OE uses dbx files, but will not open a dbx file if you click on one dbx
file.
The OE store folder contains a dbx file for every message folder in OE plus
folders.dbx, pop3uidl.dbx, and offline.dbx.
When OE displays the folder list, it uses folders.dbx to show the folders
used in that Identity.
If you open the Inbox folder in OE, OE uses inbox.dbx.
File, Open in OE opens a folder or a message.
It doesn't open a dbx file.

You could move the message store folder to another computer and import the
messages in the folder into OE.
--
Ron Sommer


"Laura" wrote in message
.. .
Pardon me for jumping in, but could you tell me how you read the emails
after following the information you just printed? I have a folder open
with lots of dbx files, but when I click on the file, it says windows
can't open the file, it needs to know what program created it. Would I be
able to copy these files onto my thrumb drive and then paste them to
another computer, once they're readable?

"Bruce Hagen" wrote in message
...
The size is revealed by looking at the dbx files for the folders.

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 StartRunCtrl+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 Windows XP, 2K & 3K, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) 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 | View.

The number of message is not important, just try not to exceed 100MB for
each file.

An alternative way of archiving many people do is to create an extra
identity solely for that purpose.

As stated previously, do not keep messages in the default folders
especially the Inbox. Read them and move them.
--
Bruce Hagen
MS MVP - Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"mikey" wrote in message
...

OK guys thanks, I've taken all that on board. I'll just let Compacting
do
it's job then. However I don't believe I am storing my archived messages
sensibly. Some time back I created an Archive folder in OE with 2
subfolders
(all residing in OE under Local Folders) -- an InboxArchive (contains
14309
messages) and a SentItemsArchive (7069 messages). I do not need to
search
them very often, so maybe I should keep these archives somewhere else?
How
do I move them? Also my current Inbox contains 7911 messages, so it's
about
time to create a further archive folder.

Also how can we see how big these folders are in MB? -- the size doesn't
show under right click/Properties.

Thanx
Mikey
--