Outlook Express Compacted Messages "LOST"

[countrykid]

Hi

My computer's OS is Windows XP Pro, but this may not be relevant. Periodically when using Outlook Express for emailing, a window appears asking if you would like to free up disk space by "Compacting Messages" I always click cancel. Today, someone else was using the PC and clicked yes.

For reasons I cannot understand, a large amount of messages have now been removed from my Sent Folder. It has retainined messages pre June 08, but has lost all others from then up until yestertday, leaving those sent today intact. Do the compacted messages get stored somewhere on the hard drive? I hope they do, as I refer to them quite a lot. HELP!! Thanks

[BilluSugger]

Not sure but can you do a search for a message that should be there & find folder from there ?

[Rollo]

If they are lost, then I hope you have them backed up somewhere so you can restore them.

[Vicasso]

Is there anything in the Recycle Bin ?

[countrykid]

Thanks for the replies. My emails are not backed up. I checked the deleted folder, but not the PCs recycle bin, which I will do tomorrow when I go back to work. I tried doing a search, but it found nothing.

Many thanks

[squarebear]

If it's anything like Outlook, they get stored as an archive file and you need to open that file to look at your messages. Try searching for anything like archive and check what date the file was created.

[johnpol78]

you clean up the messages so that all the old messages are deleted from your outlook in box items.

this is the link which helps you to get the back up of the compact messages.

http://email.about.com/od/outlookexpresstroubl es/qt/et_compact_oe.htm

[countrykid]

Many thanks johnpol78,

I have now managed to retrieve some of the lost messages from the recycle bin. Your link was very helpful Thanks.