lost folders

A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened after
this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in her Recycle
Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared. She hadn't
overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in Sent Items. I had
her check her Store folder just to make sure, and there is no Sent Items
folder there.

Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large number of
messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as soon as she
turns on the computer. She always refuses.

Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or is it
likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?

Thank you,

Jo-Anne

1: Did she lose the folders, or the contents?
2: In the Recycle Bin? Are these BAK files? They are copies made when
compacting.

> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.

Space taken up by messages is not reclaimed until you compact. What an
empty Inbox looks like could well be very bloated.

The two most common reasons for what you describe is disruption of the
compacting process, (never touch anything until it's finished), or bloated
folders. More on that below.

Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact

Why Mail Disappears:
http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone

About File Corruption:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

Recovery tools:

If you are running XP/SP2, or SP3, and are fully patched, then you should
have a backup of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, (or possibly the
message store), copied as bak files.

To restore a bak folder to the message store folder, first find the
location of the Message Store.

Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in
Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.

In WinXP, the .dbx files are by default marked as hidden. To view these
files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under
Start | Control Panel | Folder Options | View.

Close OE and then in Windows Explorer, click on the dbx file for the
missing, or empty, folder and drag it to the Desktop. It can be deleted
later once you have successfully restored the bak file. Minimize the
Message Store.

Open OE and, if the folder is missing, create a folder with the *exact*
same name as the bak file you want to restore but without the .bak. Eg: If
the file is Saved.bak, the new folder should be named Saved. Open the new
folder and then close OE. If the folder is there, but just empty, continue
on to the next step.

First, check if there is a bak file already in the message store. If there
is, and you removed the dbx file, go ahead and rename it to dbx.

If it isn't already in the message store, open the Recycle bin and right
click on the bak file for the folder in question and click Restore. Open
the message store back up and change the file extension from .bak to .dbx.
Close the message store and open OE. The messages should now be back in
the folder.

If the messages are successfully restored, you can go ahead and delete the
old dbx file that you moved to the Desktop.

If you do not have bak copies of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, then:

DBXpress run in Extract From Disk Mode is the best chance to recover
messages:
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

And see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4

A general warning to help avoid this in the future:

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move
your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 300MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant
layer of protection that eats up CPUs, slows down sending and receiving,
and causes a multitude of problems such as time-outs, account setting
changes and has even been responsible for lose of messages. Your
up-to-date A/V program will continue to protect you sufficiently. For
more, see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA



"Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:...
>A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
>Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened after
>this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in her
>Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared. She
>hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in Sent
>Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make sure, and there is
>no Sent Items folder there.
>
> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>
> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or
> is it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jo-Anne
>

Thank you, Bruce!

1. She lost the folders as well as the contents.

2. The two folders in the Recycle Bin were BAK files. I don't know if she
knew to look for BAK files in the Store. I'll also ask her if she can see
hidden files--and if not, I'll pass along the information about how to
enable that view.

Is it possible for the compacting process to occur without her explicitly
clicking OK?

Thank you again!

Jo-Anne


"Bruce Hagen" <> wrote in message
news:...
> 1: Did she lose the folders, or the contents?
> 2: In the Recycle Bin? Are these BAK files? They are copies made when
> compacting.
>
>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large number
>> of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as soon as
>> she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>
> Space taken up by messages is not reclaimed until you compact. What an
> empty Inbox looks like could well be very bloated.
>
> The two most common reasons for what you describe is disruption of the
> compacting process, (never touch anything until it's finished), or bloated
> folders. More on that below.
>
> Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
> http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact
>
> Why Mail Disappears:
> http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone
>
> About File Corruption:
> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx
>
> Recovery tools:
>
> If you are running XP/SP2, or SP3, and are fully patched, then you should
> have a backup of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, (or possibly the
> message store), copied as bak files.
>
> To restore a bak folder to the message store folder, first find the
> location of the Message Store.
>
> Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
> your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in
> Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.
>
> In WinXP, the .dbx files are by default marked as hidden. To view these
> files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under
> Start | Control Panel | Folder Options | View.
>
> Close OE and then in Windows Explorer, click on the dbx file for the
> missing, or empty, folder and drag it to the Desktop. It can be deleted
> later once you have successfully restored the bak file. Minimize the
> Message Store.
>
> Open OE and, if the folder is missing, create a folder with the *exact*
> same name as the bak file you want to restore but without the .bak. Eg: If
> the file is Saved.bak, the new folder should be named Saved. Open the new
> folder and then close OE. If the folder is there, but just empty, continue
> on to the next step.
>
> First, check if there is a bak file already in the message store. If there
> is, and you removed the dbx file, go ahead and rename it to dbx.
>
> If it isn't already in the message store, open the Recycle bin and right
> click on the bak file for the folder in question and click Restore. Open
> the message store back up and change the file extension from .bak to .dbx.
> Close the message store and open OE. The messages should now be back in
> the folder.
>
> If the messages are successfully restored, you can go ahead and delete the
> old dbx file that you moved to the Desktop.
>
> If you do not have bak copies of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, then:
>
> DBXpress run in Extract From Disk Mode is the best chance to recover
> messages:
> http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
>
> And see:
> http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4
>
> A general warning to help avoid this in the future:
>
> Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
> corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move
> your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
> folders under 300MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.
>
> Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant
> layer of protection that eats up CPUs, slows down sending and receiving,
> and causes a multitude of problems such as time-outs, account setting
> changes and has even been responsible for lose of messages. Your
> up-to-date A/V program will continue to protect you sufficiently. For
> more, see:
> http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3
>
> And backup often.
>
> Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
> http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
> --
> Bruce Hagen
> MS-MVP [Mail]
> Imperial Beach, CA
>
>
>
> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:...
>>A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
>>Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened after
>>this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in her
>>Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared. She
>>hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in Sent
>>Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make sure, and there is no
>>Sent Items folder there.
>>
>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large number
>> of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as soon as
>> she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>
>> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or is
>> it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Jo-Anne
>>
>

1: Have her check for another identity. If the default OE folders actually
do not appear, (Inbox, Sent Items, etc.), even empty, that is very
strange.

Compacting without approval should not happen, but failure to compact is
inviting this problem to occur. Have her read this again.

>> Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
>> http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:u$...
> Thank you, Bruce!
>
> 1. She lost the folders as well as the contents.
>
> 2. The two folders in the Recycle Bin were BAK files. I don't know if
> she knew to look for BAK files in the Store. I'll also ask her if she
> can see hidden files--and if not, I'll pass along the information about
> how to enable that view.
>
> Is it possible for the compacting process to occur without her
> explicitly clicking OK?
>
> Thank you again!
>
> Jo-Anne
>
>
> "Bruce Hagen" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> 1: Did she lose the folders, or the contents?
>> 2: In the Recycle Bin? Are these BAK files? They are copies made when
>> compacting.
>>
>>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
>>> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
>>> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>
>> Space taken up by messages is not reclaimed until you compact. What an
>> empty Inbox looks like could well be very bloated.
>>
>> The two most common reasons for what you describe is disruption of the
>> compacting process, (never touch anything until it's finished), or
>> bloated folders. More on that below.
>>
>> Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
>> http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact
>>
>> Why Mail Disappears:
>> http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone
>>
>> About File Corruption:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx
>>
>> Recovery tools:
>>
>> If you are running XP/SP2, or SP3, and are fully patched, then you
>> should have a backup of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, (or possibly
>> the message store), copied as bak files.
>>
>> To restore a bak folder to the message store folder, first find the
>> location of the Message Store.
>>
>> Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location
>> of your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to
>> it in Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.
>>
>> In WinXP, the .dbx files are by default marked as hidden. To view these
>> files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under
>> Start | Control Panel | Folder Options | View.
>>
>> Close OE and then in Windows Explorer, click on the dbx file for the
>> missing, or empty, folder and drag it to the Desktop. It can be deleted
>> later once you have successfully restored the bak file. Minimize the
>> Message Store.
>>
>> Open OE and, if the folder is missing, create a folder with the *exact*
>> same name as the bak file you want to restore but without the .bak. Eg:
>> If the file is Saved.bak, the new folder should be named Saved. Open
>> the new folder and then close OE. If the folder is there, but just
>> empty, continue on to the next step.
>>
>> First, check if there is a bak file already in the message store. If
>> there is, and you removed the dbx file, go ahead and rename it to dbx.
>>
>> If it isn't already in the message store, open the Recycle bin and
>> right click on the bak file for the folder in question and click
>> Restore. Open the message store back up and change the file extension
>> from .bak to .dbx. Close the message store and open OE. The messages
>> should now be back in the folder.
>>
>> If the messages are successfully restored, you can go ahead and delete
>> the old dbx file that you moved to the Desktop.
>>
>> If you do not have bak copies of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin,
>> then:
>>
>> DBXpress run in Extract From Disk Mode is the best chance to recover
>> messages:
>> http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
>>
>> And see:
>> http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4
>>
>> A general warning to help avoid this in the future:
>>
>> Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
>> corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and
>> move your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user
>> created folders under 300MB, and Default folders as empty as is
>> feasible.
>>
>> Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant
>> layer of protection that eats up CPUs, slows down sending and
>> receiving, and causes a multitude of problems such as time-outs,
>> account setting changes and has even been responsible for lose of
>> messages. Your up-to-date A/V program will continue to protect you
>> sufficiently. For more, see:
>> http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3
>>
>> And backup often.
>>
>> Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
>> http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
>> --
>> Bruce Hagen
>> MS-MVP [Mail]
>> Imperial Beach, CA
>>
>>
>>
>> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>>A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
>>>Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened
>>>after this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in
>>>her Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared.
>>>She hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in
>>>Sent Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make sure, and
>>>there is no Sent Items folder there.
>>>
>>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
>>> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
>>> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>>
>>> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or
>>> is it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>>
>>> Jo-Anne
>>>
>>
>
>

Thank you, Bruce! I've passed everything along to her.

Jo-Anne

"Bruce Hagen" <> wrote in message
news:...
> 1: Have her check for another identity. If the default OE folders actually
> do not appear, (Inbox, Sent Items, etc.), even empty, that is very
> strange.
>
> Compacting without approval should not happen, but failure to compact is
> inviting this problem to occur. Have her read this again.
>
>>> Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
>>> http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact
> --
> Bruce Hagen
> MS-MVP [Mail]
> Imperial Beach, CA
>
>
> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:u$...
>> Thank you, Bruce!
>>
>> 1. She lost the folders as well as the contents.
>>
>> 2. The two folders in the Recycle Bin were BAK files. I don't know if she
>> knew to look for BAK files in the Store. I'll also ask her if she can see
>> hidden files--and if not, I'll pass along the information about how to
>> enable that view.
>>
>> Is it possible for the compacting process to occur without her explicitly
>> clicking OK?
>>
>> Thank you again!
>>
>> Jo-Anne
>>
>>
>> "Bruce Hagen" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> 1: Did she lose the folders, or the contents?
>>> 2: In the Recycle Bin? Are these BAK files? They are copies made when
>>> compacting.
>>>
>>>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
>>>> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
>>>> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>>
>>> Space taken up by messages is not reclaimed until you compact. What an
>>> empty Inbox looks like could well be very bloated.
>>>
>>> The two most common reasons for what you describe is disruption of the
>>> compacting process, (never touch anything until it's finished), or
>>> bloated folders. More on that below.
>>>
>>> Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
>>> http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact
>>>
>>> Why Mail Disappears:
>>> http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone
>>>
>>> About File Corruption:
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx
>>>
>>> Recovery tools:
>>>
>>> If you are running XP/SP2, or SP3, and are fully patched, then you
>>> should have a backup of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, (or possibly
>>> the message store), copied as bak files.
>>>
>>> To restore a bak folder to the message store folder, first find the
>>> location of the Message Store.
>>>
>>> Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
>>> your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it
>>> in Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.
>>>
>>> In WinXP, the .dbx files are by default marked as hidden. To view these
>>> files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under
>>> Start | Control Panel | Folder Options | View.
>>>
>>> Close OE and then in Windows Explorer, click on the dbx file for the
>>> missing, or empty, folder and drag it to the Desktop. It can be deleted
>>> later once you have successfully restored the bak file. Minimize the
>>> Message Store.
>>>
>>> Open OE and, if the folder is missing, create a folder with the *exact*
>>> same name as the bak file you want to restore but without the .bak. Eg:
>>> If the file is Saved.bak, the new folder should be named Saved. Open the
>>> new folder and then close OE. If the folder is there, but just empty,
>>> continue on to the next step.
>>>
>>> First, check if there is a bak file already in the message store. If
>>> there is, and you removed the dbx file, go ahead and rename it to dbx.
>>>
>>> If it isn't already in the message store, open the Recycle bin and right
>>> click on the bak file for the folder in question and click Restore. Open
>>> the message store back up and change the file extension from .bak to
>>> .dbx. Close the message store and open OE. The messages should now be
>>> back in the folder.
>>>
>>> If the messages are successfully restored, you can go ahead and delete
>>> the old dbx file that you moved to the Desktop.
>>>
>>> If you do not have bak copies of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin,
>>> then:
>>>
>>> DBXpress run in Extract From Disk Mode is the best chance to recover
>>> messages:
>>> http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
>>>
>>> And see:
>>> http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4
>>>
>>> A general warning to help avoid this in the future:
>>>
>>> Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
>>> corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and
>>> move your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user
>>> created folders under 300MB, and Default folders as empty as is
>>> feasible.
>>>
>>> Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant
>>> layer of protection that eats up CPUs, slows down sending and receiving,
>>> and causes a multitude of problems such as time-outs, account setting
>>> changes and has even been responsible for lose of messages. Your
>>> up-to-date A/V program will continue to protect you sufficiently. For
>>> more, see:
>>> http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3
>>>
>>> And backup often.
>>>
>>> Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
>>> http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
>>> --
>>> Bruce Hagen
>>> MS-MVP [Mail]
>>> Imperial Beach, CA
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>>A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
>>>>Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened
>>>>after this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in
>>>>her Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared.
>>>>She hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in Sent
>>>>Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make sure, and there is
>>>>no Sent Items folder there.
>>>>
>>>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
>>>> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
>>>> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>>>
>>>> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or
>>>> is it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?
>>>>
>>>> Thank you,
>>>>
>>>> Jo-Anne
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

Getting the 'OE needs to compact folders' message without first opening and
closing OE is caused by several programs that increase the Compact Check
Count. When the Compact Check Count number exceeds 100, the compact message
will appear.
Please confirm if the compact message is appearing without first starting
and closing OE.

Is she displaying the file extensions? Did she find inbox.dbx or inbox.bak?

Where there any dbx files in the Store folder?
What is the location of the Store folder?
--
Ron Sommer
MS MVP- Windows Live Mail

"Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:...
> A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
> Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened after
> this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in her
> Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared. She
> hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in Sent
> Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make sure, and there is no
> Sent Items folder there.
>
> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large number
> of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as soon as she
> turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>
> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or is
> it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jo-Anne
>

What she told me is that she's getting the "compact folders" message as soon
as WinXP comes up after she turns on the computer. And then she gets it at
other times too.

She is displaying the file extensions. In the Recycle Bin she found
inbox.bak and drafts.bak.

I believe the only .dbx file missing from the Store folder is the Sent Items
one. (I've emailed her to confirm, though.)

Her Store folder is located where Microsoft originally put it. I showed her
how to find it, and she started reading the location to me; as far as I
could tell, it's in the same place mine is--and I never changed mine from
where Microsoft put it.

Thank you, Ron!

Jo-Anne

"Ron Sommer" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Getting the 'OE needs to compact folders' message without first opening
> and closing OE is caused by several programs that increase the Compact
> Check Count. When the Compact Check Count number exceeds 100, the compact
> message will appear.
> Please confirm if the compact message is appearing without first starting
> and closing OE.
>
> Is she displaying the file extensions? Did she find inbox.dbx or
> inbox.bak?
>
> Where there any dbx files in the Store folder?
> What is the location of the Store folder?
> --
> Ron Sommer
> MS MVP- Windows Live Mail
>
> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:...
>> A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
>> Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened after
>> this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in her
>> Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared. She
>> hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in Sent
>> Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make sure, and there is
>> no Sent Items folder there.
>>
>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large number
>> of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as soon as
>> she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>
>> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or is
>> it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Jo-Anne
>>

Ask her if Windows Search is installed on this machine. If yes, she has to
tell it to stop indexing OE.

Windows Search. Set Desktop Search Options:
http://www.microsoft.com/australia/w...h/options.mspx

In the Windows Control Panel | Indexing Options | Modify. Clear the check
box for Outlook Express.

+++++++++++++++++++

That is a separate issue and not the reason for the missing messages
though. You've seen this before. She needs to.

General precautions for Outlook Express:

Do not archive mail in the Inbox or Sent Items. Create your own user
defined folders and move the messages you wish to save to them. Empty
Deleted Items folder daily. Although dbx files have a theoretical capacity
of 2GB, I recommend about a 300MB max for less chance of corruption.

Information about the maximum file size of the .dbx files that are used by
Outlook Express:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=903095

After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while
working *offline* and do it often.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are
open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the
Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything
until the compacting is completed.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant
layer of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems
such as time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program
will continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3


And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:%...
> What she told me is that she's getting the "compact folders" message as
> soon as WinXP comes up after she turns on the computer. And then she
> gets it at other times too.
>
> She is displaying the file extensions. In the Recycle Bin she found
> inbox.bak and drafts.bak.
>
> I believe the only .dbx file missing from the Store folder is the Sent
> Items one. (I've emailed her to confirm, though.)
>
> Her Store folder is located where Microsoft originally put it. I showed
> her how to find it, and she started reading the location to me; as far
> as I could tell, it's in the same place mine is--and I never changed
> mine from where Microsoft put it.
>
> Thank you, Ron!
>
> Jo-Anne
>
> "Ron Sommer" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> Getting the 'OE needs to compact folders' message without first opening
>> and closing OE is caused by several programs that increase the Compact
>> Check Count. When the Compact Check Count number exceeds 100, the
>> compact message will appear.
>> Please confirm if the compact message is appearing without first
>> starting and closing OE.
>>
>> Is she displaying the file extensions? Did she find inbox.dbx or
>> inbox.bak?
>>
>> Where there any dbx files in the Store folder?
>> What is the location of the Store folder?
>> --
>> Ron Sommer
>> MS MVP- Windows Live Mail
>>
>> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
>>> Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened
>>> after this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in
>>> her Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared.
>>> She hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in
>>> Sent Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make sure, and
>>> there is no Sent Items folder there.
>>>
>>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
>>> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
>>> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>>
>>> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or
>>> is it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>>
>>> Jo-Anne
>>>
>
>

Addendum: She confirmed that the only .dbx file missing from the Store
folder is the Sent Items one. And she has only one identity.

Thank you again!

Jo-Anne

"Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:%...
> What she told me is that she's getting the "compact folders" message as
> soon as WinXP comes up after she turns on the computer. And then she gets
> it at other times too.
>
> She is displaying the file extensions. In the Recycle Bin she found
> inbox.bak and drafts.bak.
>
> I believe the only .dbx file missing from the Store folder is the Sent
> Items one. (I've emailed her to confirm, though.)
>
> Her Store folder is located where Microsoft originally put it. I showed
> her how to find it, and she started reading the location to me; as far as
> I could tell, it's in the same place mine is--and I never changed mine
> from where Microsoft put it.
>
> Thank you, Ron!
>
> Jo-Anne
>
> "Ron Sommer" <> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> Getting the 'OE needs to compact folders' message without first opening
>> and closing OE is caused by several programs that increase the Compact
>> Check Count. When the Compact Check Count number exceeds 100, the
>> compact message will appear.
>> Please confirm if the compact message is appearing without first starting
>> and closing OE.
>>
>> Is she displaying the file extensions? Did she find inbox.dbx or
>> inbox.bak?
>>
>> Where there any dbx files in the Store folder?
>> What is the location of the Store folder?
>> --
>> Ron Sommer
>> MS MVP- Windows Live Mail
>>
>> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her Outlook
>>> Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it happened
>>> after this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and Drafts in
>>> her Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have disappeared.
>>> She hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38 messages in Sent
>>> Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make sure, and there is
>>> no Sent Items folder there.
>>>
>>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
>>> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
>>> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>>
>>> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder, or
>>> is it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have happened?
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>>
>>> Jo-Anne
>>>
>
>

Does she have a Sent Items folder in OE? She can't if there is no dbx
file. I have never seen that happen though. Empty folder yes, but no
folder? Have her close OE reboot and open OE. No Sent items folder in OE?
Almost impossible.

Tell her to create a new identity and import her messages. That won't get
back missing messages from the old Sent Items, but she will have a fresh
start.

If she really needs those Sent Items messages, she's going to need
DBXpress.

DBXpress:
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

She may need to run it in the Extract From Disk Mode if its normal
recovery mode fails to find the lost messages.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
news:eWTl$...
> Addendum: She confirmed that the only .dbx file missing from the Store
> folder is the Sent Items one. And she has only one identity.
>
> Thank you again!
>
> Jo-Anne
>
> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:%...
>> What she told me is that she's getting the "compact folders" message as
>> soon as WinXP comes up after she turns on the computer. And then she
>> gets it at other times too.
>>
>> She is displaying the file extensions. In the Recycle Bin she found
>> inbox.bak and drafts.bak.
>>
>> I believe the only .dbx file missing from the Store folder is the Sent
>> Items one. (I've emailed her to confirm, though.)
>>
>> Her Store folder is located where Microsoft originally put it. I showed
>> her how to find it, and she started reading the location to me; as far
>> as I could tell, it's in the same place mine is--and I never changed
>> mine from where Microsoft put it.
>>
>> Thank you, Ron!
>>
>> Jo-Anne
>>
>> "Ron Sommer" <> wrote in message
>> news:%...
>>> Getting the 'OE needs to compact folders' message without first
>>> opening and closing OE is caused by several programs that increase the
>>> Compact Check Count. When the Compact Check Count number exceeds 100,
>>> the compact message will appear.
>>> Please confirm if the compact message is appearing without first
>>> starting and closing OE.
>>>
>>> Is she displaying the file extensions? Did she find inbox.dbx or
>>> inbox.bak?
>>>
>>> Where there any dbx files in the Store folder?
>>> What is the location of the Store folder?
>>> --
>>> Ron Sommer
>>> MS MVP- Windows Live Mail
>>>
>>> "Jo-Anne" <Jo-AnneATnowhere.com> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>> A friend whose computer runs WinXP fully updated just lost her
>>>> Outlook Express Inbox, Drafts, and Sent Items folders. She says it
>>>> happened after this week's Automatic Update. She found the Inbox and
>>>> Drafts in her Recycle Bin, but her Sent Items folder seems to have
>>>> disappeared. She hadn't overloaded any of the folders. There were 38
>>>> messages in Sent Items. I had her check her Store folder just to make
>>>> sure, and there is no Sent Items folder there.
>>>>
>>>> Prior to the update, and now as well, she has been getting a large
>>>> number of messages wanting to compact her OE folders. This happens as
>>>> soon as she turns on the computer. She always refuses.
>>>>
>>>> Is there any place she might be able to find her Sent Items folder,
>>>> or is it likely gone for good? And any idea of what could have
>>>> happened?
>>>>
>>>> Thank you,
>>>>
>>>> Jo-Anne
>>>>
>>
>>
>
>