Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

July 18, 2008

My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

my Inbox dbx file?

I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

can I fix that?

July 18, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has notreduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has notreduced dbx file size

Rupert wrote:

> My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

> Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

> compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

> deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

> affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

> my Inbox dbx file?

>

> I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

> right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

> can I fix that?

>

With OE closed go into the .dbx files and delete the inbox.dbx. Outhouse

Distress will create a new one when you open it again.

May I suggest using Thunderbird instead as it doesn't have the size

limitations that OE has and also has an excellent junk filter. Not only

that, you can install and add on that will provide you with a calendar.

When you install Thunderbird, it will ask if you want to import

everything from OE. To top it off, T-Bird is MUCH easier to back up. All

you have to do is copy the three files in T-Bird and when you want to

restore, you nuke the three files created by default and replace them

with the backed up files.

Microsoft has discontinued support for OE. Mozilla has not for T-Bird.

P

July 18, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

"Rupert" <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote in message

news:Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid...

>

> My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

> Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

> compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

> deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

> affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

> my Inbox dbx file?

>

> I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

> right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

> can I fix that?

The boys in one of OE newsgroups would know the answer straight away.

July 18, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

"Rupert" <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote in message

news:Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid...

>

> My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

> Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

> compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

> deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

> affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

> my Inbox dbx file?

>

> I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

> right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

> can I fix that?

>

I always delete by highlighting the messages to delete, then using Shift -

Del

Galen

July 18, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

> My emails are important...

Uh-huh.

First of all, if INBOX.DBX is over 2GB, you're *extremely* lucky that OE

even opens!

Secondly, you should never use any default OE folder (i.e., Inbox; Sent

Items; Deleted Items) for archiving messages.

Third, you may not be compacting all OE folders properly.

1a. Move any messages that you want to keep out of Inbox, Sent Items and

Deleted Items folders and into other local OE folders you've created for

archiving (saving) such messages.

1b. Compact all OE folders manually

(http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm#compact).

1c. Do NOT empty the Recycle Bin!!

2. Write down the location of your identity's store

(http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm#storemain).

NB: In WindowsXP, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are marked as hidden

by default. To view these files in Windows Explorer, you must enable Show

Hidden Files and Folders via Start > Control Panel > Folder Options > View

(cf. http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial62.html).

3a. Close OE.

3b. Repeat: Close OE.

4. In Windows Explorer, navigate to your store folder, find & delete the

files Inbox.dbx, Outbox.dbx, Sent Items.dbx, and Deleted Items.dbx.

To avoid such problems in the future:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local

folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Frequently perform a manual compact of all OE folders while "working

offline". More at http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- Do not shut down your machine while Windows is automatically compacting

your message store.

- 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/nav.nsf/docid/2002111812533106

PS: Setting up Outlook Express to access Microsoft newsgroups

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

==

OE-specific newsgroup:

http://news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

Rupert wrote:

> My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

> Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

> compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

> deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

> affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

> my Inbox dbx file?

>

> I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

> right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

> can I fix that?

July 19, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:58 -0500, Rupert

<Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote:

>

>My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

>Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

>compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

>deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

>affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

>my Inbox dbx file?

>

>I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

>right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

>can I fix that?

>

Why ask HERE? Do you see OE in this group's title? NO.

Ask elsewhere

July 19, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

news:hge284d2l7l767q7hq5rpb6n8rvepsug5u@4ax.com...

> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:58 -0500, Rupert

> <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote:

>

>>

>>My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

>>Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

>>compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

>>deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

>>affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

>>my Inbox dbx file?

>>

>>I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

>>right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

>>can I fix that?

>>

>

> Why ask HERE? Do you see OE in this group's title? NO.

>

> Ask elsewhere

How unnecessary and arrogant!

July 20, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:24:24 +1000, "Moi" <user@user.com> wrote:

>

>"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

>news:hge284d2l7l767q7hq5rpb6n8rvepsug5u@4ax.com...

>> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:58 -0500, Rupert

>> <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote:

>>

>>>

>>>My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

>>>Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

>>>compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

>>>deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

>>>affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

>>>my Inbox dbx file?

>>>

>>>I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

>>>right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

>>>can I fix that?

>>>

>>

>> Why ask HERE? Do you see OE in this group's title? NO.

>>

>> Ask elsewhere

>

>How unnecessary and arrogant!

>

Deal with it.

July 20, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

More arrogance.

"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

news:vj1584lnqb28tkbo391suk1snavohvsm2j@4ax.com...

> On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:24:24 +1000, "Moi" <user@user.com> wrote:

>

>>

>>"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

>>news:hge284d2l7l767q7hq5rpb6n8rvepsug5u@4ax.com...

>>> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:58 -0500, Rupert

>>> <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote:

>>>

>>>>

>>>>My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

>>>>Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

>>>>compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

>>>>deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

>>>>affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

>>>>my Inbox dbx file?

>>>>

>>>>I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

>>>>right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

>>>>can I fix that?

>>>>

>>>

>>> Why ask HERE? Do you see OE in this group's title? NO.

>>>

>>> Ask elsewhere

>>

>>How unnecessary and arrogant!

>>

> Deal with it.

>

July 20, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Absolutely agree! But he can't be all evil! 'Edric', stand back for a

minute. Imagine you are a newbie for a moment. I expect you were once. You

run into trouble with the computer. Since the window you're looking through

it caled 'Windows' you seek help in that ng. You don't know the subtleties

of the difference between IE, Outlook et al... you just lump it all in as

Windows. Your natural inclination is to go straight to the Windows ng where

you hope some kindly person will help. Someone called 'Edric' responds to

your woes promptly and tells you which group is best, even gives you the

link (or he even solves it and gen tly points out which is the better group

in the future). How kind of a fellow-person! Your problem is solved. Sound

familiar? Well, no, actually.... You cop his abuse immediately . You have

dared to post to the Edrically ordained 'wrong' group, but do you know which

is the *right* group? Edric doesn't help you with that. Thank goodness I'm

not your neighbour, Edric.

"Unknown" <unknown@unknown.kom> wrote in message

news:37Igk.12957$LG4.6409@nlpi065.nbdc.sbc.com...

> More arrogance.

> "Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

> news:vj1584lnqb28tkbo391suk1snavohvsm2j@4ax.com...

>> On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:24:24 +1000, "Moi" <user@user.com> wrote:

>>

>>>

>>>"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

>>>news:hge284d2l7l767q7hq5rpb6n8rvepsug5u@4ax.com...

>>>> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:58 -0500, Rupert

>>>> <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote:

>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

>>>>>Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

>>>>>compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

>>>>>deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to

>>>>>have

>>>>>affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

>>>>>my Inbox dbx file?

>>>>>

>>>>>I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

>>>>>right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

>>>>>can I fix that?

>>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Why ask HERE? Do you see OE in this group's title? NO.

>>>>

>>>> Ask elsewhere

>>>

>>>How unnecessary and arrogant!

>>>

>> Deal with it.

>>

>

July 20, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Please don't feed the trolls.

Moi wrote:

> Absolutely agree! But he can't be all evil! 'Edric', stand back for a

> minute. Imagine you are a newbie for a moment. I expect you were once. You

> run into trouble with the computer. Since the window you're looking

> through

> it caled 'Windows' you seek help in that ng. You don't know the subtleties

> of the difference between IE, Outlook et al... you just lump it all in as

> Windows. Your natural inclination is to go straight to the Windows ng

> where

> you hope some kindly person will help. Someone called 'Edric' responds to

> your woes promptly and tells you which group is best, even gives you the

> link (or he even solves it and gen tly points out which is the better

> group

> in the future). How kind of a fellow-person! Your problem is solved. Sound

> familiar? Well, no, actually.... You cop his abuse immediately . You have

> dared to post to the Edrically ordained 'wrong' group, but do you know

> which

> is the *right* group? Edric doesn't help you with that. Thank goodness I'm

> not your neighbour, Edric.

>

> "Unknown" <unknown@unknown.kom> wrote in message

> news:37Igk.12957$LG4.6409@nlpi065.nbdc.sbc.com...

>> More arrogance.

>> "Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

>> news:vj1584lnqb28tkbo391suk1snavohvsm2j@4ax.com...

>>> On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:24:24 +1000, "Moi" <user@user.com> wrote:

>>>

>>>>

>>>> "Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

>>>> news:hge284d2l7l767q7hq5rpb6n8rvepsug5u@4ax.com...

>>>>> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:58 -0500, Rupert

>>>>> <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote:

>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>> My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive

>>>>>> subdirectory.

>>>>>> Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

>>>>>> compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

>>>>>> deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to

>>>>>> have

>>>>>> affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size

>>>>>> of

>>>>>> my Inbox dbx file?

>>>>>>

>>>>>> I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

>>>>>> right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

>>>>>> can I fix that?

>>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> Why ask HERE? Do you see OE in this group's title? NO.

>>>>>

>>>>> Ask elsewhere

>>>>

>>>> How unnecessary and arrogant!

>>>>

>>> Deal with it.

July 20, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

On Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:24:21 +1000, "Moi" <user@user.com> wrote:

>Absolutely agree! But he can't be all evil! 'Edric', stand back for a

>minute. Imagine you are a newbie for a moment. I expect you were once. You

>run into trouble with the computer. Since the window you're looking through

>it caled 'Windows' you seek help in that ng. You don't know the subtleties

>of the difference between IE, Outlook et al... you just lump it all in as

>Windows. Your natural inclination is to go straight to the Windows ng where

>you hope some kindly person will help. Someone called 'Edric' responds to

>your woes promptly and tells you which group is best, even gives you the

>link (or he even solves it and gen tly points out which is the better group

>in the future). How kind of a fellow-person! Your problem is solved. Sound

>familiar? Well, no, actually.... You cop his abuse immediately . You have

>dared to post to the Edrically ordained 'wrong' group, but do you know which

>is the *right* group? Edric doesn't help you with that. Thank goodness I'm

>not your neighbour, Edric.

I NEVER just jumped in and asked idiotic off topic CRAP. I lurked for

a while to get a fee for the group and what it was about. Then I

looked for answers on my own IN APPROPRIATE FORUMS.

You see, I know how to go to the CORRECT places to find my answers.

By coddling, you are just telling them to continue to post things

where they don't belong. Slaps in the face are generally a better way

to correct behavior than coddling. It may make you angry, but you

LEARN.

July 21, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

news:hge284d2l7l767q7hq5rpb6n8rvepsug5u@4ax.com...

> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:58 -0500, Rupert

> <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote:

>

>>

>>My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

>>Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

>>compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

>>deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

>>affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

>>my Inbox dbx file?

>>

>>I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

>>right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

>>can I fix that?

>>

>

> Why ask HERE? Do you see OE in this group's title? NO.

>

> Ask elsewhere

>

No, but Windows XP is in the group title and OE is a part of Windows XP.

Asking here is entirely the correct place to ask. It is a general question

about a general feature.

July 22, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

On Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:48:41 +0100, "Walter Wall" <wall@privacy.net>

wrote:

>

>"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

>news:hge284d2l7l767q7hq5rpb6n8rvepsug5u@4ax.com...

>> On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:58:58 -0500, Rupert

>> <Rupert.3cr3v3@no.email.invalid> wrote:

>>

>>>

>>>My emails are important. I copied my Inbox to an archive subdirectory.

>>>Then I deleted from my Inbox all messages from 2002-2006. Then I

>>>compacted all files offline. The Inbox dbx file is still over 2gb.

>>>deleting all those messages and compacting the file doesn't seem to have

>>>affected the size of the file. Can someone help me reduce the size of

>>>my Inbox dbx file?

>>>

>>>I deleted messages by pressing the delete key. Maybe I should have

>>>right-clicked the messages and chosen delete. If that's the problem,

>>>can I fix that?

>>>

>>

>> Why ask HERE? Do you see OE in this group's title? NO.

>>

>> Ask elsewhere

>>

>

>No, but Windows XP is in the group title and OE is a part of Windows XP.

>

>Asking here is entirely the correct place to ask. It is a general question

>about a general feature.

>

OE is not a part of XP. NONE of my three computers running XP have OE

on them. Nice try though.

July 31, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

news:do3294dkffv4r5vnfe0uev8a7f9qrbvfgi@4ax.com...

> On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:28:36 +0100, "M.I.5¾"

> <no.one@no.where.NO_SPAM.co.uk> wrote:

>

>>

>>"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

>>news:ug9v84ho3l8pre481mt3049n1u750s02qo@4ax.com...

>>> On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:59:28 +0100, "M.I.5¾"

>>> <no.one@no.where.NO_SPAM.co.uk> wrote:

>>>

>>>>

>>>>"Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

>>>>news:uvj784tjki0be2tipbonovsnhcj5o6tgb5@4ax.com...

>>>>> On Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:24:21 +1000, "Moi" <user@user.com> wrote:

>>>>>

>>>>>>Absolutely agree! But he can't be all evil! 'Edric', stand back for

>>>>>>a

>>>>>>minute. Imagine you are a newbie for a moment. I expect you were once.

>>>>>>You

>>>>>>run into trouble with the computer. Since the window you're looking

>>>>>>through

>>>>>>it caled 'Windows' you seek help in that ng. You don't know the

>>>>>>subtleties

>>>>>>of the difference between IE, Outlook et al... you just lump it all in

>>>>>>as

>>>>>>Windows. Your natural inclination is to go straight to the Windows ng

>>>>>>where

>>>>>>you hope some kindly person will help. Someone called 'Edric' responds

>>>>>>to

>>>>>>your woes promptly and tells you which group is best, even gives you

>>>>>>the

>>>>>>link (or he even solves it and gen tly points out which is the better

>>>>>>group

>>>>>>in the future). How kind of a fellow-person! Your problem is solved.

>>>>>>Sound

>>>>>>familiar? Well, no, actually.... You cop his abuse immediately . You

>>>>>>have

>>>>>>dared to post to the Edrically ordained 'wrong' group, but do you know

>>>>>>which

>>>>>>is the *right* group? Edric doesn't help you with that. Thank goodness

>>>>>>I'm

>>>>>>not your neighbour, Edric.

>>>>>

>>>>> I NEVER just jumped in and asked idiotic off topic CRAP. I lurked for

>>>>> a while to get a fee for the group and what it was about. Then I

>>>>> looked for answers on my own IN APPROPRIATE FORUMS.

>>>>>

>>>>> You see, I know how to go to the CORRECT places to find my answers.

>>>>> By coddling, you are just telling them to continue to post things

>>>>> where they don't belong. Slaps in the face are generally a better way

>>>>> to correct behavior than coddling. It may make you angry, but you

>>>>> LEARN.

>>>>>

>>>>

>>>>Why is asking a question about Outlook Express offtopic? Outlook

>>>>Express

>>>>is

>>>>an integal part of Windows XP and thus a very *on topic* question for a

>>>>Windows XP general newsgroup.

>>>

>>> No it's not. I have XP on all but one of my systems, and NONE of them

>>> have OE on them. It is not an 'integral" part of the OS but just

>>> another program.

>>>

>>

>>Then you haven't looked very hard. Outlook Express (as opposed to

>>Outlook)

>>is installed when XP is installed. It is part of the standard suite of

>>utilities installed by default.

>

> So? It can be removed just as easily. It is a separate PROGRAM and

> not "part" of the OS.

>

Big deal. So can lots of functionality in XP and much of it separate

programs. Even something as humble as the FORMAT routine is executed by

running a separate program.

Outlook Express is supplied on the XP disc and therefore part of the overall

XP system.

July 31, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:42:03 +0100, "M.I.5¾"

<no.one@no.where.NO_SPAM.co.uk> wrote:

>

> "Edric" <none@nobody.net> wrote in message

> news:do3294dkffv4r5vnfe0uev8a7f9qrbvfgi@4ax.com...

> > On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:28:36 +0100, "M.I.5¾"

> > <no.one@no.where.NO_SPAM.co.uk> wrote:

> >

> >>

> >>>>Why is asking a question about Outlook Express offtopic? Outlook

> >>>>Express

> >>>>is

> >>>>an integal part of Windows XP and thus a very *on topic* question for a

> >>>>Windows XP general newsgroup.

> >>>

> >>> No it's not. I have XP on all but one of my systems, and NONE of them

> >>> have OE on them. It is not an 'integral" part of the OS but just

> >>> another program.

> >>>

> >>

> >>Then you haven't looked very hard. Outlook Express (as opposed to

> >>Outlook)

> >>is installed when XP is installed. It is part of the standard suite of

> >>utilities installed by default.

> >

> > So? It can be removed just as easily. It is a separate PROGRAM and

> > not "part" of the OS.

> >

>

> Big deal. So can lots of functionality in XP and much of it separate

> programs. Even something as humble as the FORMAT routine is executed by

> running a separate program.

>

> Outlook Express is supplied on the XP disc and therefore part of the overall

> XP system.

Yes.

Despite Edric's incessant rude mean-spirited complaints about

off-topic posting, the real point is that even though Outlook Express

*is* part of Windows, it has a separate newsgroup of its own. So

although it may be on-topic here, someone with Outlook Express

questions would be much more likely to get the help he needs if he

asked in the OE newsgroups, since that's where the OE experts hang

out. So politely advising people with OE questions to ask there would

be a service to them. The way Edric posts, it's a service to nobody.

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

August 2, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has notreduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has notreduced dbx file size

On 19 Lip, 00:39, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:

> > My emails are important...

>

> Uh-huh.

>

> First of all, if INBOX.DBX is over 2GB, you're *extremely* lucky that OE

> even opens!

(...)

>

Wow, very excellent response ... but why Outlook Express do not do

that amazing job?

It looks like Microsoft arrogance. Hundred millions of XP users use OE

and all got the same problems. Size of dbx files grows up to hundreds

megabytes or few gigabytes and OE stop work, hangs or got unexpected

behaviour like do not show new messages.

The problem is - OE got some dummy options that nothing do, like

"delete mail from boxes/folders" or options from Options/Tools/

Maintenance/Clean now, Compact, Delete news or Reset.

All above operations should decrese size of dbx files but don't do

that!

So the question is - How to delete old mails with dbx's decreasing?

August 2, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

"krokodylowy" <krokodylowy@wp.pl> wrote in message

news:0d2bc976-8c72-47b5-aa08-4fad759952b5@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...

> On 19 Lip, 00:39, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:

>> > My emails are important...

>>

>> Uh-huh.

>>

>> First of all, if INBOX.DBX is over 2GB, you're *extremely* lucky that OE

>> even opens!

> (...)

>

>>

>

> Wow, very excellent response ... but why Outlook Express do not do

> that amazing job?

>

> It looks like Microsoft arrogance. Hundred millions of XP users use OE

> and all got the same problems. Size of dbx files grows up to hundreds

> megabytes or few gigabytes and OE stop work, hangs or got unexpected

> behaviour like do not show new messages.

>

> The problem is - OE got some dummy options that nothing do, like

> "delete mail from boxes/folders" or options from Options/Tools/

> Maintenance/Clean now, Compact, Delete news or Reset.

>

> All above operations should decrese size of dbx files but don't do

> that!

>

> So the question is - How to delete old mails with dbx's decreasing?

>

Please include all previous messages in your replies. It makes things much

easier for us to follow. Thank you.

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Clean Up Now is /only/ for newsgroups. To

compact all your mail folders, do the following.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are

open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the

Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until

the compacting is completed.

General precautions for Outlook Express:

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become

corrupt. 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.

After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while

working *offline* and do it often.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are

open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the

Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until

the compacting is completed.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer

of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems such as

time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program will

continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:

http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and

leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Backup & Restore:

http://www.insideoe.com/backup/

This is a great two click program:

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB)

http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx

--

Bruce Hagen

MS-MVP Outlook Express

Imperial Beach, CA

August 2, 2008

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

Re: Outlook Express - deleting messages and then compacting has not reduced dbx file size

I covered most of this in the section "To avoid such problems in the future"

in my first reply to this thread.

OE Tools | Options | Maintenance | Delete read message bodies in newsgroups

=> If enabled, this option will delete any downloaded newsgroup messages but

it will not delete any headers.

OE Tools | Options | Maintenance | Clean Up Now => This only applies to

newsgroups.

The only way to decrease the size of a DBX file is to compact it. The only

way to decrease the size of all DBX files is to compact them all (ALT+F+F+F;

cf. http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm#compact).

--

~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/

krokodylowy wrote:

<snip>

> The problem is - OE got some dummy options that nothing do, like

> "delete mail from boxes/folders" or options from Options/Tools/

> Maintenance/Clean now, Compact, Delete news or Reset.

>

> All above operations should decrese size of dbx files but don't do

> that!

>

> So the question is - How to delete old mails with dbx's decreasing?

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