Lost Outlook Express Emails - HELP!

Chippy_Minton

Here's what I would try next:

You've found OE's Store Folder containing your .dbx files. Exit from OE and copy this folder to another location (e.g. your Desktop) for safekeeping.

Next, delete Folders.dbx in the Store Folder. Start up OE and it will build a new Folders.dbx by re-indexing all .dbx files it finds in the Store Folder.

You'll have to recreate your mail folder hierarchy by dragging folders into place in the Folder list, but hopefully the lost folders are now back. Note that any folder you have created to group subfolders but that does not itself contain messages will not appear in the Folder list and so must be created again.

gizmoleeds

intel wrote:

What about a search for .eml

Thanks, but no luck.

Like the avatar BTW - much better than the snow thing you had.

scheming_gypsy

one of my favourite tricks for OE problems similar to this is to create a new folder in OE and copy 1 useless email into it and exit. This should now create the .dbx file for that folder. Delete that .dbx file and rename one of the ones that isn't working to the same filename that it was called. When you go back into OE it recognises it should have a folder of that filename, see's it's where it should be in the store folder and adds it to your folder list with your mails still intact.

gizmoleeds

scheming_gypsy wrote:

one of my favourite tricks for OE problems similar to this is to create a new folder in OE and copy 1 useless email into it and exit. This should now create the .dbx file for that folder. Delete that .dbx file and rename one of the ones that isn't working to the same filename that it was called. When you go back into OE it recognises it should have a folder of that filename, see's it's where it should be in the store folder and adds it to your folder list with your mails still intact.

Nice trick, but I tried it - I think the files became corrupted then it "compacted" them. If I load them in Excel I can make out the emails. In future I will just have to backup better.

Thanks anyway :beer: