See http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?p=135065#135065; also see the Notes
section of the following KB article for an explanation of sorts:

All e-mail items may be missing when you start Outlook Express 6 Service
Pack 1
[NB: Despite what the KB article might imply, you do NOT need to install
KB918766!]
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918069

To restore a BAK file in the Recycle Bin to your store folder:

1. Tools Options Maintenance Store folder will reveal the location of
your current Identity's store
(http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm#storemain). Write it down.

[In WinXP, Win2K and Win2K03, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are marked as
hidden by default. To view these files in Windows Explorer, you must enable
Show Hidden Files and Folders via Start Control Panel Folder Options
View.]

2a. Close OE.

2b. In Windows Explorer, navigate to your store Click on the DBX file
associated with the missing, or empty, folder (e.g., Inbox.dbx) and Move
(drag) it to your desktop for safety's sake.

3. Minimize the store folder.

4. Open OE:

- If the folder in question is missing, create a new folder with the same
name as the one you want to restore (e.g., if the file to restore is
Saved.bak, name the new folder Saved). Open the new folder (important!) and
then close OE.

- If the folder is still there (e.g., Saved.dbx) but just empty, continue to
Step 5.

5a. Close OE.

5b. Open the Recycle Bin and right-click on the BAK file you want to restore
(e.g, Saved.bak) and select Restore. Now re-open your store folder and
rename the file, replacing the BAK extension with DBX (e.g., rename
Saved.bak to Saved.dbx).

6. Close Windows Explorer, open OE and you should find your messages have
been restored to the folder in question.

7. Assuming all is well, you may now delete the DBX file that you moved to
the desktop in Step 2 above.

If, however, the folder is still empty, run this recovery tool of MVP Steve
Cochran's on the DBX file that you moved to the desktop in Step 2 above:

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

Also see http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx (#2 and #4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Avoiding Such Corruption in Futu

- Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

- Empty Deleted Items folder daily.

- Disable Background Compacting [not available in SP2] and frequently
perform a manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm

- WinXP SP2 only: Do not shut down your machine while Windows is
automatically compacting your message store.

- Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause such
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org


Steve Mc wrote:
I recently compacted my folders, and now have found all the folders.bak in
the recycle bin. I assumed they were old .bak files, so did a search for
the
current .bak but didn't find them.

This is the first time I noticed .bak files in the recycle bin. Is this
normal ? Do I no longer have .bak files ?

Thanks,