Last night while answering e-mails the computer asked me if I wanted to compress files to free up disc space. Not remembering what happened the last time, I said yes. The window showed it compressing, then deleting. Sure enough, all messages in my inbox from 6/30/2008 to 9/4/2008 are gone. They have not been archived. They are not in the deleted messages folder. They are not in the recycle bin. Where are they? The last time the computer asked me if I wanted to compress files I lost all inbox messages from 5/11/2008 to 6/29/2008. So, I have lost 4 1/2 months of messages. Before this problem, it used to just compress the files. I never lost anything. I am using Windows XP with Outlook Express as my e-mail handler. Can someone tell me what is going on? Thanks

Your question is "Can someone tell me what is going on?"

The answer to the question you asked is Compacting emails does delete messages in the default email folders, including the INBOX. That is what is happening. It's happened to you twice.

There is no undelete. Sorry, the messages are gone. That is the answer to the question you didn't ask, "how do I get them back" since I am assuming that concerns you, too.

Lastly, to keep this from happening in the future, the answer to that question is create your own folders and move email messages you don't want to lose into those folders. The default folders need to be left as empty as possible to keep from losing messages.

TechArena Community - View Single Post - Outlook Express 6 Compact Messages (http://forums.techarena.in/3360794-post3.htm)

I'm sorry there's nothing to be done about the lost messages, but you can keep it from happening to you a third time.

Take care.