Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight the folder
location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will put the
location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files. Otherwise, write
the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.

In WinXP, Win2K & Win2K3, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default
marked as hidden. To view these files in Windows Explorer, you must enable
Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options
Icon | View, or in Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | View.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Rideneasy" wrote in message
...
where do I find these files?

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

From:
http://www.fjsmjs.com/OE/directdb.htm

Errors in DIRECTDB.DLL or MSOE.DLL generally indicate corruption in the
message store. Start by moving Folders.dbx to an empty Windows folder.
You
will lose your folder hierarchy and the lists of newsgroups on the news
servers, but it might get you into OE. Note: The DBX file are hidden
files
in Win2K, WinXP and Win2K03.

If that doesn't do it then move all of the DBX files to the same folder
as
Folders.dbx. You should now get into OE. Try importing the messages from
the
folder you moved the DBX files to. If you can't, you can use one of these
tools to extract the messages:

DBXtract:
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/Default.aspx

DBXpress: {much faster for large files}
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

Note: It can take a long time (days with really large folders).

The messages can then be dragged from the Windows folder back into a
folder
in an open instance of OE.

Once you have OE back, download SP2 again, but make sure you have all
other
programs closed and your anti-virus disabled. Your AV running can easily
cause a bad install of any download, especially MS Patches. If SP2
installs
OK, You have about 60 or so Critical Updates waiting. Make sure your AV
is
off for them as well.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Rideneasy" wrote in message
news
It all started with trying to upgrade to pack 2, that was a disaster.
I
restored back to an earlier date. It ran ok then when I tried to
switch
identities it just would not work. I had to restart my computer. It
started
again. I tried the create new identity and move files. didn't
work......tried switch identities now it is doing the same
thing....tried
to
go back and restore..now I can't restore...tried to start OE now it
says,
"can't open unable to open outlook express message store.. out of mem
or
disk
full" (0x8007000e, 5) checked and have tons of storage. I hit "OK"
then
next message that comes up says "...because MSOE.DLL oculd not be
initialized
OE not installed correctly.
help anyone, I can read my mail by going to my providers web page, but
I
don't know how to get to my old mail and my folders. Can I re-install
OE
without losing all of my folders and old emails....I am running my
businesses
off of these.....help