Did this happen after compacting? Check the Recycle Bin for a copy of your
files. If it is there, post back for restore details. If nothing is there,
the folder became corrupt due to the excessive size.

DBXpress run in Extract From Disk Mode is the best chance to recover
messages:
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

And see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4

A general warning if you don't want to lose your messages in the futu

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move
your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

And backup often.

Backup and Resto

http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/

http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx

And this good one click backup program.

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB):

http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Oyster" wrote in message
news:EGsuh.4$RJ4.2@trnddc08...
They just disappeared. I had a large inbox, about 2 gig worth of mail
from the last year. I wanted to archive it and clean it up but it just
disappeared. I can go to the file where it is stored and if I highlight
it and click properties, it still shows the file size at 1.9 gig +/- but
when I highlight it under IE6, it says (0 message(s), 0 unread)

So far, this is what I have done:
I copied the file on an external hard drive,
changed the name,
started IE6 and created a new file with the newly changed name,
closed down IE6, went to the location where the .dbx files are kept,
opened the external hard drive window,
dragged the newly named file to the location with the .dbx files to save
it there,
it said the file already existed so I clicked to replace the information,
closed down everything and then opened up IE6 again.

Highlighted the newly named and saved file and still no e-mails..... but
the newly named, transferred and saved files still shows the 1.9 gig of
file size......

Any ideas how to access the old e-mails???

Thank you in advance for your help.

Paul