Resolved Folders.dbx fails to compress.

There's a really good chance that if you delete the file that it'll get recreated next time you open OE...I've never deleted that file so I'm only guessing it'll work.

On the other hand:

Close O/Express/
Start/ Run/ type in "regedit "( no italics)
navigate to key( double click each one)
" H Key- Current- User" / Identities / there is a long number double click on that / Software / Microsoft / Outlook Express /
5.0. In righthand pane / double click " Compact Check Count "
then change the number to "0 ".

 

Compacting folders is not as big a deal as one might believe, unless you get hundreds of messages/day. All that compacting does is free disk space. When a message is deleted, and even when Deleted Items folder is emptied, the messages are not really deleted, they are just removed from the folders. They still exist on the disk. Compacting "tries" to remove the messages on the disk, i.e. make that disk space available for use.

Compacting will fail utterly if another program is accessing the disk during compacting. Antivirus programs can interfere with it. Try starting in safe mode and then compact the folders.

One can also delete any OE default folder (dbx file) and it will get recreated next time OE starts. Be sure the folder does not contain message you want to keep.

 

OLDSALTY,

You identify "folders.dbx ". It doesn't contain any emails but is a "reference data base" containing information on which folders are present in your Outlook Express and the settings you have applied. (All the "folders" are actually "data bases ", seen in Outlook Express as folders.) It is very small, only a few kB, have never seen it larger than 100 kB but I don't have more than a few user created folders.

Do you get an error message stating that compression fails on this specific folder?

When viewing a folder, go to "File" > "Folder" > and you have the option to "Compress" or "Compress all ".

You can't compress "Folders.dbx" separately since it doesn't show up in Outlook Express. You have to choose "Compress all ".

Prior to trying a manual compression, empty the Recycle Bin. A copy of each file *.dbx will be copied to the Recycle Bin with the extension *.bak.

 

Good to hear but I still am curious about this:

Did you get an error message stating that compression failed on folders.dbx specifically?

 

Strange ... ... since rarely (if ever) anything happens in that file and there's usually nothing to compress.

 

The counter is in this reg location

 

The file "Folders.dbx" only keeps track of the tree structure of the folders in Outlook Express. If you delete it, it will get recreated and as long as you don't have any user created folders, all is well.

If you have user created folders, the tree structure may get messed up. An example:

You have created the folder "MotherInLaw" as a sub folder to "Inbox ". This information is held in Folders.dbx and the file MotherInLaw.dbx is in the storage location with the other *.dbx files.

When you delete Folders.dbx and restart OE, it scans the storage location for all *.dbx files and recreates Folders.dbx BUT it has no idea that you want "MotherInLaw" as a sub folder to "Inbox ". "MotherInLaw" will end up at the bottom of the tree and you will have to drag-n-drop it to the desired location.

 

...or better yet, delete & prevent from showing up at all!

 

I was counting the minutes until that remark showed up ... ... !

Personally, I have not been blessed with a MIL but if I had, I'd create a mail rule to send her messages directly to the Recycle Bin ... ... !

 

WRONG.

(We can tell you haven't had the pleasure of a MIL.)

You don't want her calling or coming over - so you forward the mail to the Mrs. and let her deal with the mail and her mom

 

... and setup a rule for wife that prevents forwarding MIL info to you. This is a very complex ruleset and requires utmost precision and tact. It is considered an art by many. Those who have failed at it often ended up sleeping outside with man's best friend. But I know of no man who will not attempt this at least once, such is our nature.