Outlook Express "compact folders" dumping my .bak files into Recycle bin

[MarionRose]

I have thousands of emails in my Outlook Express. (I need to archive all my email.) I did clean up alot of it, but still thousands in there. OE periodically asks me to "compact folders to free up space". When I do so, it dumps all the .bak files into the recycle bin. (OE back up files). One day, in Sept 2010, after it compacted the folders, I found that I was missing hundreds of emails in my "sent" folder, (only the sent folder, all others were intact),  but only from May to Sept 2010. The "sent items.bak" file was in the recycle bin along with all other .bak files. I saved that file in a folder. Someone told me to rename it ".dbx" and restore it. I have not yet done so as I am wondering if it would duplicate ALL THE SENT MAIL, not just from May to Sept 2010.

In any event, why is it doing this every time it compacts folders? Is that because I have too much email archived in OE folders? (If I follow the path to the store folder it shows only the dbx files, not any bak files. I have not emptied the recycle bin of these files as I don't know if I need to restore them.

[Linux711]

I don't know if this helps, but do you know you can disable the recycle bin?

Right click recycle bin -> Properties -> Check do not move files to recycle bin -> Press OK

[soybean]

I don't know if this helps, but do you know you can disable the recycle bin?

Right click recycle bin -> Properties -> Check do not move files to recycle bin -> Press OK

But, that would apply to all file deletions and I don't believe that is good advice. 

In any event, why is it doing this every time it compacts folders?

Because that's how it's supposed to work.  That's normal, not abnormal.

I have not yet done so as I am wondering if it would duplicate ALL THE SENT MAIL, not just from May to Sept 2010.

No, I believe it will replace whatever you have in the Sent Mail folder with what you're restoring.  But, to be on the safe side, follow the renaming procedure explained at http://www.ehow.com/how_4464383_restore-deleted-files-from-microsoft.html