Is the directdb.dll just associated with the folders.dbx or is it
connected to any/all of other folders within Outlook Express v6? (Xpsp2
home uptodate and no virus or spam present)

Mine became damaged and OE would not launch. The message in the Event
Log indicated the directdb.dll was not found....(but it was on the
harddrive)
I uninstalled OE-launch thinking it might have an influence but OE would
not start.
Deleting the large Folders.dbx didn't solve the issue either.
I did a sfc/scannow and whatever was out of order came back into place.
Of course, mail rules had to be redone.

Instead of having subfolders under the INbox, this time round, the
special rule receiving folders are on their own since I didn't lose any
of the stand alone OE folders or their contents. I had moved 3 folders
out to another location before doing any of this repair and the renaming
Folder to folderold.dbx did the trick to regain access to the contents.
Now that info which was stored in 3 OE folders is now saved in another
location since most of this afternoon has been used getting OE back into
working shape AND retrieving those passwords lol

Compaction and empty main folders is the rule for me (In, out, sent
boxes) BUT those other folders within OE did increase in size.
I wondered if because I had 3 folders (each containing mails with
subscription info , forum acct. passwords or saved links ) that would
create a distortion with the directdb.dll?

I'd rather not repeat actions that create a distortion via directdb.dll

Rose Weir