Actually, I already saw your message below from before but if the messages
are all there in the dbx file, isn't there another way to restore them to OE6
without having to purchase DBExpress??? Is there something I can try?

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

The patch will help in the future, (see Recovery Tools first link), but not
this time.

The two most common reasons for what you describe is disruption of the
compacting process, (never touch anything until it's finished), and bloated
folders. More on that below.

Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact

Why Mail Disappears:
http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone

About File Corruption:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

Recovery tools:

If you are using a fully patched version of XP/SP2, see:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918069/en-us

If not:

DBXpress run in Extract From Disk Mode is the best, (probably only), chance
to recover messages:
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

And see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4

A general warning if you don't want to lose your messages in the futu

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

And backup often.

Backup and Resto

http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/

http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx

http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS MVP - Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"donna" wrote in message
...
All my messages from my Sent and Drafts folders were deleted - I believe I
may have interrupted the compacting process although don't remember doing
it.
Doing a search, I have found the folders in Documents & Settings and they
are
a pretty good size so I think the message are there.

1. Can I get some specific instructions on how to restore all the contents
of these two folders back into the folders of the same name in OE6.

2. Also if I have 1-2 brand new messages in these folders in OE6 now, do I
need to remove them first?

3. Lastly, will the recent patch for XPSP2 regarding this eliminate this
problem in the future?