Where on C: Drive is OE Newsgroups stored?

[PA Bear]

Compressing files and /compacting/ OE data are not the same.

With WinXP SP2 installed, OE will automatically compact all folders every
100 times you close OE.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), AH-VSOP


~ FreeSpirit ~ wrote:

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

If you are having trouble compacting the message store, then its likely to
be corrupt. You need to set up a new Identity via File | Identities and
then do points 2 and 3 here (www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx) to help prevent
message loss.

===================================
This is from the website above.

To prevent such corruption, turn off background compaction under Tools |
Options | Maintenance for each Identity you have, and then compact manually
and frequently using File | Folder | Compact all.

$$ WHERE are the identities there? I don't see them at
Tools/Options/Maintenance. There is nothing about *identities* on that
window. I'm the only one using this PC.

This will make OE more stable.
In XPSP2, the registry key
(HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0
where GUID represents the Identity Number) has a new value ("Compact Check
Count") that is incremented with each closing of OE. When OE is closed and
this value reaches 100, then the user is prompted to compact all the
folders. Only if the user agrees to compact such does the "Compact Check
Count" get reset to zero. Otherwise the user is continuously prompted until
they agree to compact. However, if this occurs during a machine shutdown,
the shutdown can interrupt the compact process and result in message loss.

Consequently, if prompted to compact, then the user should agree to the
compaction and leave the computer alone until it is finished.

$$ When I do that the PC locks up......... ???

FS~

 

[PA Bear]

Excessive crossposting eliminated.

File > Identities > Manage identities

How OE Stores Your Data
http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm#storemain

General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a manual
compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if
Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.

When I do that the PC locks up

Then you've not been following the above caveats (which I'm certain you've
seen before in these newsgroups, FS) and/or you're not waiting long enough
for Automatic Compacting to complete.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), AH-VSOP

 

[mac]

Excessive crossposting eliminated.

I am wondering if FS can see my posts?

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

Auto compacting in OE is done after 100 closings.

## I see that now - but I had to find them and delete 9 MBs of crap stored
in the folder because my PC LOCKS up when trying to compact them.

.dbx files are by default hidden, to view these files in Explorer, you
must enable
Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start>Control Panel>Folder
Options>View.

Search for *.dbx why you want to look at them I do not know, since only
OE can read them?

The best way to do a manual compact is to Click on Outlook Express at the
top of the folder tree so no folders are open. Then: File>Work Offline.
File>Folder>Compact all folders.

## I suppose I'll have to remember to do that from now on because the Auto
sure doesn't work. :-(

**Don't touch anything until the compacting is completed**.

Please explain what you are doing when *PC locks up*?

## Nothing. I sit here watching it start to compact - then NOTHING! It
stops dead in it's tracks. Task Manager will say it's "Not Responding."

Are you seeing Auto compacting on closing OE?

## Yes.

Do a couple of minor registry edits to stop the compacting for now.

Then do a manual compaction.

## I did the manual last night. :-(

You may have seen a dialogue at some time that had a 'Don't ask me again'
box? If you selected that, the process still goes ahead without your
knowledge.

## Saw it but never clicked it.

To restore the 'don't ask', go here:
Go to: Start>Run>Regedit>OK and find this key.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook
Express\5.0\Dont Show Dialogs
{GUID} is a long number representing your Identity.
Reset the value to 0 (zero)

To stop it - for now!!

Go to: Start>Run>Regedit>OK and find this key.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{long number}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook
Express\5.0. In the right
hand pane and find *Compact Check Count* >right click>modify>decimal>and
set
the value to 0,
(zero). This will reset the prompt, and you won't see it again for
another 100 closings.

## I would like it to work correctly and not lock up when compressing the
folders.

See this for more information on compacting:
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm#compact

See this part, but read all the article:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx#EDAA
HTH?

Do not store large amounts of mail in the default folders Inbox, Sent
Items etc, create folders and move your messages out to them. Also create
message rules to move regular mails to specific created folders.

## I'm having a problem understanding this "message rules" thing.....
Where do I cut and copy them from so the program understands what I want
done? I'm not a software writer so don't know how to communicate with OE
with these "message rules." Let me read a little more and see how far I
get.

FS~

 

[mac]

## I'm having a problem understanding this "message rules" thing.....
Where do I cut and copy them from so the program understands what I want
done? I'm not a software writer so don't know how to communicate with OE
with these "message rules." Let me read a little more and see how far I
get.

FS~

Right first message rule to set is this one:
OE>tools>message rules>news>new.
Top box:
Select "where the message was sent more than days ago"
Second box:
Delete it.
Third box:
Click the blue writing and insert a number - I use 20 days.

You will have to apply this rule manually every few days to keep the numbers
down.
To do that go to the message rule and select it>apply now>browse>you can
select any individual folder or the server name>ok>apply now.

When you have done this do a manual compact as described in my message of
11.06 GMT.

More on other rules if you need help ask?
HTH?

 

[PA Bear]

Cleaning Up Your Newsgroups
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm#cleannews

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

Compressing files and /compacting/ OE data are not the same.

With WinXP SP2 installed, OE will automatically compact all folders every
100 times you close OE.

===================
Yes, it asks, then starts, I wait - it locks up! Or it will say something
about a file being used - then stop compacting. I end up doing them all
manually. It was such a mess I deleted the whole enchilada last night and
redownloaded all the NS's NGs again. I use several free newsservers. It's
a fresh start. It took awhile but now it'll compact them all without
locking up. I'll have to remember to do them more often.........

FS~

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

Excessive crossposting eliminated.

File > Identities > Manage identities

How OE Stores Your Data
http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm#storemain

General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

## Yes, I just learned that from a Website one of you recommended.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a
manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

- Do not attempt to close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if
Automatic Compacting is taking place (WinXP SP2 only).

## I knew that already.

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.

## I just did that now.

Then you've not been following the above caveats (which I'm certain you've
seen before in these newsgroups, FS) and/or you're not waiting long enough
for Automatic Compacting to complete.

## It wasn't completing. It was locking up my PC, or I'd get a "file in
use" error of some kind. When I checked the file itself it was loaded with
trash from old NSs I deleted months ago, old messages - who knows what-all.
There were old NG messages from last May!!!! Something was corrupt so I
deleted everything and started again. It looks "good to go" now. ))
I'll remember to do compact them manually at least once a week now.

OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress
OE General newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general

## I'm heading off to read the above........

FS~

 

[~ .Karen. ~]

I am wondering if FS can see my posts?

================
Yes, I see them!

FS~

 

[~ .Karen. ~]

Right first message rule to set is this one:
OE>tools>message rules>news>new.
Top box:
Select "where the message was sent more than days ago"
Second box:
Delete it.
Third box:
Click the blue writing and insert a number - I use 20 days.

## OK, I did this for each News server. So my old sent messages will be
deleted automatically now?

You will have to apply this rule manually every few days to keep the
numbers down.
To do that go to the message rule and select it>apply now>browse>you can
select any individual folder or the server name>ok>apply now.

## OK.

When you have done this do a manual compact as described in my message of
11.06 GMT.

More on other rules if you need help ask?
HTH?

## How about having OE delete the message bodies I've read and no longer
want on my PC?

FS~

 

[PA Bear]

===================
Yes, it asks, then starts, I wait - it locks up! Or it will say something
about a file being used - then stop compacting. I end up doing them all
manually. It was such a mess I deleted the whole enchilada last night and
redownloaded all the NS's NGs again.

Please stick to one (1) thread here and please don't append the subject of
your post, Karen.

Your current Identity may be damaged, especially if its the default Main
Identity. Try one or more of your accounts in a new Named Identity
(File>Identities>Add new identity). Assuming all is well, import messages
from the old Identity before deleting it (File>Identities>Manage
Identities).

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

Please stick to one (1) thread here and please don't append the subject of
your post, Karen. ====================================================
Your current Identity may be damaged, especially if its the default Main
Identity. Try one or more of your accounts in a new Named Identity
(File>Identities>Add new identity).

** I don't understand this "identity" stuff. I'm the only user on this PC.
But I made another "identity." So now I have a new identity and can't find
it in OE - my message went into a folder somewhere and I had to retype this
all over again. I don't know what identity I'm using now. I hope you get
this message.

Assuming all is well, import messages

from the old Identity before deleting it (File>Identities>Manage
Identities).

** How do I import them to the new identity and WHERE is the new identity
located in OE? How do I find it?

FS~

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

I am wondering if FS can see my posts?

=====================
I seem to have two MS newservers on this PC. Msnews.microsoft.com and this
one, new.microsoft.com.

I did create another IDENTITY but can't find it anywhere in OE. How is a
new OE identity located or activated?

And,...I don't know if you're getting all my messages on these servers.

FS~

 

[Kelly]

News is stored here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook
Express\5.0\News

As for importing:

If you don't mind having Signatures, Rules and all the other settings the
same, this method works.

From the user account that is already set up:

Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT

Go to Start/Run/Regedit and locate the following 4 branches of the Registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name

Right click on each branch above and select Export and save the REG files to
your hard drive.

For each account you want to have the same mail settings, log into that
account. Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT. Locate the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities branch, right click it and select Delete.
Next open Windows Explorer and locate the 4 REG files you saved above.
Double click each one and answer yes to the import prompt.

Now you can open OE in any of the User accounts, and all the settings,
accounts, will be the same.

-

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[Steve Hawkins]

?

Now your getting me worried. As a latecomer to this string I was wondering
when it was going to get round to answering the question in the header. Now
it seems that the thousands of strings in the 6 msnews groups I have been
monitoring, are not, safely on line and away from my 'local folders' as they
appear to be in OE's folder tree (as is the case with my Hotmail ac), but
are actually all building up on the pc somewhere. If this is the case I
shall soon be withdrawing from this useful service!

Please tell me it ain't so!

Regards,

SteveH

 

[PA Bear]

~ FreeSpirit ~ wrote:

** I don't understand this "identity" stuff. I'm the only user on this
PC. But I made another "identity." So now I have a new identity and
can't find it in OE - my message went into a folder somewhere and I had
to retype this all over again. I don't know what identity I'm using now.
I hope you get this message.

Assuming all is well, import messages

** How do I import them to the new identity and WHERE is the new identity
located in OE? How do I find it?

You can access (see) all identities via File > Identities > Manage
identities.

You can switch identites via File > Switch identity (closes OE and reopens
it in the chosen identity and in a new window).

Each identity has its own store:
http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm#storemain (<= lots of good stuff on
that page).

Tools > Options > Maintenance > Store folder will reveal the location of
your current identity's store.

When using Identity B, to import messages from Identity A: File > Import >
Messages > choose OE6 > Choose Import mail from an OE6 Identity > Select
folder to import (suggest not selecting Outbox, Sent Items and Deleted
Items, or any Hotmail folders) > ...

Tip: Before importing, clean-up Identity B and compact all folders.

To delete an identity: File > Identities > Manage Identities > ...

I seem to have two MS newservers on this PC. Msnews.microsoft.com and
this one, new.microsoft.com.

msnews.microsoft.com and news.microsoft.com are the same. You only need one
of them. To remove the other one, right-click on it in Folders pane and
choose Remove Account.

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

News is stored here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook
Express\5.0\News

As for importing:

If you don't mind having Signatures, Rules and all the other settings the
same, this method works.

From the user account that is already set up:

Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT

Go to Start/Run/Regedit and locate the following 4 branches of the
Registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name

Right click on each branch above and select Export and save the REG files
to your hard drive.

## I see. Just make a folder and save them?

For each account you want to have the same mail settings, log into that
account.

## But I can only FIND the one email account although I added another under
another name.

Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT. Locate the

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities branch, right click it and select Delete.
Next open Windows Explorer and locate the 4 REG files you saved above.
Double click each one and answer yes to the import prompt.

Now you can open OE in any of the User accounts, and all the settings,
accounts, will be the same.

## Uh,... to avoid confusion I would rather have the one account. I
followed the advice here to COMPACT my OE News and now the messages are all
gone!!!!!!!! How do I get them back?????? Why did they all VANISH?????

FS~

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

OK, first I followed the directions to COMPACT NGS and all the latest
messages VANISHED. How do I get them back again???? I click download but
they will not come back from the news servers. What did I do wrong??????

FS~

 

[PA Bear]

I suggested that you compact all /folders/
(http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm#compact), not just the
newsgroups. Is this what you did?

With any newsgroup open, does the following bring them back?...

View > Current View > Show all messages

If not, are either of the options under here checked?...

Tools > Options > Maintenance > When compacting messages:

If all else fails, resetting and then re-opening the newsgroup will get them
all again:

Right-click on a newsgroup in Folders pane > Properties > Local file
(tab) > Reset

[If you're reading your threads in the OE6 newsgroup, lets drop the
unnecessary crossposting to WinXP General, please.]