Compacting data file?

[MS]

In Outlook Express compacting the data files was fairly
straightforward--File menu, Folders, compact all folders. It would take a
while, but it would work.

Since switching to Outlook (2002), that has not been so simple. It took me a
long time to find the compact command at all. Now I found it, but it doesn't
seem to work. I find it at File, Data File Management, Settings, Compact
Now.

I ran it after deleting many items, and emptying the "Deleted Items" folder.
The .pst file size should have decreased significantly.

I see a message for about a half of a second called "Compacting", and the
message goes away. It's hard to believe the file would compact that fast!

And indeed, when I look at the outlook.pst file in Explorer, I see that the
file is the same size as before the compacting. That button doesn't seem to
work at all, it only shows a "Compacting" message for about a half second,
and doesn't really do anything.

Any real way to compact that file? (In OE the data is stored in a separate
file for each OE folder. In Outlook it is all stored in one .PST
file--e-mail, PIM info, etc.)

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Are you certain you are compacting the correct PST?
How many are there on your hard drive?
The reported file size won't change after compacting. It will change after
you delete items. Compacting removes white space.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

In addition to what Russ said, you will not see any results unless you
remove appx. 10% of the data file size. Then compacting will show a
difference.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.


Having searched the archives,
MS <[email protected]> typed:
| In Outlook Express compacting the data files was fairly
| straightforward--File menu, Folders, compact all folders. It would
| take a while, but it would work.
|
| Since switching to Outlook (2002), that has not been so simple. It
| took me a long time to find the compact command at all. Now I found
| it, but it doesn't seem to work. I find it at File, Data File
| Management, Settings, Compact Now.
|
| I ran it after deleting many items, and emptying the "Deleted Items"
| folder. The .pst file size should have decreased significantly.
|
| I see a message for about a half of a second called "Compacting", and
| the message goes away. It's hard to believe the file would compact
| that fast!
|
| And indeed, when I look at the outlook.pst file in Explorer, I see
| that the file is the same size as before the compacting. That button
| doesn't seem to work at all, it only shows a "Compacting" message for
| about a half second, and doesn't really do anything.
|
| Any real way to compact that file? (In OE the data is stored in a
| separate file for each OE folder. In Outlook it is all stored in one
| .PST file--e-mail, PIM info, etc.)

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

It depends on where the PST file size is being reported.
When you look at folder size within Outlook (Properties for the root
Personal Folder), it will change immediately when you delete items but will
not change when you compact.
If you look in Windows Explorer, file size will not change as you delete
items, but will not change when you compact.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Doesn't that white space take up space in the file, although there is no
data in it?

In OE, compacting certainly reduces the size of the data files.

Are you certain you are compacting the correct PST?
How many are there on your hard drive?
The reported file size won't change after compacting. It will change after
you delete items. Compacting removes white space.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

In Outlook Express compacting the data files was fairly
straightforward--File menu, Folders, compact all folders. It would

take

a

took

me that
the seem
to

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Correction:
If you look in Windows Explorer, file size will not change as you delete
items, but _will_ change when you compact.

The brief appearance of the "Compacting..." dialog simply means you have no
white space to compact, which of course is why you are not seeing the file
size change in Windows Explorer.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Doesn't that white space take up space in the file, although there is no
data in it?

In OE, compacting certainly reduces the size of the data files.

Are you certain you are compacting the correct PST?
How many are there on your hard drive?
The reported file size won't change after compacting. It will change after
you delete items. Compacting removes white space.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

In Outlook Express compacting the data files was fairly
straightforward--File menu, Folders, compact all folders. It would

take

a

took

me that
the seem
to