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Compacting doesn't seem to be working.

  • 2 replies
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  • 181 views
  • Last reply by Wayne Mery

IOK Wasamatau
IOK Wasamatau
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Thunderbird optioned for automatic compacting would once in a great while compact folders when I try deleting messages. Now it's trying to compact folders every time I delete a message the first time I open thunderbird v115.8.1 32 bit. If I manually select TRASH folder to compact it says 1.2GB saved every time I try to compact it. Compact 5 times it will say 1.2GB saved every time. It seems to me it is not removing the deleted items. What to do?

Thunderbird optioned for automatic compacting would once in a great while compact folders when I try deleting messages. Now it's trying to compact folders every time I delete a message the first time I open thunderbird v115.8.1 32 bit. If I manually select TRASH folder to compact it says 1.2GB saved every time I try to compact it. Compact 5 times it will say 1.2GB saved every time. It seems to me it is not removing the deleted items. What to do?

Chosen solution

In the mean time.... I saw a couple of 1969 dated messages at the bottom of my Trash folder. Hmmmm? Poked around here to find out what they were. Sign of corruption or problems. Didn't try deleting them. Looked in "Properties" of the Trash folder and I came across a "Repair Folder" option. I tried it! When it was done the trash folder view flashed and the two 1969 messages were gone. I compacted the Trash folder and got a new message... no longer 1.2GB saved... 2.5GB saved! Whoa! Took Thunderbird down and up. Tried to delete a message.... NO COMPACTING upon deleting the message! Tried to compact the Trash file again... NO COMPACTING!... as in it doesn't need it, I guess? Seems that "repair folder" worked. I never saw this in any discussion of compacting issues. Hope it works for someone else.

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IOK Wasamatau
IOK Wasamatau Question owner
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Chosen Solution

In the mean time.... I saw a couple of 1969 dated messages at the bottom of my Trash folder. Hmmmm? Poked around here to find out what they were. Sign of corruption or problems. Didn't try deleting them. Looked in "Properties" of the Trash folder and I came across a "Repair Folder" option. I tried it! When it was done the trash folder view flashed and the two 1969 messages were gone. I compacted the Trash folder and got a new message... no longer 1.2GB saved... 2.5GB saved! Whoa! Took Thunderbird down and up. Tried to delete a message.... NO COMPACTING upon deleting the message! Tried to compact the Trash file again... NO COMPACTING!... as in it doesn't need it, I guess? Seems that "repair folder" worked. I never saw this in any discussion of compacting issues. Hope it works for someone else.

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
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If you continue to see problems in version 128 which comes out this summer, please be sure to post a new support item.