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**Regina** · (This post was last modified: 09-12-2011 07:31 PM by Regina.)

As I was deleting old logs during maintenance today I took a gander through the PM logs and I noticed there are many messages being stored that go back to when this forum was first installed. I know some of us like to hang on to PMs for easy reference, and I have no problem with that, but at the same time it's also possible much of what's stored could be deleted. Also, the PM system has an easy way to export your PMs to your computer, which I use instead of keeping everything on the server. It's fairly straight forward and converts everything into a text document you can download. I've attached an image of where to find that feature in the PM box.

I was thinking that in the future when I do routine maintenance and clean-up, I'll delete any messages that are still hanging around after they're three months old. Does that sound fair? I want to give people plenty of time to save what they want so I won't delete any of them for a few weeks.

**Judy Sims** · 09-14-2011, 01:49 PM

Sounds good to me, Regina. That makes more room for the good stuff. MrGreen

auntielynds · 09-14-2011, 03:57 PM

Yes, I was one of those people, Lol. Cleaned out now. Smile

**Regina** · (This post was last modified: 09-14-2011 04:02 PM by Regina.)

Thanks, Judy! I am just hoping I didn't come across as some mean old ogre, I know how important some of the info we all exchange via PMs is, but at the same time I'm thinking it's probably not such a good idea for all of it to stack up for however long. Bounce

Thanks, AuntieLynds! Perhaps I should say also that when messages are moved into the trash they will auto-delete at some point so you may not see a decrease in the number you have if they get put in the trash then the trash not get emptied. No biggy, though, because at least if messages are in the trash when I do maintenance I can get rid of those before I optimize the database tables. Smile

**Spacerox** · 09-14-2011, 05:45 PM

Haha, I was sitting on a few stacks myself.

**Ghost** · 09-14-2011, 07:08 PM

I'm one of the ones who tends to keep everything, too. I'll get them cleaned out now.

**tontrin** · 09-14-2011, 08:44 PM

Okay, yesterday I didn't even think to check the "deleted" folder and could not figure out why the number of my messages didn't go down after deleting them Paperbag

Oh well, I've been so tired and brain numb this week, it doesn't surprise me. This morning I had my alarm set for 3:30 but woke and 3:00 a.m. instead. I wanted that other half hour of sleep. Really sad

I guess if you want to delete them after they're so old, that would be fine, because I had no idea I had so many.

**Regina** · 09-14-2011, 08:56 PM

They do have a habit of stacking up! Lol

I remember the first time I deleted a bunch of messages and saw the number didn't go down I was just thinking the forum had to take a few minutes to catch up, then I discovered them all hiding in my trash bin. Paperbag

Oh goodness, sometimes that last half-hour of sleep is so important! It stinks to miss out on it.