"Windows Mail can compact the message store"

"Geri" wrote:

> Hi
> So in plain english is it a good thing to say yes to compact messages or
> not? Will I lose my messages if I compact them or is it just compacting old
> ones. I am not great with computers and I don't like saying yes to things I
> don't know what they are. So just a simple answer if you please should we do
> this and will it create problems with my computer if I do? It sounds like
> other people have had problems after they have done this. Thank you in
> advance for your help.
>
> "Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:
>
> > "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:u1SYnfxUHHA.996@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> > > 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.
> >
> >
> > Actually, WinMail does not keep the message itself in the database. It does
> > store all sorts of information about the message there, though, and that
> > space is not recovered until the database is compacted. Steve Cochran has
> > written a nice little free program dealing with the database, WMUtil:
> > http://www.oehelp.com/WMUtil/Default.aspx
> >
> > --
> > Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
> > http://www.fjsmjs.com
> > Answer in newsgroup. Don't expect an answer to email.
> >
> >After compacting, windows puts edb logs on my desktop. Can I delete these or do I need to save them?

Finally! A message I can understand! Thanks, Gary! I have just been changing
the number of shut downs to make it stop asking me for longer of periods of
time. After this, I let it do it's thing and went back and changed it back to
100. Thanks again!

"Gary VanderMolen" wrote:

> 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)
>
>
> "MitchOttawa" <MitchOttawa@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:B87CF060-DCA5-442A-800F-2B1A0612EFB6@microsoft.com...
> >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
> >
> > "Gary VanderMolen" wrote:
> >
> >> 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]
> >>
> >>
> >> "slee" <slee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:49DA3E88-8D8A-429C-A26D-7A24DFB3DD72@microsoft.com...
> >> > How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an email?
> >> > This is very annoying.
> >>
>
>
>

You're very welcome, Angie. Thanks for your feedback.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (Mail)


"Angie" <Angie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:76B60AB9-0C2D-4B8A-B707-4D6A9AAE51DB@microsoft.com...
> Finally! A message I can understand! Thanks, Gary! I have just been changing
> the number of shut downs to make it stop asking me for longer of periods of
> time. After this, I let it do it's thing and went back and changed it back to
> 100. Thanks again!
>
> "Gary VanderMolen" wrote:
>
>> 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)
>>
>>
>> "MitchOttawa" <MitchOttawa@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:B87CF060-DCA5-442A-800F-2B1A0612EFB6@microsoft.com...
>> >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
>> >
>> > "Gary VanderMolen" wrote:
>> >
>> >> 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]
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "slee" <slee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:49DA3E88-8D8A-429C-A26D-7A24DFB3DD72@microsoft.com...
>> >> > How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an email?
>> >> > This is very annoying.
>> >>
>>
>>
>>

My thanks, too Gary. Now I don't have to be annoyed anymore by that pop up
message. Knowledge IS power!

"Gary VanderMolen" wrote:

> 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)
>
>
> "MitchOttawa" <MitchOttawa@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:B87CF060-DCA5-442A-800F-2B1A0612EFB6@microsoft.com...
> >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
> >
> > "Gary VanderMolen" wrote:
> >
> >> 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]
> >>
> >>
> >> "slee" <slee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:49DA3E88-8D8A-429C-A26D-7A24DFB3DD72@microsoft.com...
> >> > How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an email?
> >> > This is very annoying.
> >>
>
>
>

You're very welcome, Don.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (Mail)


"Don_M" <DonM@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:0952CDA6-502A-4CB4-AFC3-DBF638966CC6@microsoft.com...
> My thanks, too Gary. Now I don't have to be annoyed anymore by that pop up
> message. Knowledge IS power!
>
> "Gary VanderMolen" wrote:
>
>> 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)
>>
>>
>> "MitchOttawa" <MitchOttawa@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:B87CF060-DCA5-442A-800F-2B1A0612EFB6@microsoft.com...
>> >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
>> >
>> > "Gary VanderMolen" wrote:
>> >
>> >> 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]
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "slee" <slee@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:49DA3E88-8D8A-429C-A26D-7A24DFB3DD72@microsoft.com...
>> >> > How do you stop the window that keeps popping up everytime you read an email?
>> >> > This is very annoying.
>> >>
>>
>>
>>

I get the same message as Carol but when I click on "ok" it says something
about being used in another folder.

Any idea how I can fix this ??

Dave

Try compacting and repairing the database with my Windows Mail utility:
www.oehelp.com/WMUTil/

steve

"Dave" <Dave@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9492DC7D-00B1-478D-82C3-CCE89245F809@microsoft.com...
>
>
> I get the same message as Carol but when I click on "ok" it says something
> about being used in another folder.
>
> Any idea how I can fix this ??
>
> Dave

Jean in Ohio
"
> I've had Vista installed for about a month now and the last couple of days I keep
> getting a message when I close Windows Mail that says:
>
> "Windows Mail can compact the message store. This can take a few minutes."
> and asks "OK or Cancel"
>
> What is this? How do I disable this?

I have lost important information. Where does it go? How do I find it once I
compact?
Pama

"Richard Urban" wrote:

> 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!
>
>
>
> "Carol in GA" <CarolinGA@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:42087CFE-CBA9-4715-9C3C-94F8E469BA00@microsoft.com...
> > I've had Vista installed for almost a month now and this evening I keep
> > getting a message when I close Windows Mail that says:
> >
> > "Windows Mail can compact the message store. This can take a few
> > minutes."
> > and asks "OK or Cancel"
> >
> > What is this?
>
>

Compaction only removes wasted space in the database. It doesn't erase
messages as it does sometimes in OE.

steve

"Pama Lyons" <Pama Lyons@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E5A57534-CCDE-4902-91B6-7C06F2B2A017@microsoft.com...
>I have lost important information. Where does it go? How do I find it once
>I
> compact?
> Pama
>
> "Richard Urban" wrote:
>
>> 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!
>>
>>
>>
>> "Carol in GA" <CarolinGA@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:42087CFE-CBA9-4715-9C3C-94F8E469BA00@microsoft.com...
>> > I've had Vista installed for almost a month now and this evening I
>> > keep
>> > getting a message when I close Windows Mail that says:
>> >
>> > "Windows Mail can compact the message store. This can take a few
>> > minutes."
>> > and asks "OK or Cancel"
>> >
>> > What is this?
>>
>>