ravencajun- I have used Hotmail for years as my main email account (I don't have the Hotmail Plus, paid version with extra storage). I am unaware of any setting that allows the user to set how long things stay in the Deleted folder before they are permanently deleted by the Hotmail servers. I believe the longest they are there is a week. I like to keep my Inbox clear, which is why I set up Folders where I can save anything I might remotely want to access in the future. If you can tell me where the setting is to change the Delete timing I'd like to hear. paleblue- The only other suggestion I have for you is to look in your Sent Folder. Occasionally I've wanted to go back to look at a deleted email, and it's past the date when Hotmail has cleared the Deleted Folder, but, if it was an email I replied to, it will be in my Sent Folder attached to my reply.

There can be two reasons you're not receiving the emails: You didn't check the "Check here if you would like copies of follow-ups to your message emailed to you." box when you created/started the post You don't have the email option turned on in your profile. To turn the email option on: Go to "Your Profile" (see top of page, above GardenWeb banner) You will have to log in again Check to be sure the email address entered is the correct one Scroll down to bottom to shaded area. Check the box that says... Allow other users to send you email via forms at our site. Click the "Save Your Member Profile" button You're done! I don't know if it's retroactive for current posts, but all future posts should have replies emailed to you....assuming you checked the "Check here if you would like copies of follow-ups to your message emailed to you." box when you create a new post. Note that this only applies to posts/threads that you start. There is no way at this time (that I know of) to keep track of someone else's threads other than to bookmark them as Loves2Cook4Six mentions.

Thanks for responding, pkponder. The problem is that I need to keep them on my webmail server (on my work laptop). But they take up way too much room on my phone, so would like to remove them and only have new ones coming in for when I'm away from the laptop. Then I will delete all from the phone maybe once per week.

Once your email address gets into the hands of those engaged in sending large volumes of garbage emails as you describe, trying to deal with them on the receiving end is a losing battle. I don't know what kind of organization is stupid enough to allow public access to an email list but that sounds like part of the problem. But it may not be the only source. I would abandon your current address and use two new ones - one for that organization only and a second address for everything else you do including personal financial stuff. You can let those you correspond with for business and personal reasons know what your new address is, it's no big deal for anyone to do a one-time address change in their own contact books. And maybe a third, if needed for websites that insist on having one as part of a user account. Like this website, as an example. Try Gmail, I think its spam filtering functions are much better than others. It's always better to have non-ISP email addresses anyway, you may change service providers through the years, it shouldn't require you to change the email address others use to reach you.