- Disable email scanning by your anti-virus application. It can cause
corruption (i.e., loss of messages), it provides no additional protection,
and even Symantec says it's not necessary:

QP
Disabling Email Scanning does not leave you unprotected against viruses that
are distributed as email attachments. Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect scans
incoming files as they are saved to your hard drive, including email and
email attachments. Email Scanning is just another layer on top of this. To
make sure that Auto-Protect is providing the maximum protection, keep
Auto-Protect enabled and run LiveUpdate regularly to ensure that you have
the most recent virus definitions.
/QP
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...02111812533106
--
~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/

Blithe wrote:
Yes, Bear, "as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools | Accounts
" -
everything else, folders and messages, was & still is intact and
functioning.

When the 1st episode came to my attention, the OE account installation
Wizard popped up (I don't know what triggered it) & I just closed the
window
thinking it just a random aberrration. It was not until I got OE server
errors that I checked the Tools - Accounts & discovered both Mail & News
tabs for 'Internet Accounts' window were blank - no accounts being listed.
Blithe


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
...
"Erased clean" as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools |
Accounts
or as in "all of my messages were deleted from OE"?
--
~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/

Blithe wrote:
OS= W2K (SP4)
On two random occasions now I have had my mail & newsgroup accounts
erased -
clean.
I use only two accounts - mail with POP & SMTP server names for my ISP
account - and this newsgroup account.

I suspected that an application like a hard drive defragger or register
cleaner might be at fault. I tested them with no results. I have had
no
leads on Internet or the Microsoft Knowledge Base searches. I have good
anti-virus & malware protection. I've never had this issue - ever.

I'd greatly appreciate a pointer. Thanks -
Blithe

Thanks in advance, Bear. I will follow your detailed instructions forthwith
& let you know results when done. This is not the 1st time I have had
corruption/identity issues with OE - my usually very reliable & preferred
email software. However, it is almost a singular event - so it's difficult
to recognize the symptoms - much less know the remedy even if the symptoms
appear familiar.

Blithe


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
...
Your current Identity may be damaged, especially if its the default-named
Main Identity. Try one or more of your mail accounts in a new Named
Identity...

File | Identities | Add new identity

Assuming all is well, (1) compact all folders in the old identity, (2)
import any remaining messages from the old identity into the new one, and
then (3) delete the old one (File | Identities | Manage Identities).

To avoid such corruption in futu

- 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 and frequently perform a manual compact of
all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- Disable email scanning by your anti-virus application. It can cause
corruption (i.e., loss of messages), it provides no additional protection,
and even Symantec says it's not necessary:

QP
Disabling Email Scanning does not leave you unprotected against viruses
that
are distributed as email attachments. Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect scans
incoming files as they are saved to your hard drive, including email and
email attachments. Email Scanning is just another layer on top of this. To
make sure that Auto-Protect is providing the maximum protection, keep
Auto-Protect enabled and run LiveUpdate regularly to ensure that you have
the most recent virus definitions.
/QP
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...02111812533106
--
~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/

Blithe wrote:
Yes, Bear, "as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools | Accounts
" -
everything else, folders and messages, was & still is intact and
functioning.

When the 1st episode came to my attention, the OE account installation
Wizard popped up (I don't know what triggered it) & I just closed the
window
thinking it just a random aberrration. It was not until I got OE server
errors that I checked the Tools - Accounts & discovered both Mail & News
tabs for 'Internet Accounts' window were blank - no accounts being
listed.
Blithe


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
...
"Erased clean" as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools |
Accounts
or as in "all of my messages were deleted from OE"?
--
~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/

Blithe wrote:
OS= W2K (SP4)
On two random occasions now I have had my mail & newsgroup accounts
erased -
clean.
I use only two accounts - mail with POP & SMTP server names for my ISP
account - and this newsgroup account.

I suspected that an application like a hard drive defragger or
register
cleaner might be at fault. I tested them with no results. I have had
no
leads on Internet or the Microsoft Knowledge Base searches. I have
good
anti-virus & malware protection. I've never had this issue - ever.

I'd greatly appreciate a pointer. Thanks -
Blithe

Adhere to the Caveats I posted and all should be well.

Blithe wrote:
Thanks in advance, Bear. I will follow your detailed instructions
forthwith
& let you know results when done. This is not the 1st time I have had
corruption/identity issues with OE - my usually very reliable & preferred
email software. However, it is almost a singular event - so it's
difficult
to recognize the symptoms - much less know the remedy even if the symptoms
appear familiar.

Blithe


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
...
Your current Identity may be damaged, especially if its the default-named
Main Identity. Try one or more of your mail accounts in a new Named
Identity...

File | Identities | Add new identity

Assuming all is well, (1) compact all folders in the old identity, (2)
import any remaining messages from the old identity into the new one, and
then (3) delete the old one (File | Identities | Manage Identities).

To avoid such corruption in futu

- 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 and frequently perform a manual compact
of
all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- Disable email scanning by your anti-virus application. It can cause
corruption (i.e., loss of messages), it provides no additional
protection,
and even Symantec says it's not necessary:

QP
Disabling Email Scanning does not leave you unprotected against viruses
that are distributed as email attachments. Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect
scans incoming files as they are saved to your hard drive, including
email
and email attachments. Email Scanning is just another layer on top of
this. To make sure that Auto-Protect is providing the maximum protection,
keep Auto-Protect enabled and run LiveUpdate regularly to ensure that you
have the most recent virus definitions.
/QP
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...02111812533106
--
~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/

Blithe wrote:
Yes, Bear, "as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools | Accounts
" -
everything else, folders and messages, was & still is intact and
functioning.

When the 1st episode came to my attention, the OE account installation
Wizard popped up (I don't know what triggered it) & I just closed the
window
thinking it just a random aberrration. It was not until I got OE server
errors that I checked the Tools - Accounts & discovered both Mail & News
tabs for 'Internet Accounts' window were blank - no accounts being
listed.
Blithe


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
...
"Erased clean" as in the accounts are no longer present in Tools |
Accounts
or as in "all of my messages were deleted from OE"?
--
~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/

Blithe wrote:
OS= W2K (SP4)
On two random occasions now I have had my mail & newsgroup accounts
erased -
clean.
I use only two accounts - mail with POP & SMTP server names for my ISP
account - and this newsgroup account.

I suspected that an application like a hard drive defragger or
register
cleaner might be at fault. I tested them with no results. I have had
no
leads on Internet or the Microsoft Knowledge Base searches. I have
good
anti-virus & malware protection. I've never had this issue - ever.

I'd greatly appreciate a pointer. Thanks -
Blithe

"Blithe" invalid@nospam wrote in message
...
OS= W2K (SP4)
On two random occasions now I have had my mail & newsgroup accounts
erased -
clean.
I use only two accounts - mail with POP & SMTP server names for my ISP
account - and this newsgroup account.

I suspected that an application like a hard drive defragger or register
cleaner might be at fault. I tested them with no results. I have had no
leads on Internet or the Microsoft Knowledge Base searches. I have good
anti-virus & malware protection. I've never had this issue - ever.


Think your Registry needs "cleaning"? Read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
Do not reply with email

To: Messrs Bear & Saunders
Update & FYI - the answer to my question

First - thanks to you both.
Mr. Saunders suggestion proved quite correct regarding use of register
cleaners

I recently began using "RegCure" - it passed my initial tests but added
scrutiny found it to be the cause of the erasures of my OE mail/newsgroup
accounts. One more thing ...

I had never lost Mail folders previously - but when I finally discovered
that my use of RegCure had erased my mail account, I then used, for the
first time, the RegCure feature that allows the user to restore the last
register deletions that were made. However, that register restore did
result in the loss of all except my default OE folders.

Fortunately, I have used 'Express Assist' - recommended several years ago
via MS newsgroup contributors, to backup OE folders/messages - & I was able
to restore all lost OE data.

RegCure might still be a good product - but yes, any register cleaner needs
to be used with extreme caution & current, reliable, available harddrive &
data backups.

Blithe


"Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" wrote in message
...
"Blithe" invalid@nospam wrote in message
...
OS= W2K (SP4)
On two random occasions now I have had my mail & newsgroup accounts
erased -
clean.
I use only two accounts - mail with POP & SMTP server names for my ISP
account - and this newsgroup account.

I suspected that an application like a hard drive defragger or register
cleaner might be at fault. I tested them with no results. I have had
no
leads on Internet or the Microsoft Knowledge Base searches. I have good
anti-virus & malware protection. I've never had this issue - ever.


Think your Registry needs "cleaning"? Read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
Do not reply with email

"Blithe" wrote in message
...
To: Messrs Bear & Saunders
Update & FYI - the answer to my question

First - thanks to you both.
Mr. Saunders suggestion proved quite correct regarding use of register
cleaners

I recently began using "RegCure" - it passed my initial tests but added
scrutiny found it to be the cause of the erasures of my OE mail/newsgroup
accounts. One more thing ...

I had never lost Mail folders previously - but when I finally discovered
that my use of RegCure had erased my mail account, I then used, for the
first time, the RegCure feature that allows the user to restore the last
register deletions that were made. However, that register restore did
result in the loss of all except my default OE folders.

Fortunately, I have used 'Express Assist' - recommended several years ago
via MS newsgroup contributors, to backup OE folders/messages - & I was
able
to restore all lost OE data.

RegCure might still be a good product - but yes, any register cleaner
needs
to be used with extreme caution & current, reliable, available harddrive &
data backups.


Glad to hear that.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
Do not reply with email