I am running XP. There is an inbox .BAK. Unfortunately, it was last backed
up on 6/2/07, so a lot is missing (but its better than nothing). I do not
know how to restore messages from it. Can you help?

Thanks.



"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

Are you using XP/SP2 or SP3? No BAK files in the RB or store folder?

While in the Inbox: View | Current View. Is Show All Messages checked and
nothing else?

If none of the above help, you probably lost the messages due to the huge
size of the Inbox and it is now corrupt. OE has a max of 2GB per file, but
you will run into problems long before that.

Close OE and rename the Inbox.dbx file to Inboxold.dbx. Open OE and a new
empty Inbox will be waiting for you.

Now, you will need a tool to retrieve the messages from Inboxold.

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

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

To help prevent this in the futu

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupt. 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.

After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while
working *offline* and do it often.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are
open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the
Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until
the compacting is completed.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer
of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems such as
time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program will
continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Backup & Resto
http://www.insideoe.com/backup/

This is a great two click program:

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB)
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA


"M" wrote in message
...
I am running IE 6.00 and OE 6.0.

While attempting to create a new file for my local folders, all of the
messages disappeared from my inbox - it shows zero messages. They are not
in
my deleted message folder nor are they in the recycle bin.

When I check my store folder, my Inbox size is 2,097,152, so the messages
are still there - I just can't make them appear. (Yes, I know I should
have
backed them up, buit I didn't know how until I found the instructions on
this
forum a little while ago). To preserve the messages pending recovery, I
have
renamed my inbox and let OE create a new one for me. How can restore my
missing messages?

Thanks.