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General discussion

Compacting files in Outlook Express

Jan 19, 2005 4:44AM PST

Saturday will be a year that I have had my Dell WinXP Home Edition. Yesterday, for the first time, after I closed OE, I was offered the option to compact messages to free up disk space. I have read that OE does not actually remove an item after deletion, but tags it for a removal when you compact your folders.

I also read where OE, by default, is configured to compact folders automatically during periods of inactivity. Apparently, you can turn this feature off. One of my problems.. besides not understanding any of this.. is that I don't see where this feature is when I look under Options>Maintenance. The ONLY thing checked off is 'Delete news messages "5" days after being downloaded'. I do not utilize news messages.

I have created a great deal of local folders and do not want to lose them. I do not want to lose anything that I have not deleted myself. So I naively ask... with a little embarrassment thrown in.. if I compact folders, is this something that goes on in the background, or will it actually delete or alter all the messages/files/folders, I now see.

I might also add, I know I can tick the message and it will go away. I am extremely judicious about maintenance and don't wish to do it like this. While having said that, I have more than enough disk space and my computer could not be running more efficiently. (If only there were a message that asked, "You have a problem, do you want me to fix it"!)

Kindly excuse the length of this post. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Discussion is locked

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Compacting Outlook does not delete messages
Jan 19, 2005 6:53AM PST

After deleting a large number of messages, you may notice the size of your pst doesn't decrease. This is because it needs compacted. Normally, Outlook does this when the computer is idle and the space used by the deleted items (aka "white space") is over 20%.

Hope this helps

http://www.mopo.ca

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Luapo, No pst in Outlook Express
Jan 19, 2005 7:02AM PST

...only in Outlook. The files in Outlook Express are .dbx but your advice still applies.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Curcat, Compacting Folders Shouldn't Cause A Problem, But...
Jan 19, 2005 6:58AM PST

...you never can know for sure...It's always a good idea to backup your messages if they are important to you.

The "Compact Messages" message will continue to pop up if you don't run the compacter, but there is a way to reset the registry so the message won't bug you for another 100 closings or so. Here is a link that describes how to do that. Read the entire thread for some good information. About the fifth post down, you'll see the registry edit required.:

Re: OE doesn't allow backing up

Hope this helps.

Grif

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You did it again...
Jan 19, 2005 9:25AM PST

Grif..

When it comes to answers to my posts, you know what to say and how it needs to be said... in the very basic of terms. I started reading and decided to stop and let you know, that I appreciate all the info you have given me. (A voice in my head kept saying, "Backup.. backup". I guess I needed to hear another voice! Glad it was your's.) I will continue to read. Backup. Compact. And pray!

Thanks again.

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RE:
Jan 19, 2005 9:34PM PST

1. Compacting all folders in OE frequently repairs mild corruption and surprisingly enough as ironic as it seems, the compaction process itself has also been implicated in causing corruption. Before WinXP SP2, OE was configured by default to compact files automatically after inactive for some minutes. However, although OE might have been inactive, the same could not always be said for other programs being used when compaction began. On some systems, particularly those with limited amounts of RAM or slow processors, the sudden drain on computer resources sometimes caused anomalies that too often damaged the DBX.

2. It is largely for this reason that the background compaction feature was removed from WinXP SP2. OE will now compact automatically only after opening and closing 100 times. It will do so not in the background, when you might be busy doing other things on the computer, but rather when the option is approved. Do not cancel the process, nor use your computer until it is finished. For the reason mention previously, you should still compact all folders on a regular basis based on volumns of mail received and as mentioned here. You should disable the background compaction (Click Tools, Options, Maintenance, click to clear the checkbox for Compact messages automatically in the background", and then click OK) "File Corruption in Outlook Express."

a. On the File menu, click Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving.

b. In the Folder list, click on Outlook Express so that no e-mail or news folder is open.

c.Close the Folder list by clicking the "X" in the upper right-hand corner of the list panel. Alternatively you can click Layout on the View menu, and then clear the checkbox for "Folder List".

d. On the File menu, point to Folder, and then click Compact All Folders. Do not use your computer until the process is complete, which might take several minutes.

e. If an error occurs, close OE, re-open it, and begin the process again from the top. If the same error occurs again, close OE, restart your computer (or log off and then log on again), open OE and then begin the whole process again.

3. The article [Q311030] states that when clicking a Web link in a message or a message itself, the response time is slow and can occur if background compaction of stored newsgroup messages is turned on.

a. This feature is designed to wait until OE has been idle for several minutes and then begin compacting newsgroup mail and news folders in the background -- not OE mail, and stores process information in the file Cleanup.log. I do not recommend using this option since anything from a disconnect or any other system anomaly that could happen when compaction is in progress could totally trash the Store folders. However, OE does not remove deleted mail information from the applicable *.dbx file until a user opts to compact a folder or all folders manually -- the longer you wait, the bigger it gets, and the longer it takes processing. To minimize files and disk space, compact a folder or all folders regularly (File, Folders, Compact).

b. OE can save all commands to and from a server in a log file for troubleshooting purposes which a user may never find useful. They not only requires hard drive space but may slow down the mailer operation as well -- Tools, Options, Maintenance tab and in the section titled Troubleshooting, remove any check marks from the four boxes. Click the button labeled Store Folder. When you see the path, click and bold the path to copy it to the Clipboard. Then click the two buttons, Apply and OK. Click Start, Run, and then press the key combinations Ctrl+v to place that path in the box. Press Enter. Upon reaching this folder in Explorer, highlight the files which end with an extension of .log (while holding the Ctrl key). When bolded, press the Del key on the keypad. Remember, should there be any concern about this procedure, those files will reside in the Recycled folder until they are removed and can always be put back should you feel it necessary -- but you will not find it required.

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A question or two...
Jan 20, 2005 2:16AM PST

Cursorcowboy...

No one can ever accuse you of not being thorough! Your posts always supply a great deal of information. The article was of great help to me. I have read one other by Tom Koch. I believe it came about, as a result of a prior post from you. Is there any way to read other articles by him, on a consistent basis? Or are they sporadic at that site?

My only confusion is this. As he, and you mentioned, the background compaction feature was removed from WinXP SP2. At the end of the same paragraph, you say to disable the 'Compact messages automatically in the background'. Since I have installed SP2, I do not see that option. Am I missing something? (I don't mean literally. More so, is it in a "not so obvious" location?)

As of this morning, I have backed up what is important to me in OE and compacted w/o a hitch.

Thanks again.

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(NT) (NT) Curcat, The 'Disable' Option Was Removed From SP2
Jan 20, 2005 3:40AM PST
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(NT) (NT) Thanks... another lesson learned!
Jan 20, 2005 3:49AM PST
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Addition -> "when using systems prior to SP2"
Jan 20, 2005 11:32PM PST

Access the hyperlink in my previous and on the line Search Microsoft.com for, enter Tom Koch and then press ENTER -- 25 or so articles already published.

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(NT) (NT) Cursorcowboy.. thanks again.
Jan 21, 2005 1:51AM PST