# Suggestion Box: Clean Out Your Private Messages



## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

As one of the most guilty offenders, I consider myself well qualified to point out that the Private Message folders build up quickly and just sit out there...taking up poor Doug's server hard disk space for no real reason.

While I like to save a number of PM's myself for various reasons (including some contain info I need for reference purposes), it has become clear that I was a PM storage pig, and needed to go on a PM diet.

Therefore, now that I deleted over 80 PM's from my e-mail the past hour alone - won't my fellow CE'ers join me in reducing their PM mailbox's a bit?

I'm sure Doug will be very happy to regain a couple of GIG on the DBSTalk server for these valuable (? :lol: ) posts.


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## dodge boy (Mar 31, 2006)

I delete mine after I read them or send them, unless it is something I want to hold on to but I never keep more than 5.


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

Thanks for the reminder.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> I'm sure Doug will be very happy to regain a couple of GIG on the DBSTalk server for these valuable (? :lol: ) posts.


Actually, I'm at 743 right now in my PMs .. I should be cleaning up myself :grin:


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## SAlBO (Jan 6, 2007)

I dont get enough to worry about it........


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

i clean mine out on a regular basis, but i havent done it for a few weeks. im guilty too at 446. i will clean out today though!!


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## Greg Alsobrook (Apr 2, 2007)

my "neatfreakness" carries over to emails and such like this... so I only have 1 message presently...


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

I did my deletion duty and got rid of 60 of them. But most were actually in the "sent items" folder so be sure to check your sent PMs for deletion.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I have 473 PMs total, but I'm confused how this affects Doug! I didn't know Doug was behind storage needs here at DBSTalk!


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## Draconis (Mar 16, 2007)

I usually yank them as soon as I see them. However, I have a few so thanks for the reminder.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Drew2k said:


> I have 473 PMs total, but I'm confused how this affects Doug! I didn't know Doug was behind storage needs here at DBSTalk!


shh .. they don't have to know that


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## loudo (Mar 24, 2005)

Good idea, it is time for spring cleaning. Mine empty.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

only 200  most kept for record keeping..


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## tfederov (Nov 18, 2005)

I've cleaned out a bunch of mine as well.


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

I would never rack up more than a 10 at a time....... :grin:


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

That's not what the image says ...

And yes, I'm behind in cleaning out my box too! (1077)

Make that ZERO now!


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## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

I don't even want to say how high might has reached in the past two months...


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## smiddy (Apr 5, 2006)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> As one of the most guilty offenders, I consider myself well qualified to point out that the Private Message folders build up quickly and just sit out there...taking up poor Doug's server hard disk space for no real reason.
> 
> While I like to save a number of PM's myself for various reasons (including some contain info I need for reference purposes), it has become clear that I was a PM storage pig, and needed to go on a PM diet.
> 
> ...


While I agree with the principal of your post sir, I contend since there are some reference material in most of our PMs that we may need a feature to be able to download PMs to our hard drives for safe keeping. 

That being said, I clean out my PM box regularly since it fills very quickly.  :lol:


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

smiddy said:


> While I agree with the principal of your post sir, I contend since there are some reference material in most of our PMs that we may need a feature to be able to download PMs to our hard drives for safe keeping.
> 
> That being said, I clean out my PM box regularly since it fills very quickly.  :lol:


I'm going to work on keeping mine a bit cleaner as well. I only keep reference material, but it piles up as well.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

smiddy said:


> While I agree with the principal of your post sir, I contend since there are some reference material in most of our PMs that we may need a feature to be able to download PMs to our hard drives for safe keeping.


That feature exists and is available at the bottom of the index for your PMs. Both sent and received PMs can be downloaded in XML, CSV or TEXT. Look for:

*Download all Private Messages as :*
XML | CSV | Text

The links are just above the "Forum Jump" at the bottom of the PM page.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

If you have elected to receive email notification that you have a PM, your email message can now be your "archived PM", since the subject now states who the PM is from and gives the subject.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

You can export your PMs as text or XML, and then delete them if you wish. I get 150-200 a week so I do this fairly frequently.


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

Is there any way to turn off automatic saving of Sent PMs with this software? That's my worst offense, as I always clean out the inbox but rarely go into the Sent folder.


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## JACKIEGAGA (Dec 11, 2006)

Ok I got mine down to 18 thanks for the reminder


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

When you send a PM, you can uncheck the box to save a copy.


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

BobaBird said:


> When you send a PM, you can uncheck the box to save a copy.


Indeed you can - I've never scrolled down there! Always just tab and enter when I'm done typing. Thanks!


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## Pinion413 (Oct 21, 2007)

Felt guilty. Cleaned mine out. Down to 0.


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