Are you receiving this warning message despite not using Microsoft Outlook Express?
"Why do I get this warning?"
Although you may not realise it, Windows constantly indexes certain files on your PC to speed up responses when you search for files and documents.
By default, Windows (XP and Vista) includes the files that Outlook Express uses to store emails on your computer in this index. Unfortunately, disabling Outlook Express as your email software (or even removing it from your computer completely) often does not stop Windows from trying to index the location of these files.
Don't panic, this annoying alert can soon be overcome by following these few simple steps:
Go to your start menu and click on control panel. The screen print below has been taken from Windows XP but you should have similar options in Vista. You are looking for an icon called 'indexing options':
(If your control panel is displayed in category view you may have to select classic view down the left hand side first)
Double click on indexing options and you should see a new window open like the one below:
This tells me that Windows has currently indexed 61,237 of the files on my PC but is still trying to index the Microsoft Outlook Express files. You may see more than one option for Outlook Express and probably different folders to the ones shown on my computer too.
Click the Modify button in the bottom left and another window should open:
Don't worry if you don't see exactly the same files as me, the cause of our problem is a tick next to any of the Outlook Express options in the top half of the window. Untick all of the boxes that correspond to Microsoft Outlook Express options (just the middle one of the three in my case).
When you untick each option, the window will refresh and you will see Outlook Express disappear from the bottom window.
Click OK to close this 'Indexed Locations' window, then click close on the 'Indexing Options' window which is probably still open. Close your Control Panel and you are finished.
Now, the next time you switch your computer on you may still get the warning but this should be the last time. We can only assume this is just to confuse us! If you still get the warning after this, get in touch via our website and we will see what we can do to help.
Adam
6 comments:
Great to find clear tips on this annoyance - however I've found that the warning is persistent despite rebooting several times. Outlook express featured in the indexed locations, but I don't use it, and more to the point, it has long been uninstalled - I think. Is attacking the registry the only solution? Running XP SP3.
I don't have "indexing options" as an option. What should I do?
Hi Guys,
apologies for the late reply, it's been quite hectic here following the release of our Sheffield's Best Brands Competition.
I understand that a lot of people have had success removing this pesky message by doing the following:
1) Go to the start menu, click run.
2) Type regedit and press enter
3) Down the left hand side of the registry editor window, click on the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder to expand it then;
4) Expand the Identities folder
5) Expand the next folder (lots of letters and dashes)
6) Expand the Software folder
7) Expand the Microsoft folder
8) Expand the Outlook Express folder
9) Highlight the 5.0 folder
10) In the right hand window, double click on 'Compact Check Count'
11) Change the 'value data' field to zero and press ok.
12) Close the registry editor and see how you get on.
Adam
The only problem is that even after changing the Compact Check Count, when you reach the magic number, the box will start popping up again. Isn't there a permanent fix out there somewhere? I've reset the count about 8 times now over the past year.
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Its a great way you explained to spare our disk space. thanks for these valuable suggestions.
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