Original postings..

  • Thread starter Thread starter tyler
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tyler

I notice that original posts here are often removed, and I can only view it
after scrolling thru the reply, sometimes several replys. It would be nice
to read the original question or issue first, the read on to the responses.
It it a setting issue on my side or what?
Tyler
 
tyler said:
I notice that original posts here are often removed, and I can only view it
after scrolling thru the reply, sometimes several replys. It would be nice
to read the original question or issue first, the read on to the responses.
It it a setting issue on my side or what?
Tyler
Click to expand...
Unfortunately OE is a bit limited as to it's views. if you go to
View-Current View you have as standard, the choices of All messages,
Unread messages, and Downloaded messages. You can further modify this
with "show replies to my posts". However, unless you set up a customised
view, (and I'm not even sure that that will do it) you can't view a
complete thread including read and un-read posts.
Other news readers will allow you to do this. Specifically, the one I'm
currently using, Thunderbird, will allow me to view "Threads with
Unread" which shows all threads with unread messages in their entirety.

--
Registered Linux User no 240308
Just waiting for Broadband to complete the conversion!(4 weeks and
counting!)
gordonATgbpcomputingDOTcoDOTuk
to email me remove the obvious!
 
I notice that original posts here are often removed, and I can only view it
after scrolling thru the reply, sometimes several replys. It would be nice
to read the original question or issue first, the read on to the responses.
It it a setting issue on my side or what?
Tyler
Click to expand...

Older posts are purged from the servers. Retention time seems to be at
least a couple of months in the busier groups. Longer in the slower groups.
 
I am able see complete threads including read and unread posts in OE.
Go to View>Current View
Make sure Show All Messages is selected and check Group Messages by
Conversation
 
tyler said:
I notice that original posts here are often removed, and I can only view it
after scrolling thru the reply, sometimes several replys. It would be nice
to read the original question or issue first, the read on to the responses.
It it a setting issue on my side or what?
Tyler
Click to expand...

Most news servers remove posts after a set period of time. Also, if you are
downloading a set number at a time, the original may never have been
downloaded. You can download all by going to Tools | Options | Read and
unchecking "Download ### headers at a time". Or you can try Tools | Get
next ### headers and see if that downloads the one you want.

The Microsoft server probably keeps messages a lot longer than Cox.

In OE go to Tools | Accounts | Add (or New) | News.
Set up an account for this news server:

msnews.microsoft.com

The server is free and does not require you to logon. This news server
carries over 2200 newsgroups related to Microsoft products and keeps
messages at least 30 days.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
 
Hi, Tyler.

As Sharon said, news servers purge old messages to make room for new, and
the definition of "old" depends on how much storage space the server has
available, just like me, when I'm trying to make more room on my hard drive.

But it could be your own computer that is deleting the messages too soon.
In OE, click Tools | Options... On the Maintenance tab, look at the number
in the Delete news messages ___ days after being downloaded. The default is
5 days, as I recall; I've changed mine to 32 days, to keep a full month's
worth. Note that this is the number of days after I download them; it may
have been many more days since they were actually posted, especially if I've
only recently subscribed to that NG and downloaded All Messages.

All of these microsoft.public newsgroups are hosted on the Microsoft public
news server, which is free and does not require you to log on. Many news
servers (perhaps including the one you are using) simply "slurp" messages
from the host server and relay them - and any responses - back and forth,
resulting in posts that are late, out of sequence, or simply lost. To "cut
out the middleman", just click here:
news://microsoft.public.com/microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics

Unless blocked by something like a corporate firewall, that should create
the News account for you and subscribe you to this newsgroup; in other
words, it should bring you right back here. Then you can choose whether to
download the entire backlog or just New messages. (I currently show 6,844
messages, dating back to 11/23/04 in this Basics NG; it takes a long time to
download that many, even with broadband.)

RC
 
Whoops!

I've typed that URL dozens of times, but I got it wrong this time. It
should be:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics

Sorry 'bout that. ;^{

And, as Frank said, rather than (or in addition to) deleting messages too
soon, you may just not be downloading all those available if you left the
setting at the default 300 headers at a time.

RC
 
In
tyler said:
I notice that original posts here are often removed, and I can
only
view it after scrolling thru the reply, sometimes several
replys. It
would be nice to read the original question or issue first, the
read
on to the responses. It it a setting issue on my side or what?
Click to expand...


Tyler, there are two separate issues here, dealing with retention
of posts on the server and dealing with retention of posts on
your local computer.

1. Most servers don't have enough room to carry all posts forever
and set rules for how long posts are retained. Some servers set
different rules for different newsgroups, purging very active
newsgroups faster than less active ones. This newsgroup is
available on Microsoft server, but many users get it instead from
their ISPs general news server, or from some other source. So the
answer to how long it's retained depends entirely on what server
you're using.

2. Once the message reaches your local computer and its
newsreader, how long you keep it locally depends on the settings
you use in your newsreader (in your case, Outlook Express).

Personally, I don't save already-read messages at all; when I go
to a newsgroup, I want to see only messages I haven't read yet;
if I also saw and had to bypass messages I've already read, it
would take me many times as long to get through the groups.

But it's your choice to keep whatever you want. If you want it
all, go to View | Current View, and select "Show all messages"
and go to Tools | Options, and on the "Mainenance" tab, uncheck
"Delete messages...."
 
tyler said:
I notice that original posts here are often removed, and I can only
view it after scrolling thru the reply, sometimes several replys. It
would be nice to read the original question or issue first, the read
on to the responses. It it a setting issue on my side or what?
Tyler
Click to expand...

See my signature and setup OE using the msnews,microsoft.com news servers.
They retain a two month archive of messages.
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm
 
Thanks for all the input guys, I'll keep tweeking it. However, for example,
the thread after this one titled:
"Directory and file Organization" actually begins on my end with the
"Re: Directory and file Organization" or Colins' reply to the original.
The original post (by 'oldtimer') isn't there..
Yet the next one titled "installed a fresh copy of XP. please help" - I do
have the original post by 'cell phone repair' in addition to all the replys.
And both of those I pulled down just last night.... So I cant figure...

Tyler
 
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