Outlook Express - Compacting Messages

[bczoom]

I get regular prompts from Outlook Express saying something to the effect of "Do you want Outlook Express to compact your messages".

I thought I recall Junkman having a problem where it started deleting old messages.

What does this function really do?

[DaveNay]

Originally Posted by bczoom

I get regular prompts from Outlook Express saying something to the effect of "Do you want Outlook Express to compact your messages".

I thought I recall Junkman having a problem where it started deleting old messages.

What does this function really do?

<begin=rant mode>

Why the heck are you guys still using Outlook and/or Outlook Express?!?!?!!?

O and OE are two of the worst offenders for mail problems including spam, viruses and malware. My personal suggestion is to switch to Thunderbird for your email. It is free, works great, doesn't compact (delete! ) your email, and whenever there is a virus or malware, it doesn't infect your computer, and everyone in your contact list.

</end=rant mode>

As for your original question, I would suggest NOT allowing it to compact or archive your stuff, and then find where the setting is to turn off that prompt.

[jim slagle]

Originally Posted by DaveNay

<begin=rant mode>

Why the heck are you guys still using Outlook and/or Outlook Express?!?!?!!?

O and OE are two of the worst offenders for mail problems including spam, viruses and malware. My personal suggestion is to switch to Thunderbird for your email. It is free, works great, doesn't compact (delete! ) your email, and whenever there is a virus or malware, it doesn't infect your computer, and everyone in your contact list.

</end=rant mode>

As for your original question, I would suggest NOT allowing it to compact or archive your stuff, and then find where the setting is to turn off that prompt.

I agree with Dave. You need to get rid of Outlook as soon as you can.

I use Eudora. There's a full function free version with ads and the paid version kills the ads and adds spam filtering.

Another HUGE problem with Outlook is that it has a limit on the size storage file it can handle. Pass that limit and the file can be corrupted and you have lost all your stored email. I believe it is around 1 gb when the problem occurs.

Jim

[bczoom]

Originally Posted by DaveNay

Why the heck are you guys still using Outlook and/or Outlook Express?!?!?!!?

Because you hadn't previously told me about Thunderbird...

I use OE because I have several identities I need to keep separate. Does Thunderbird handle that?

[beds]

Originally Posted by bczoom

I have several identities I need to keep separate. Does Thunderbird handle that?

Brian, schizophrenia should be handled with therapy and medication. I don't think relying on new computer software is prudent.

[DaveNay]

Originally Posted by bczoom

Because you hadn't previously told me about Thunderbird...

I use OE because I have several identities I need to keep separate. Does Thunderbird handle that?

I believe it does. I have it running three seaprate email accounts, all at the same time. It can be configured to lump them all together into a single INBOX (blech!), or completely separate as I do it. Are you needing separate accounts, or separate names using the same account? I think it will do the "personalities" also.

[bczoom]

Originally Posted by DaveNay

Are you needing separate accounts, or separate names using the same account?

It varies but I have between 7-12 different e-mail addresses and accounts and all need to be kept separate. I switch identities to check the next inbox.

Originally Posted by beds

Brian, schizophrenia should be handled with therapy and medication. I don't think relying on new computer software is prudent.

I use FF for my forum discussions but use all these identities to chat amongst a smaller group. Some of my best conversations happen there (but between us... 2 of them are real idiots ).

[DaveNay]

Originally Posted by bczoom

It varies but I have between 7-12 different e-mail addresses and accounts and all need to be kept separate. I switch identities to check the next inbox.

Thunderbird should work perfect for you then. Each email address is added as an account, and appears on the left with it's own set of folders for Inbox, Trash, Sent, Junk, etc. Whenever you reply to a message, it automatically uses the correct account/servers/name/password, etc.

When you add an account, you want to make sure you UNCHECK THE OPTION TO USE GLOBAL INBOX. This will neatly segregate everything for you.

There is no switching profiles or identities, it is all automagic.

A screenshot is attached below showing the setting that needs to be unchecked. It defaults to checked, so make sure you change it.

[bczoom]

Thanks Dave.

I think I'll try it.
Do I need to do a backup of my PST or anything or is it pretty safe to just install?

[DaveNay]

Originally Posted by bczoom

Thanks Dave.

I think I'll try it.
Do I need to do a backup of my PST or anything or is it pretty safe to just install?

It doesn't touch your .PST at all normally. It has it's own data files. It has a built-in utility to transfer all your old settings, and I would make a backup of your .PST file prior to performing the import.

[chrisadam12]

How to compact messages in Outlook Express.

In this article we will dwell upon the question of compacting messages in Outlook Express. Messages in Outlook Express are compacted in order to speed up the work of Outlook Express and to decrease the space Outlook Express files take on the disk. It is also important that the more compact your files are the less probable it is that they will be damaged in case of any failure. Compacting your files in OE is really easy. To compact all files (and therefore all folders) used by Outlook Express, you should select Compact all folders in the File - Folder menu. This picture will help you better visualize this process.

Also, you can compact not all, but separate folders. For instance, you can compact only the Inbox folder. To do it, select the folder you want to compact and select the Compact menu item. This will compact only the folder that is current in Outlook Express.

There are some more important issues that should be kept in mind.

Do not store all your messages in one folder. For example, it will be better if you make several subfolders for the Inbox folder and sort your messages in them. What for? In this case Outlook Express will store your messages in several files making it less likely that you will lose all your correspondence at once.
Try to avoid keeping too many messages in one folder (it is recommended not to exceed the number of 2.000 messages). If there are too many messages, follow the first recommendation and divide the folder into several subfolders.
Regularly (approximately once a month) compact your folders. If you extensively use e-mail, you can do it more often.

[Adillo303]

Brian - Thunderbird also has a great system of filters that will sort your incoming email into folders of your choosing as it comes in. This is all within each of your separate accounts. It takes some time to set it up, it is worth it. The newer versions will even tell you which folders have new mail in them.

[Dargo]

Originally Posted by Adillo303

Brian - Thunderbird also has a great system of filters that will sort your incoming email into folders of your choosing as it comes in. This is all within each of your separate accounts. It takes some time to set it up, it is worth it. The newer versions will even tell you which folders have new mail in them.

Outlook has done that for at the last 10 years or so. However, since I have no particular love for Microsoft (no love for Mac ), I'll try Thunderbird.

Oh, BTW, I did get rid of my MacBook Pro. My daughter took it to college with her...for the 3 days she was there. I've not worked and have been all over the country to medical specialists in the last 3 weeks (If anyone noticed I haven't posted much). But, that's a topic for it's own thread when I feel I'm able to discuss.

[Adillo303]

Yes, both OE and Outlook support rules. Just pointing out that you do not loose functionality.

For whatever you are suffering from, I wish you a full an quick recovery.

[Dargo]

Downloaded Thunderbird, found that none of it's advertised functions work, deleted it. In it's description, it looked like it was trying to look like and feel like Outlook. However, it's automatic email setup failed. It's manual email setup failed. (I've never had a problem setting up any email account with any email program before), so the program failed in my mind. Sorry, in my mind it's just another wannabe program that doesn't work so I deleted it.

[rback33]

And does Thunderbird have calendar and contact functions that will sync with my Blackberry?