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.

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"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