Why did you move the message store? You are running a fully patched version
of XP/SP2. You lost the messages this time because you interrupted the
compacting process. Unless you deleted them already, backup files were
created in the Recycle Bin when you started to compact.

All e-mail items may be missing when you start Outlook Express 6 Service
Pack 1:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918069

To restore a bak folder to the message store folder, first locate the
Message Store in Windows Explorer.

In OE: 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, the dbx files 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.

In Windows Explorer, click on the dbx file for the missing, or empty, folder
and drag it to the Desktop. It can be deleted later once you have
successfully restored the bak file. Minimize the Message Store.

Open OE and, if the folder is missing, create a folder with the *exact* same
name as the bak file you want to restore but without the .bak. Eg: If the
file is Saved.bak, the new folder should be named Saved. Open the new folder
and then close OE. If the folder is there, but just empty, continue on to
the next step.

Open the Recycle bin and right click on the bak file for the folder in
question and click Restore. Open the Message Store back up and change the
file extension from .bak to .dbx. Close the Message Store and open OE. The
messages should now be back in the folder.

If the messages are successfully restored, you can go ahead and delete the
old dbx file that you moved to the Desktop.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

"MargM" wrote in message
...

I posted a query a week or so back and got this answer
from Bruce Hagen



Open OE and create a folder with the *exact* same name
as the one on the Desktop. Open the new folder and then
close OE. Go to Windows Explorer and locate the Message
Store folder for your OE identity, but don't open it.
Click on the Desktop and drag the file from the Desktop
in the right hand pane to the OE store folder in the
left pane. Prompt - "Do you want to overwrite......."?
Click Yes.


Have had a repeat of mail going missing from mail
folders . OE was compacting folders and got stuck some
where . I hit CRL ALT DEL which I dont think I should
have done ............. ' Search' will find these , Just
dont show up in OE ? I would like to get these back into
OE but dont know how to do this ???

I have moved the message store folder to a 'new folder'
on the desk top

I dont understand the phrase below


Go to Windows Explorer and locate the Message
Store folder for your OE identity, but don't open it.


I dont have another identity ?

Click on the Desktop and drag the file from the Desktop
in the right hand pane

Dont understand ' in the right hand pane' I know
what this is but dont know how to find it in this context
??

to the OE store folder in the
left pane. Prompt - "Do you want to overwrite......."?
Click Yes.


Dont know how to find this left hand pane in the store
folder ?


TIA


--
MargM
Beautiful NSW Central Coast
NSW
Australia