OE Compacting folders

I've learned that Outlook Express message folders can become full when not cleaned regularly. When I delete a message or move it to another folder, OE simply marks the original message as deleted without actually removing it. You can clean out these files with just a few steps and increase that space.

Follow the simple steps below:
1. Start by right-clicking on the Deleted Items folder and emptying it
2. Then choose File and scroll to Folder
3. Select Compact All Folders

If you've never done this before, emptying the folders can take quite a while. Afterward, Outlook Express may load noticeably faster.

My question (B 4 I select Compact All Folders is:
Can I then still access and open of the folders in my OE? Or instead of compacting all folders, should I only compact Deleted folders??

 

Compact all of them! BTW, look in OE's options and ensure that the "Compact messages in the background" feature is disabled - it can cause problems - better to do it manually.

 

Brett,
Thank U so much.
I shall proceed with the compacting all, and I will make sure that the "compact msgs in background" is disabled.
Have a great weekend!!

 

princessmandi8--In OE Tools|Options|Maintenance tab you can check the setting "Empty messages from Deleted Files folder on exit" if you want (click Apply|OK). That way your OE folder will grow much more slowly and I believe compacting will be needed less frequently.

 

Welshjim,
The reason I don't "delete folders on exit" is that occasionally I need to refer to a deleted e-mail....not many times, but often enough.
When I open my OE, and then I click on inbox, I next go to bulk mail and select the mail that I want moved to my inbox; the rest I Ctrl-A then delete.
After reviewing my inbox, and deleting those I no longer need, I then go to Deleted folder and Empty it.
Thanks for the thought.