Outlook Express can compact messages...

Interesting message I get the past few days after each startup. Funny thing is that I do not even use Outlook Express, I only use Outlook. So there is exactly 1 message in there, the default welcome message. Makes sense to compact that ;-)

However, I found the solution, accidentally on an Outlook forum. The crucial part:

It is related to desktop search - right-click the magnifying glass icon in the toolbar menu and choose Windows Desktop Search Options from the menu. If Microsoft Outlook Express is listed under 'Included Locations' then left-click on it and click on the 'Modify' button'. You should see an Indexed Locations popup where you can 'uncheck' the Microsoft Outlook Express: Main Identity entry and you will no longer receive the message.

Edit: Next startup the message reappeared! So I just gave in and pressed OK. It will probably be silent for some time now. In short:

Resistance is futile. We are Microsoft

Outlook knows what's good for you

Well, sure it does. But if I want to receive an Access database file (.mdb), I do not want to be held back by it. Luckily, Microsoft provided a solution. You just have to edit the registry and reboot your machine. Apparently this cannot be done easier...

For the solution, see the Microsoft Knowledgebase, article 829982.

Saving your Outlook shortcuts

Outlook has a handy feature in the navigation pane: It let's you save shortcuts to often-used folders.
But I noticed that sometimes these shortcuts disappear (I suspect after an automatic update, but MVP says that cannot be true).
My system administrator has searched for a solution. You cannot make them disappearance-resistent, but you can make a backup of
C:\Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\(profilename).XML.
Now, if you lose them again, simply restore this xml file from its backup location.

A related tip is to reset your navigationpane entirely (should you want that): Start | Run | outlook.exe /resetnavpane.