outlook 2003 - compacting of folders when pc is idle

[Edward2005 0]

I have posted a previous message about outlook express 6, but now I am looking to go to outlook 2003 on a windows XP workstation with service pack 2 installed.

 

From what I have read on a few websites, I noticed that outlook 2003 will compact a folder when the PC is idle. What I would like to know if I start using outlook 2003, can I control how or when the compact process starts. I have had problems with outlook express where the compact process can begin at ramdon times (if I have started outlook more than 100 times since the last compacting of my folders; when I exit from outlook express, the folders will be compacted before I can do anything else).

 

In my case, I want to be able to open outlook 2003 anytime I need to without having to wait for the compact process to finish. So with outlook 2003 is there a way to control when and where the compacting process is executed (in a perfect world, I would be able to schedule the compact process to run when I have gone home for the day, and infact just to mention it here, I have been using outlook express 6 and the oetools that were mentioned, but I cannot get the compact all folders process to run on its own without prompting for me to click okay if there is any questions on the compacting, thus the compact process does not run automatically).

 

Edward Letendre.

[Sampson 0]

You were probably referring to this thread: http://www.ntcompatible.com/outlook_expr...les_t33708.html

 

As far as I know Outlook 2003 does pretty much what the other "Outlooks" do. One slight difference is that it will do some of this when the machine is idle only. Under intensive disk or CPU activity, it is not supposed to do automatic backup/compaction. If you are absolutely wedded to Outlook, you may have to wait awhile for a change in its behavior (and that would seem to indicate waiting for a new OS, but I wouldn't hold my breath even then). There are other email handling utilities out there that may execute more along the lines you desire and give you a broader form of control. Outlook Express has been around a very long time and it is similar in behavior back to its original predecessor. The fact that the program has become more insistant in compacting your folders should indicate a "vulnerability" that is common to many database programs - excessive deletions 1) retain unreusable "blank" space and waste hard drive storage and 2) can "stump" the indexing function and its pointers confusing the finding of its proper content.