Windows Live Mail Desktop fails to compact database on exit

Windows Live Mail Desktop fails to compact database on exit. A dialog pops
up with the error message "File in use by Windows Live Mail or other
program" (or words to that effect). There is no information about what file
is in contention, or why. How do I resolve this?

Windows Live Mail Version 2008 Build 12.0.1606
Windows XP/SP2
Dell Inspiring 2650

"Karl" <karl_uppiano@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:84FC2000-DEA1-4F7F-B650-618FE093E575@xxxxxx
I would try running ProcMon. ; )

FWIW OE has a similar unhelpful message and often it must mean its Folders.dbx
file (which can only be compacted when you do File, Folder, Compact All Folders)

Another analogy with OE may be worth checking into. If OE has been run for
a long time and I try to compact all folders before closing it, I frequently get that
symptom and have noted (e.g. in Task Manager) that a huge Virtual Memory size
may have built up which takes a while to be cleaned up. Hence I have found it
worthwhile, after getting the problem message to use Task Manager to check
that OE actually goes away before I try to start it again and retry the compact
all folders operation. When I do this the error message rarely reappears.

Getting back to WLMail: in view of the fact that it stays open as a hidden task
and thinking of my experience with OE I would definitely try fully exiting the task
and verifying that it closed before trying to reopen it again. In WLMail's case
you don't even have the option of trying to do a full compaction on an active task,
you have to arrange it so that it happens on a closing task. So, just set the
count to 1 and close it and you will get a prompt for a full compaction from a fresh
task, similar to the above procedure with OE.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---

"Robert Aldwinckle" <robald@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:#0CjgofRIHA.3388@xxxxxx I think WLMail has a bug. I have the cleanup set to happen every time it
closes, and the file conflict happens every time, unless I simply start and
immediately close the program. I tried waiting for all disk activity to stop
before responding to the "do you want WLMail to compact..." dialog, but that
didn't help either. It appears that there is only one instance of WLMail
running when this error occurs. I have no idea what other software might
want to use the WLMail database. I suppose I could run a virus scan just out
of superstition, but I strongly doubt I'll find anything.

I use WLMail mainly for email and as a newsreader.

"Karl" <karl_uppiano@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:E3FD415D-3D6F-4727-810A-7D1D4CF8B947@xxxxxx

So, try changing the interval to 2 and then see if the problem happens
every second time? ; )


Are you running a virus scanner on your E-mail?
That type of program is notorious for causing problems
with E-mail apps in general. Process Explorer could give
you some hints about where the conflict is occurring.
E.g. if you did a find for all handles open with Windows Live Mail
in them and you found something other than wlmail.exe doing it
that would be my candidate for termination before I killed wlmail.exe


Then another test would be to use it for one or the other only
and see if the problem symptoms stopped with either one. Etc.


Good luck

Robert
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"Robert Aldwinckle" <robald@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eHGb#nBSIHA.1184@xxxxxx No, but I had it set to 10, and it was happening every 10th time.
No, I run the scanner manually for the reasons that you mention, and because
real-time scanning performance is intolerable.
I'll see if I have the discipline to do that ;-)

Try Tools/Options/Connections/
Stop Signing On
Then
File/Exit

--
...winston
MS-MVP Windows Live Mail

"Karl" <karl_uppiano@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23byKvhMSIHA.4712@xxxxxx

"...winston" <winstonmvp@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Odcx5ETSIHA.2208@xxxxxx Thanks Winston, that solves the cleanup problem, although it now looks like
I must choose between automatic compact or synchronizing with my Hotmail/MSN
account. I will assume that will be addressed in a later release, no?

You're welcome Karl.
That approach is contrary to how WLM is supposed to function with a Live
ID autologon or manual logon when opened. It may also be contrary to how
those who use both WLM and WLMessenger concurrently for sync etc.

...but not too inconvenient if one's cleanup/maintenance is set to in th
50-100 range.


--
...winston
MS-MVP Windows Live Mail

"Karl" <karl_uppiano@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uRTFLlYSIHA.1528@xxxxxx