Email files that change too often - solution

[RandyB]

Over the past year there have been several threads about the problem with large email files that change daily and thus take up a lot of backup space. For example, my Outlook Express dbx files are 75 megs. Just starting up OE changes every file date, even if I get no mail. That means every backup needs 75 megs.

 

 

 

The threads talked about how the "backup date" doesn't work in Windows and other approaches. I finally figured out the simple one.

 

 

 

I have two custom selectors. One backs up all my data, excluding what I don't ever want (recycle bin, .BAK files, etc.) The other adds an exclusion for Windows; Path; [check File] matches Outlook Express\Randy. ("Randy" is the identity name. "Outlook Express" is the folder name for my message store.)

 

 

 

Then I use the "noEmail" selector 6 days per week, and the "everything" on the one remainging day per week. The backup set is the same.

 

 

 

I leave email on my ISP's server for 10 days, so if I lost a few days email after a crash, I'd just redownload it if it was important.