I probably won't get an answer to this, but here goes:

I receive 10+ emails a day from each server I rent (VPS).
They are server-update, backup, and server firewall notifications.
I need to keep an archive of these, but I don't need to read them.
A periodical perusal when I have time is fine, just to ensure everything
is ticking over ok.

So, I want to receive them 'silently'. In other words, on arrival they are
marked as read and moved to a folder, basically 'archiving' them for me.

But Outlook 2003, being the fine Piece Of Software (POS) that it is,
won't let me mark them as read and move them to a folder without:
1) still displaying the taskbar envelope ('you have new unopened items').
2) expanding the 'folder tree' to expose the archive sub-folder.

It does both these things *even though the mail has been marked read*

SOLUTIONS I KNOW ABOUT:
A)
I tried splitting the rules up into two, so that one rule marks the mail as read,
and the next moves the mail to the folder, because I read that this had solved
the problem for one person, but it didn't work for me.

B)
I know about the 'AutoRead' plugin. I dislike using plugins.

C)
I know that I could send the mail to the junk folder.
Apparently a special feature of this special folder is that it suppresses
the usual arrival behaviour. However, I don't want important server mail
going into the junk folder. EDIT: tried this anyway, and it still didn't work.

D)
I know I could turn off the taskbar envelope icon, but I like it for all other mail.
Besides, it wouldn't solve the problem of the folders expanding.

Any other ideas?

Perhaps there is another fine POS [particle of software] out there that you could use that will actually do what you are looking for? Is there any technical support for this fine POS that you can direct questions to? The Microsoft web site may be one fine POS [portal of support] if they have a forum.

I use Mozilla Thunderbird and it does let me file unread messages away, in different folders. I used it in Windows, and now I use it in Ubuntu Linux. I find a few oddities here and there with this software, and its spell-check dictionary is abysmal, underlining such things as "www.," ".org," as parts of Web addresses, the word "online," and contractions like "didn't." Even the correct spelling of "doughnut!"

There may actually be someone on here familiar with this Microsoft POW [piece of work] that can walk you through it.

Most people find Windows itself to be a POS [powerful operating system | popular operating system | practical operating system | poor operating system | preferred operating system].

There may even be a cadre of virus creators out ther that find it to be an interesting POS [piece of source-code] worthy of their creativity. :}

We could go on and on, but seriously, I hope you get a satisfactory solution to your problem here on webmaster-talk!

tbh i find forwarding all my mail to one yahoo account and using yahoo's mail filters do the job fine.

That archives them ( on their servers ) and i never need to worry again.

I use Incredimail http://www.webmaster-talk.com/comput...il-client.html

It maybe a "bit girly" but it's better than the POS (piece of sh***) Windows Live Mail.

It has folders and subfolders and you can set filtering and message rules quite easily.
And if you are used to Outlook Express or Outlook in "Internet eMail" mode there willl be no learning curve involved.

Thanks for Plenty Of Suggestions.

As with most people, I am stuck with Outlook due to everyone else using it for mailing contacts, tasks and calendar dates to each other, as well as lots of other Office compatibility.

I've managed to solve the problem by swearing loudly every time I get server messages. It helps to let it out!

Cheers.

Oh yes, the POS [Power Of Swearing]!

Another solution that you might use is buy a domain name and a mail-only hosting package, with a total cost of about $23 per year, give or take a buck, then set your server filters to block unwanted spam and archive your server email. I have seen very little spam in my inbox with some very carefully-crafted filters.