To free up disk space, Outlook Express can compact messages. This may take up to a few minutes.

Anonymous
2010-01-04T16:48:32+00:00

Every few minutes the message :

"To free up disk space, Outlook Express can compact messages.  This may take up to a few minutes."

This is irrelevant for two reasons :

(1) I do not use Outlook Express, and therefore have no messages to compact.

(2) I do not need to free up disk space as I am currently using only five per cent of a very large disk.

Could someone please tell me how I get rid off this very irritating message.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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Anonymous
2012-06-10T21:36:30+00:00

Here are the things I did that resolved the issue for me:

I reset Compact Check Count to 0, and I uninstalled Windows Search 4.0. 

As for Outlook Express: I don't use it.

Thank you for the reply...and thanks for the advice & info.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-performance/outlook-express-can-compact-messages-how-do-i-turn/b7e41d7f-d0db-4930-9c64-19e3c7b7d5cf?tm=1339359499078&page=1#_self

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Anonymous
2010-01-17T22:00:57+00:00

Try resetting the compact count in the registry:

  1. Start the registry editor.
  2. Open this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities{identity}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0

where identity is a string of letters, numbers, and dashes. 3. Set the value of Compact Check Count to 0. 4. Close the registry editor.

For more information, see Why You Should Let Outlook Express Compact Messages When It Asks You .

Warning: Incorrectly editing the registry might damage your system and prevent Windows from starting. Before doing it, back up your important data, make a restore point, and make sure you know how to repair a damaged system.

Boulder Computer Maven

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-07-26T12:24:31+00:00

    Thanks Bruce.  99% sure that fixed my system too.  If not, will report back.

    The problem only started after I upgraded to SP3, even though I had been using Windows Live Search and Windows Live Mail as my default mail client and Outlook Express had not been in my startup folder.

    Thanks again.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-07-16T02:27:53+00:00

    This is Windows Search.

    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/desktopsearch/choose/windowssearch4.mspx?tab=Install%20It

    It can cause the compact count to appear even if you do not use OE. If you have it on an XP machine, it will be listed in your programs as well as in Add/Remove Programs.

    Assuming you find you have it installed, you have to tell it to stop indexing OE.

    Windows Search. Set Desktop Search Options:

    http://www.microsoft.com/australia/windows/desktopsearch/search/options.mspx

    In the Windows Control Panel | Indexing Options | Modify. Clear the check box for Outlook Express.

    Bruce Hagen ~ MS-MVP [Mail]

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-07-16T01:59:32+00:00

    What exactly is your issue? Upon startup I get message 

    "To free up disk space, Outlook Express can compact messages.  This may take up to a few minutes."

    Do you use OE? No I use OUTLOOK

    Do If you let it compact, does the prompt go away? Yes.

    If the prompt keeps appearing, is  Windows Search installed on this machine?

    Not exactly sure what windows search is.

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