I posted this in NE, but may get more responses here:
Every morning for the past week or so, when I start up my work computer I'm getting a message.

"Outlook Express can compact your messages to free up disc space. This may take a few minutes."

My options are "OK and "Cancel" I had been selecting cancel.

I've never used Outlook Express for email, so why am I getting this message?

Do I say "OK" to get rid of it, or is there another way?

Weird....

Oh and if you answer, please speak English, not "geek speak."

So, from what I can see it's not an unusual message, though I've never used Outlook.

UPDATED FROM TODAY: I clicked OK. I got a message that it was compacting..OK. all done.

Then I started up my accounting program. I got an odd message that a ABC.dat file was not found....I knew this could be bad. I tried to pay a bill, got a message that I had no Accounts Payable. I tried to post a sale, got yet another message that I had no Accounts Receivable Account.
Then I realize my bookkeeping period date was 1997.

I had NO idea if the compacting thing had anything to do with the bookkeeping issue. Thankfully I backed up yesterday and restored my data. All was well the rest of the day.

I ran virus scan and Malwares, nothing found. I rebooted the computer at the end of the day, no weird messages and bookkeeping program seems OK.

Any ideas if I could have a gremlin/virus lurking in there waiting to blow up my computer?

 

You have been assimilated. The Borg thank you.

 

Anyone else have .02 they want to toss my way?

No annoying message this AM, and my bookkeeping program knows that it is March, 2011.

 

Sorry, Lainey. I don't even have Outlook Express on my computer, so I can't offer any advice.

 

Thanks anyway, Gene.

Outlook was just part of the bundled programs. Needless to say it's the bookkeeping data I worry about, though everything seems in order today.

I don't even know that the two things were related.

 

It has been a very long time since I've used it, but I seem to recall getting the same message from Outlook occasionally. And I'm pretty sure that message compaction is a standard function of Outlook and not a form of malware.

That's my opinion, anyway. If you would like another, I think "American Idol" sucks. Howzat?

 

Thank you for your opinion. As far as "American Idol", I would agree, and I would even go so far to say that 99.9% of the other reality programs also suck. Drivel!

 

This seems to be on point:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5967084_rid-...t-message.html

If you've got a bug I don't think OE had anything to do with it.

 

Thanks, I tried that fix, but didn't get far, so I decided to let it compact.

I doubt the two issues were related, but it was moment when I was back in 1997.

 

I wish I could go back to 1997!