"Windows Mail can compact the message store"

[Gary VanderMolen]

You're welcome, David.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)

Thanks, Gary,
A clear, understandble answer.
I'm having same issue.
David

By default the compaction process asks to run after you've opened
and closed Windows Mail 100 times. That frequency can be adjusted
under Tools, Options, Advanced, Maintenance. Once you let it do its
thing, it should not bother you again for another 100 runs.
What it does, it removes blank spaces that have developed in the
database. Every time you delete an email, that slot in the database
is made into a blank. Periodic removal of the blanks will make database
accesses faster.
--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)

I have been running Vista for 2 months and the message asking if I wanted to
compact just started appearing. It does so every time I log onto my windows
mail. After reading these threads, I still do not understand what the program
will do if I respond "yes". Someone else asked that question a few threads
ago and did not get an answer as well. What the heck is this?

Mitch

:

What does the windows say?
You mean the one about compacting the message store? That one
should not come up every time you read an email.

Gary VanderMolen [MS MVP-WLM]


How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an email?
This is very annoying.

 

[Steph in VA]

I don't want to compact the message store. Does anyone know how to get rid
of that annoying message????

 

[Dave]

Why don't you want to? It removes the dead space from the message store(
index). It does nothing to your email messages. It should speed up the
mail program.

 

[Laura]

Click on Tools>>options and go to the Advanced tab. Click on the Maintenance
button. Now uncheck the option to compact the database after x uses.

As Dave posted, you really should compact the database on a regular basis.
Change the number of uses to a higher number but let it compact when
prompted.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Can you state the reason for your statement?
Eventually your message store would become so fragmented
as to severely slow down Windows Mail.

 

[ediz]

I have the same situation but IS compacting actually nesseccary?

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Yes, the message store needs to be compacted periodically.
By default, you will be prompted after 100 runs of Windows Mail, but
you can change that interval under Tools, Options, Advanced, Maintenance

 

[Guest]

Depends on how much you want Windows Mail to slow down and
take extra disk space because its database hasn't been compacted.

 

[dlstarry]

I just clicked on OK to compact my WM message store & everything is still OK
Thank You for all the info.
--
Windows Vista Home Premium
Service Pack 1
Dell Inspiron 530
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E4500 @ 2.20 GHz 2.20 GHz
Memory 2.00 GB
32-bit Operating System

dlstarry

 

[CaliforniaAutumn]

Hello Gary!
I read all the threads on this subject and I think some people are still
confused. I didn't know what it means to compact the messages, but after
reading all of the threads, I think I understand it. I am going to compact
after this message. A good analogy that might help us (people who really
don't "get" computers) understand what it means to "compact the message
store" is:

Imagine you have a bookshelf (message store) filled with books (emails) with
bookends on each side. You are going to have a garage sale and pull out some
books for sale (deleted emails). Now, there are empty spaces on your
bookshelf where the old books used to be (leftover email stuff taking up
space). You squish the books together and move the bookends so there are no
more empty spaces (compacting the message store). Now you have more space
for new books.

Just thought this analogy would help. Thank you for taking the time and
having the patience to explain these "computer things" to us!

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Your analogy is not correct for Windows Mail. What you describe
is what happens with compaction in OE, where all messages in
a folder are bundled together in a .DBX file. In Windows Mail, each
message is in its own file, so no message compaction is needed.
What does need compacting in Windows Mail is the database that
acts like an index or lookup table for the messages. Each time a
message is deleted, it leaves a blank record in the index. Removing
the blank records speeds up database accesses.

 

[Deanna Dubby]

When you delete messages the space isn't necessarily freed up. By compacting
the store occasionally, every 100 shutdowns by default, it keeps the store
smaller than it otherwise would be. This is a good thing BTW.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[David J]

If I've deleted something why would I want to have it compacted? I want it
gone forever, not filling up my hard drive. Isn't there some way to
accomplish that?

What does the windows say?
You mean the one about compacting the message store? That one
should not come up every time you read an email.

Gary VanderMolen [MS MVP-WLM]

How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an email?
This is very annoying.

 

[Dave]

The message store is a file that keeps track of the messages, what folder
they're in, etc.
When you delete a message, the message store still contains data about it,
but not the message itself.
When you do the compaction, the data about the deleted messages is removed
from the message store, and the space is reclaimed.
It does nothing to the messages.

--
Vista Home Premium 32 SP1
http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview

If I've deleted something why would I want to have it compacted? I want it
gone forever, not filling up my hard drive. Isn't there some way to
accomplish that?

What does the windows say?
You mean the one about compacting the message store? That one
should not come up every time you read an email.

Gary VanderMolen [MS MVP-WLM]

How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an
email?
This is very annoying.

 

[tabbykat1010]

This was the best description of those messages and what they do. I have
looked through so many of these messages and this was the best and easily
understandable. Thank you so much Gary!

By default the compaction process asks to run after you've opened
and closed Windows Mail 100 times. That frequency can be adjusted
under Tools, Options, Advanced, Maintenance. Once you let it do its
thing, it should not bother you again for another 100 runs.
What it does, it removes blank spaces that have developed in the
database. Every time you delete an email, that slot in the database
is made into a blank. Periodic removal of the blanks will make database
accesses faster.
--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)

I have been running Vista for 2 months and the message asking if I wanted to
compact just started appearing. It does so every time I log onto my windows
mail. After reading these threads, I still do not understand what the program
will do if I respond "yes". Someone else asked that question a few threads
ago and did not get an answer as well. What the heck is this?

Mitch

What does the windows say?
You mean the one about compacting the message store? That one
should not come up every time you read an email.

Gary VanderMolen [MS MVP-WLM]


How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an email?
This is very annoying.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

You're very welcome.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (Mail)

This was the best description of those messages and what they do. I have
looked through so many of these messages and this was the best and easily
understandable. Thank you so much Gary!

By default the compaction process asks to run after you've opened
and closed Windows Mail 100 times. That frequency can be adjusted
under Tools, Options, Advanced, Maintenance. Once you let it do its
thing, it should not bother you again for another 100 runs.
What it does, it removes blank spaces that have developed in the
database. Every time you delete an email, that slot in the database
is made into a blank. Periodic removal of the blanks will make database
accesses faster.
--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)

I have been running Vista for 2 months and the message asking if I wanted to
compact just started appearing. It does so every time I log onto my windows
mail. After reading these threads, I still do not understand what the program
will do if I respond "yes". Someone else asked that question a few threads
ago and did not get an answer as well. What the heck is this?

Mitch

:

What does the windows say?
You mean the one about compacting the message store? That one
should not come up every time you read an email.

Gary VanderMolen [MS MVP-WLM]


How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an email?
This is very annoying.

 

[Dr. RHA]

Mr. VanderMolen: You are a valued asset to this "community". You certainly are
computer savvy, and your explanations in response to questions are concise
but clear and readily understandable. Your help with respect to the Windows
Mail compacting issue is especially appreciated. I'll wager that everyone who
read your threads concerning that matter will agree.

Thanks --- very much!

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Thank you for those kudos.
My motto is that verbosity often clouds the issue.

 

[Susanna]

The last time I clicked OK to this message, I later found several important
emails went missing. I checked in all the folders but couldn't find it. I
seek Help to try to locate the emails but to no avail.

I will not click OK from now on and will removed this constant message
permanently from my screen.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

That's equivalent to never taking the garbage out. Eventually you run
out of room in your house because every spot is filled with garbage.