Within last 4-6 months, I get message: "To free up disk space, Outlook Express can compact messages. This may take up up to a few minutes. OK / Cancel." This occurs when my computer boots up (post-Welcome screen) up to and including when I log off at night. AND it occurs every 10-15 seconds for and up to a couple of hours; then it stops for several hours, and then resumes every 10-15 seconds. To say that this is annoying, frustrating, and a pain in the *** would be a major understatement.I never click OK; always cancel. I have NO idea why this is occurring.About the same time this started, something called Indexing (????) showed up. It appears on desktop tray. I never asked for it, have no idea what it is, etc. Have no idea if the two are connected. Questions:1) How do I make "compact messages" go away forever? Where did they come from? Why are the showing up on my computer. Note: I am the one and only user on this computer!2) What is indexing? Why do I need or want it? Why did it show up? It needs to go away ASAP!!Finally, the technical stuff: OS - XP Pro, SP3. Antivirus: Webroot 2011-2012. Up-to-date on all Microsoft patches. Browser: Firefox.Does anyone know what is happening and how to make it go away.Many thanks!!!!! P.S. In the time it took me to write this (about 5-7 minutes), the "compact messages) showed up 10 times!!!!!!!!!! Can you see why I'm ready to tear my hair out?

Assuming you are either not using OE, and or, you have let it compact once, indexing may just be the reason. Is Windows Search installed?You have to tell Windows Search to stop indexing OE.Windows Search. Set Desktop Search Optionshttp://www.microsoft.com/australia/windows/desktopsearch/search/options.mspxIn the Windows Control Panel | Indexing Options | Modify. Clear the check box for Outlook Express.You may have to let it compact once to reset the counter, but that should do away with the prompt until 100 closings of OE. If you do use OE, you must let it compact occasionally.Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compactAbout File Corruption:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspxCompacting your folders periodically is a must to keep OE functioning well and at some point, you may lose all your saved messages if you don't. When you delete, or move messages, the space they had used remains until you compact.***Never touch anything until the compacting is finished.***See:www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#2With SP2, automatic background compacting was removed due to problems it caused. Now you will get a prompt to compact after 100 OE closings, which you should do, and don't touch anything until it has finished. If you compact manually, at your convenience, this will also set the counter back to zero. See this for more information:http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm#compactIf you are fully patched, you will also now see a copy of your dbx files being copied to the Recycle Bin as BAK files. Should something go awry when compacting, the messages can easily be restored from this backup. A manual compact will also reset the counter in the registry back to zero now.For more info, see the information outlined in red here:www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#2To keep things running smooth, and for faster compacting:Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become corrupt and you may lose mail. 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.And backup often.Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA

Mr. Hagen - Thank you for your response.However, I must tell you that I don't have a clue as to what you are talking about!What is Windows Search vs. some other kind of Search? Is there some other type of search?OE: Outlook Express? Yes, i am using Outlook Express 6.0! Please see my question above. if you need additional information or elaboration about my problem, please ask me.You lost me at setting Desktop Search Options. Why do you assume I have Desktop Search Options?Please note that I am appreciative of your response. I just don't understand anything you said and why it might be germane to my particular situation.You are proposing a series of "fixes" without providing me ANY information that they may or may not be responsive to my particular query/situation. Can you explain a bit more clearly why you are suggesting a particular fix and how you think it might be appropriate. Otherwise, I feel like I'm walking in blindly and not sure why I'm doing what I'm doing.Thank you.

I am the one that needs more info. In your first post, you said that the compact prompt keeps popping up and "I never click OK; always cancel". Let's just assume for a moment that there is nothing wrong, i.e. Windows Search indexing. If you never let it compact, the prompt will keep popping up until you do. It is by design and cannot be stopped except by letting it compact.When you move or delete messages, the space that they took up is not reclaimed until you compact. IOW, if you have an Inbox with 1500MB of messages and you delete them all, the dbx file for the Inbox will still be at 1500MB until you compact. When that size reaches 2GB, and usually sooner, every message in that folder will be lost and you will need to pay good money for a tool to retrieve the messages. Please read these two articles for more explanation.Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compactAbout File Corruption:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspxBottom line: Backup OE, let it compact and see if the prompt comes back before 100 closings. If not, it is working as it should be.Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA

Mr. Hagen - Thank you again for your reply.I don't know if this will clarify things; you can tell, I'm sure, that I am not a techie.Every few days or so, I go into my "deleted" folders and empty out (delete) the folder so that it is zero. I don't know if this is appropriate. Additionally, I also go into my "sent" folder, move replies to appropriate responses to folders I've set up, i.e. clients, community service, and the like, and then delete the remainder. I also make sure to read, respond, or delete all incoming mails within 24-48 hours. The outbox and draft folders never have anything in them.I don't know if these actions have or will have any impact on request to compact messages.I'm not sure what you mean by backing up up OE. How would I do this? Why is this necessary?And, finally, Windows Search? What is it? Why do I need it? The former "search" feature was totally adequate for my purposes. I personally think all the bells and whistles that MS keeps adding is just so much fluff and keeps moving away from basic core usage. I don't need all this stuff; I, unlike a lot of people, simply want to be able to send and receive email, use Word Perfect and MS Office (ick! - so counter-intuitive!) for my home-based business), and to access the internet via Firefox. I don't game, download music, movies, or games. I know, boring stuff, but it is more than adequate for my needs and purposes.Thank you again for your patience and your time.

Mr. Hagen - Thank you again for your reply.I don't know if this will clarify things; you can tell, I'm sure, that I am not a techie.Every few days or so, I go into my "deleted" folders and empty out (delete) the folder so that it is zero. I don't know if this is appropriate. Additionally, I also go into my "sent" folder, move replies to appropriate responses to folders I've set up, i.e. clients, community service, and the like, and then delete the remainder. I also make sure to read, respond, or delete all incoming mails within 24-48 hours. The outbox and draft folders never have anything in them.I don't know if these actions have or will have any impact on request to compact messages.I'm not sure what you mean by backing up up OE. How would I do this? Why is this necessary?And, finally, Windows Search? What is it? Why do I need it? The former "search" feature was totally adequate for my purposes. I personally think all the bells and whistles that MS keeps adding is just so much fluff and keeps moving away from basic core usage. I don't need all this stuff; I, unlike a lot of people, simply want to be able to send and receive email, use Word Perfect and MS Office (ick! - so counter-intuitive!) for my home-based business), and to access the internet via Firefox. I don't game, download music, movies, or games. I know, boring stuff, but it is more than adequate for my needs and purposes.Thank you again for your patience and your time. First, Windows Search is a program that indexes folder and can cause you to see the compact prompt sooner than 100 closings of OE. However, I don't think that is the problem. The problem is you refuse to compact.Second, if you value your saved messages, you should backup any e-mail program you use. Anything can happen at anytime that may cause message loss. Do you backup important data in My Documents? Pictures? You should. If you don't care about the messages, don't worry about it. How? I already posted this.Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx Third, as I mentioned before and the links also reflect, you can delete messages all you want and it will not get rid of the compact prompt. The space is not reclaimed until you compact, so please, please, please, let it compact and be over this.Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA

Mr Hagen - Thank you again for your prompt response.I read the article you referenced. I am not sure I understand what is being suggested. Is this fix to be accomplished by backing up to an external source, i.e. disks, external hard drive (which I don't have, but maybe some day), or on computer itself (which doesn't really doesn't make sense).I don't use "My Documents". I have a "master file" called "My Files" where all my client and community service files, etc. are located. I back up, not as often as I should, on diskettes. I have never backed up anything for Outlook Express.I was not aware of the necessity of compacting until I started reading this thread. I am sorry you feel it necessary to take this tone with me. I note that I have asked you to explain to me in layperson's terms what these various terms that you mention are and why the suggested "fixes" are necessary, etc. While I am extremely appreciative of your time and efforts in attempting to help me resolve this issue, I still feel a bit confused and intimidated.Finally, you state that "the space is not reclaimed until you compact". What space? Where is it located?Thank you again.

Backing up is not a fix, just a precaution.If you use OEQB, you will have a folder with all of your messages, personal settings, address book, message rules etc., in data form. If you include this folder when you backup your master file "My Files" should something happen, simply reinstalling OEQB and then restoring from this folder puts OE back just as it looked before the possible mishap.Take a look at your message store. All your messages are stored there in data form in dbx files. Failure to compact will allow these dbx files to grow until they are overloaded and all the data (messages) are lost forever.Message Store LocationTools | 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, Win2K & Win2K3, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default marked as hidden. To view these files in Windows Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options Icon | View, or in Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | View. Look at the message store just so you understand OE's file system. You do not need to do anything her, but note the size of some of the folders such as Deleted Items.dbx. Until you compact, that size will continue to grow.Compact Your OE Folders Does this help explain? It was in one of the links I provided. Like most database programs, OE does not actually remove an item from a *.dbx file when you delete a message. Instead it merely tags the item for removal at a later time, mainly when you next compact your folders. Until then, the deleted message is still occupying disk space, which can cause OE to perform more slowly when accessing the *.dbx file. To recover disk space and keep your files as small as possible, you need to compact your folders regularly. In the OE Folder list (View| Layout| Folder List), click Outlook Express so that no mail or news folder is open. Now click File| Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving. Finally, click File| Folder| Compact All Folders. This process can take several minutes and you should not attempt to use your computer until it is finished. If an error occurs, such as "cannot compact, folder in use", just close OE, wait a second or two, then re-open OE and begin the process again. This will compact not only your news folders, but also all of your mail folders and the all-important Folders.dbx. To compact only news folders, click Tools| Options| Maintenance| Clean up Now, then click Compact.To compact a single mail folder, just click once on the folder to select it, then click File| Folder| Compact. To compact a single newsgroup folder, right-click on the newsgroup, then click Properties| Local File| Compact. I apologize about the 'tone'.Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA

Mr. Hagen - Thanks for your response.I compacted OE. I don't have any news groups. .DBX files do seem to be large, but have no way to compare.My files are not "hidden"; I don't use Internet Explorer - Firefox. I went to Control Panel and verified files weren't hidden.After compacting completed, I opened up Outlook Express and ALL of my Unread emails in Incoming were GONE! Where did they go and how do I get them back? The only emails there are newly arrived emails. However, once I click on new email to read, other emails float away into the ... ethernet; captured by computer gremlins???? Anyway, I do need to be able to retrieve, find, locate missing incoming, unread emails! This occurred post-compacting. Any connection?Thanks again!

Mr. Hagen - With regard to my last response, I think I fixed, inadvertently to be sure, the situation with the missing incoming email, so you won't need to waste your time on suggesting a fix.Thank you.

Mr. Hagen - With regard to my last response, I think I fixed, inadvertently to be sure, the situation with the missing incoming email, so you won't need to waste your time on suggesting a fix.You are welcome, for whatever. It sounds like somehow Hide Read Messages became checked instead of Show All Messages.I hope you don't feel I think I have been wasting my time and do hope that your issue with the compact prompt is resolved.You will find some good reading here if you want to learn more about Outlook Express and its quirks. Just an FYI, OE has been out of production since 2006 and XP is the last Windows version to use it.Inside Outlook Expresshttp://www.insideoe.com/Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA