Outlook Express folders keep growing after deleting messages

[LJM940]

I back up my Outlook Express 6.0 messages by copying them to a separate folder. But I've noticed that the folder sizes keep growing AFTER messages have been deleted.

For instance, I recently deleted a TON of old messages -- 4,697 of them to be exact -- and then I made sure to empty the Deleted Items folder.

But when I backed up the *.dbx files AFTER the Deleted Items folders was (allegedly) emptied, I note that the backup of my Deleted Items folder has grown almost ten-fold from 85MB to 830MB!!

Likewise, my Inbox now has half the messages it held previously -- yet its size has INCREASED from 184MB to 201MB.

Another folder which previously held 1,524 messages now contains only 167 -- yet its size has INCREASED from 539MB to 574MB.

If I may quote Mr. Spock, "This is ILLOGICAL".

How can folders that have had messages deleted continue to grow?!?!?

 

[Bill in Co.]

Use plain text for newsgroups.
You need to run the compaction routine in OE: Tools, Options,
Maintenance, Clean Up Now, Compact.

I back up my Outlook Express 6.0 messages by copying them to a separate
folder. But I've noticed that the folder sizes keep growing AFTER messages
have been deleted.

For instance, I recently deleted a TON of old messages -- 4,697 of them to
be exact -- and then I made sure to empty the Deleted Items folder.

But when I backed up the *.dbx files AFTER the Deleted Items folders was
(allegedly) emptied, I note that the backup of my Deleted Items folder has
grown almost ten-fold from 85MB to 830MB!!

Likewise, my Inbox now has half the messages it held previously -- yet its
size has INCREASED from 184MB to 201MB.

Another folder which previously held 1,524 messages now contains only 167 --
yet its size has INCREASED from 539MB to 574MB.

If I may quote Mr. Spock, "This is ILLOGICAL".

How can folders that have had messages deleted continue to grow?!?!?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

The File menu has an option to 'Compact all folders"

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Mark L. Ferguson

..
I back up my Outlook Express 6.0 messages by copying them to a separate
folder. But I've noticed that the folder sizes keep growing AFTER messages
have been deleted.

For instance, I recently deleted a TON of old messages -- 4,697 of them to
be exact -- and then I made sure to empty the Deleted Items folder.

But when I backed up the *.dbx files AFTER the Deleted Items folders was
(allegedly) emptied, I note that the backup of my Deleted Items folder has
grown almost ten-fold from 85MB to 830MB!!

Likewise, my Inbox now has half the messages it held previously -- yet its
size has INCREASED from 184MB to 201MB.

Another folder which previously held 1,524 messages now contains only 167 --
yet its size has INCREASED from 539MB to 574MB.

If I may quote Mr. Spock, "This is ILLOGICAL".

How can folders that have had messages deleted continue to grow?!?!?

 

[smlunatick]

I back up my Outlook Express 6.0 messages by copying them to a separate folder. But I've noticed that the folder sizes keep growing AFTER messages have been deleted.

For instance, I recently deleted a TON of old messages -- 4,697 of them tobe exact -- and then I made sure to empty the Deleted Items folder.

But when I backed up the *.dbx files AFTER the Deleted Items folders was (allegedly) emptied, I note that the backup of my Deleted Items folder has grown almost ten-fold from 85MB to 830MB!!

Likewise, my Inbox now has half the messages it held previously -- yet itssize has INCREASED from 184MB to 201MB.

Another folder which previously held 1,524 messages now contains only 167 -- yet its size has INCREASED from 539MB to 574MB.

If I may quote Mr. Spock, "This is ILLOGICAL".

How can folders that have had messages deleted continue to grow?!?!?

OE will remove the deleted emails but unfortunately it will not remove
the "used" space in the folders. The deleted emails position in the
files do not seem to be recycled and by compressing the folder will
clear the the "deleted" unused entries blocks.

 

[Twayne]

OE will remove the deleted emails but unfortunately it will not remove
the "used" space in the folders. The deleted emails position in the
files do not seem to be recycled and by compressing the folder will
clear the the "deleted" unused entries blocks.

When you delete a message, all OE does is flag it so it won't be shown
again. To reclaim the used space you have to compact it.

To compact and back up e-mail folders

1.. Select an e-mail folder.
2.. On the File menu, point to Folder, and then click Compact.
3.. To back up the folder, find the folder file, and then copy it to a
backup folder, floppy disk, or network drive. Outlook Express e-mail
folders have a .dbx extension (for example, "Sent Items.dbx").
Notes

a.. Some message files might be too large to back up onto a floppy
disk.
b.. If you are using a program other than Outlook Express to send
e-mail messages to newsgroups, check your e-mail program's documentation
for information about compacting and deleting e-mail folders.

If you're NOT compacting messages periodically, especially when OE asks
you for permission to do it, you risk losing ALL of your e-mails! It is
NOT a perfect database; compacting will indeed keep it working right.


--
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Regards,

Twayne

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