Is it possible for OE to lose messages I sent

Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now I'm
wondering.

Jack

It is possible. You move messages out of Sent Items which is good. Do you
compact often? Do you do all of the following?

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

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT
for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now I'm
wondering.

Jack

How long do you archive messages in Sent Items folder before moving them to
the Saved folder? How many messages are in Sent Items and Deleted Items
folders right now? How frequently, if at all, do you manually compact all
OE folders?

General OE Caveats:

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Frequently perform a manual compact of all OE folders while "working
offline". More at http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- Do not cancel Automatic Compacting, should it occur, and do not attempt to
close OE via Task Manager or shutdown your machine if Automatic Compacting
is taking place.

- Disable email scanning by your anti-virus application. It can cause
corruption (i.e., loss of messages) and provides no additional protection:

Why you don't need your anti-virus to scan your email
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tuto...ning/index.htm

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002


Jack B wrote:
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT
for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now I'm
wondering.

Bruce,

You move messages out of Sent Items

Yes -- I try not to accumulate more than 100 messages there.

compact often?

Approx once/wk.

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.

Yes to all above. No .dbx file is 300 mb at present.



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
It is possible. You move messages out of Sent Items which is good. Do you
compact often? Do you do all of the following?

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

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT
for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now I'm
wondering.

Jack

There are recovery tools, but if you are not even sure you actually sent the
message do you want to go that route? You /may/ find the message with one of
these tools. Note that only DBXpress has a chance if the folders have been
compacted.

Macallan Outlook Express Extraction:
http://www.insideoe.com/resources/tools.htm#macallan

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

DBXpress: {much faster for large files}
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Bruce,

You move messages out of Sent Items

Yes -- I try not to accumulate more than 100 messages there.

compact often?

Approx once/wk.

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.

Yes to all above. No .dbx file is 300 mb at present.



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
It is possible. You move messages out of Sent Items which is good. Do you
compact often? Do you do all of the following?

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

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background
and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT
for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of
SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now I'm
wondering.

Jack

Bruce,

There's the rub -- I am not absolutely positive I sent the message.

Well, anyway, I will now be a little more attentive all the way around,
including compacting, size, etc.

Question: If I backup (via Explore using copy/paste to another folder on
the HD) the dbx files and later want to open one without disturbing the
current same dbx file, what's the best way to do that?


Jack



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
There are recovery tools, but if you are not even sure you actually sent the
message do you want to go that route? You /may/ find the message with one of
these tools. Note that only DBXpress has a chance if the folders have been
compacted.

Macallan Outlook Express Extraction:
http://www.insideoe.com/resources/tools.htm#macallan

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

DBXpress: {much faster for large files}
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Bruce,

You move messages out of Sent Items

Yes -- I try not to accumulate more than 100 messages there.

compact often?

Approx once/wk.

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.

Yes to all above. No .dbx file is 300 mb at present.



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
It is possible. You move messages out of Sent Items which is good. Do you
compact often? Do you do all of the following?

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

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background
and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT
for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of
SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now I'm
wondering.

Jack

You want to move all your current dbx files to another location as an
archive? Any particular reason? If you do, you would have to bring them back
into OE to read them. Not always a simple thing to do.

If you want folders with messages out of your current folder tree, the
easiest way around this is to create another identity and import the folders
you want to archive to it. This way you can just switch identities to read
them if need be.

How to Create and Use Identities in Outlook Express
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=209169

I would still get OEQB. It will back up all identities at the same time.
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Bruce,

There's the rub -- I am not absolutely positive I sent the message.

Well, anyway, I will now be a little more attentive all the way around,
including compacting, size, etc.

Question: If I backup (via Explore using copy/paste to another folder on
the HD) the dbx files and later want to open one without disturbing the
current same dbx file, what's the best way to do that?


Jack



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
There are recovery tools, but if you are not even sure you actually sent
the
message do you want to go that route? You /may/ find the message with one
of
these tools. Note that only DBXpress has a chance if the folders have been
compacted.

Macallan Outlook Express Extraction:
http://www.insideoe.com/resources/tools.htm#macallan

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

DBXpress: {much faster for large files}
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Bruce,

You move messages out of Sent Items

Yes -- I try not to accumulate more than 100 messages there.

compact often?

Approx once/wk.

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.

Yes to all above. No .dbx file is 300 mb at present.



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
It is possible. You move messages out of Sent Items which is good. Do you
compact often? Do you do all of the following?

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

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background
and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT
for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of
SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now
I'm
wondering.

Jack

[Do yourself a BIG favor and never copy/paste any DBX files anywhere, Jack.]

Jack B wrote:
Bruce,

There's the rub -- I am not absolutely positive I sent the message.

Well, anyway, I will now be a little more attentive all the way around,
including compacting, size, etc.

Question: If I backup (via Explore using copy/paste to another folder on
the HD) the dbx files and later want to open one without disturbing the
current same dbx file, what's the best way to do that?


Jack



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
There are recovery tools, but if you are not even sure you actually sent
the
message do you want to go that route? You /may/ find the message with one
of
these tools. Note that only DBXpress has a chance if the folders have been
compacted.

Macallan Outlook Express Extraction:
http://www.insideoe.com/resources/tools.htm#macallan

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

DBXpress: {much faster for large files}
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Bruce,

You move messages out of Sent Items

Yes -- I try not to accumulate more than 100 messages there.

compact often?

Approx once/wk.

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.

Yes to all above. No .dbx file is 300 mb at present.



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
It is possible. You move messages out of Sent Items which is good. Do you
compact often? Do you do all of the following?

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

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background
and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT
for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of
SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now
I'm
wondering.

Jack

Jack B,
On your Sent Messages problem. Were these messages sent from an IMAP
account? If they were then there is possibly a setting you need to check the
web mail interface for that acct. There may be a setting there, to
automatically delete messages in some of the main folders, such as Inbox,
Sent Items, or Deleted Items folders, after XX days. This is used to
maintain space on the mail server. You may need to have user created folders
added to the account, and manually move the messages to them, if you want to
maintain them longer.

For POP3 accounts, make sure that save to Sent Items folder is checked.

In OE TOOLS Options Send tab Check box to save messagesApply/OK. It
might have been accidently unchecked.

The easiest way I have found to archive/backup messages in OE6, is to create
a separate Identity or Identities for those messages. Each new year I
"archive" my messages, I have Identities labeled in OE like this:
1. Messages 2001
2. Messages 2002
through
7. Messages 2007
8. Messages 2008

Once I know that all the messages have been transferred correctly, I delete
all the messages I don't need on a "daily basis" in the new year, from my
Default Identity, then "Compact All" my folders.

Then if I need to review a message, I switch to that Identity.

PA Bear,
Why is there a problem with Copy and Paste, of *DBX files? I could
understand Cut & Paste could lead to problems. I have copy/paste these files
and the entire message store folder, between partitions on a HDD, to
different HDDs in the same PC, and over my home network between PCs. And I
have never had a problem.

I would think it better to copy/paste the OE Message Store folder containing
the *.DBX files before doing things like burning them to CDs/DVDs, using the
copy of the message store folder. This way if something goes wrong, you have
not damaged your current message store folder.

--
Add MS to your News Reader: news://msnews.microsoft.com
Rich/rerat
(RRR News) message rule
Previous Text Snipped to Save Bandwidth When Appropriate


"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote in message
...
[Do yourself a BIG favor and never copy/paste any DBX files anywhere, Jack.]

Jack B wrote:
Bruce,

There's the rub -- I am not absolutely positive I sent the message.

Well, anyway, I will now be a little more attentive all the way around,
including compacting, size, etc.

Question: If I backup (via Explore using copy/paste to another folder on
the HD) the dbx files and later want to open one without disturbing the
current same dbx file, what's the best way to do that?


Jack



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
There are recovery tools, but if you are not even sure you actually sent
the
message do you want to go that route? You /may/ find the message with one
of
these tools. Note that only DBXpress has a chance if the folders have been
compacted.

Macallan Outlook Express Extraction:
http://www.insideoe.com/resources/tools.htm#macallan

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

DBXpress: {much faster for large files}
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Bruce,

You move messages out of Sent Items

Yes -- I try not to accumulate more than 100 messages there.

compact often?

Approx once/wk.

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.

Yes to all above. No .dbx file is 300 mb at present.



"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
It is possible. You move messages out of Sent Items which is good. Do you
compact often? Do you do all of the following?

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

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background
and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP [Mail]
Imperial Beach, CA


"Jack B" wrote in message
...
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking SENT
for
a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move messages out of
SENT
after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd swear I sent it, but now
I'm
wondering.

Jack

Jack B wrote:
Is it possible for OE to lose some messages I sent. I was checking
SENT for a sent message and couldn't find it (actually, I move
messages out of SENT after a while and put them into SAVED). I'd
swear I sent it, but now I'm wondering.

Jack

From the other posts, it doesn't sound like you have any corruption or
problems, so I'd hazard the guess that, if it's not in Sent and not in
Saved, then it either was never sent or somehow it was accidentally
deleted. If you can remember it well enough, it's probably faster and a
lot less work to just rewrite and resend it with a bried apology if it's
going to be noticed being late, IMO.

If you have Webmail, you might be able to go to the Webmail address and
check the Sent mails there. Not sure all ISPs do, but when I send a mail
from OE, it shows as a Send in my Webmail folder online.

HTH,

Twayne