Here's the background.
Running a small network of about 15 computers. Server is Windows 2000 all
other stand alone computers are XP pro. Broadbanded but not Microsoft
Exchange installed so shared connection via network/router etc.
Server main board died, corrupting boot section of hard drive. No stand
alone computers affected. Replaced server with new installation of W2000
got system back up and running.
On opening OE on the stand alone computers it was as if it had been just
installed [microsoft welcome message] and all .dbx were gone from the
default location [local settings/application data/***/microsoft/outlook
express] {roughly}replaced by new empty ones.
Did search on computer for .dbx files but only came up with the new ones .
I know that the files were all stored on the local machines previously and
as these were not affected wondered how they have come to disappear?
Any explanation as to what may have happened and if the messages are
retrievable?

Many thanks

eric

See here for some ideas as to what may have happened:

The Other E-Mail Threat: File Corruption in Outlook Express:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.
Thanks.


"eric" wrote in message
...
Here's the background.
Running a small network of about 15 computers. Server is Windows 2000 all
other stand alone computers are XP pro. Broadbanded but not Microsoft
Exchange installed so shared connection via network/router etc.
Server main board died, corrupting boot section of hard drive. No stand
alone computers affected. Replaced server with new installation of W2000
got system back up and running.
On opening OE on the stand alone computers it was as if it had been just
installed [microsoft welcome message] and all .dbx were gone from the
default location [local settings/application data/***/microsoft/outlook
express] {roughly}replaced by new empty ones.
Did search on computer for .dbx files but only came up with the new ones .
I know that the files were all stored on the local machines previously and
as these were not affected wondered how they have come to disappear?
Any explanation as to what may have happened and if the messages are
retrievable?

Many thanks

eric

See here for message recovery techniques: www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4

The dbx files are hidden, so you have to search for hidden files.

Are you sure you had the store set to local and didn't hack it to reside on
the network? That would account for the problems, if you did.

cheers,

steve

"eric" wrote in message
...
Here's the background.
Running a small network of about 15 computers. Server is Windows 2000 all
other stand alone computers are XP pro. Broadbanded but not Microsoft
Exchange installed so shared connection via network/router etc.
Server main board died, corrupting boot section of hard drive. No stand
alone computers affected. Replaced server with new installation of W2000
got system back up and running.
On opening OE on the stand alone computers it was as if it had been just
installed [microsoft welcome message] and all .dbx were gone from the
default location [local settings/application data/***/microsoft/outlook
express] {roughly}replaced by new empty ones.
Did search on computer for .dbx files but only came up with the new ones .
I know that the files were all stored on the local machines previously and
as these were not affected wondered how they have come to disappear?
Any explanation as to what may have happened and if the messages are
retrievable?

Many thanks

eric

Whoopee.
Thanks a million for that link and helpful advice.
Did a search for 'hidden files' and have found them, hidden away in some
folder or other!!!
I'm sure I can get it from here or at least find some internet help but am I
right in thinking I can just copy/move them in block to the new .dbx store
folder?
Just cut and paste? Is it ok to overwrite the exisitng 'empty' folders
that have the same name [inbox, sent, etc] and allow the extra dbx folders
that I created originally [plus newsgroup folders] to just be copied/moved
into the new dbx store folder. Or is there some import task or other I
need to go through.
Thanks again for this help, it is much, much appreciated..

Regards

eric


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
See here for message recovery techniques: www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4

The dbx files are hidden, so you have to search for hidden files.

Are you sure you had the store set to local and didn't hack it to reside
on the network? That would account for the problems, if you did.

Thank you Jim.
I have found the dbx's in a folder elsewhere by searching for 'hidden files'
in the search engine. I had no idea that this option existed as I had
already made hidden files viewable through the folders view and had
previously searched for dbx files on the hard drive. Altering the search
option through advanced features allowed me to search for the hidden files
and duly found the dbx's stored elsewhere.
I now just need to get them back to the new store folder location which I
assume I can do by drag/drop or cut/paste........
Thank you for taking the time to reply and the helpful link

eric


"Jim Pickering" wrote in message
...
See here for some ideas as to what may have happened:

The Other E-Mail Threat: File Corruption in Outlook Express:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.
Thanks.

Glad to hear you fixed it. Thanks for the feedback.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express



"eric" wrote in message
...
Thank you Jim.
I have found the dbx's in a folder elsewhere by searching for 'hidden
files' in the search engine. I had no idea that this option existed as I
had already made hidden files viewable through the folders view and had
previously searched for dbx files on the hard drive. Altering the search
option through advanced features allowed me to search for the hidden files
and duly found the dbx's stored elsewhere.
I now just need to get them back to the new store folder location which I
assume I can do by drag/drop or cut/paste........
Thank you for taking the time to reply and the helpful link

eric


"Jim Pickering" wrote in message
...
See here for some ideas as to what may have happened:

The Other E-Mail Threat: File Corruption in Outlook Express:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.
Thanks.

One other thing.
Having found the files, OE6 refused to import them, constantly telling me
there were no files to import [even after telling it where to look!!].
I worked around it by simply creating a new folder on the c drive, and cut
and pasted the dbx files {I found in the search} into this folder.
OE then allowed me to do an import from this folder on the c drive...

Again, many thanks

eric



"Jim Pickering" wrote in message
...
Glad to hear you fixed it. Thanks for the feedback.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express



"eric" wrote in message
...
Thank you Jim.
I have found the dbx's in a folder elsewhere by searching for 'hidden
files' in the search engine. I had no idea that this option existed as I
had already made hidden files viewable through the folders view and had
previously searched for dbx files on the hard drive. Altering the
search option through advanced features allowed me to search for the
hidden files and duly found the dbx's stored elsewhere.
I now just need to get them back to the new store folder location which I
assume I can do by drag/drop or cut/paste........
Thank you for taking the time to reply and the helpful link

eric


"Jim Pickering" wrote in message
...
See here for some ideas as to what may have happened:

The Other E-Mail Threat: File Corruption in Outlook Express:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.
Thanks.

That can happen if you point it to a shortcut to the files, rather than the
actual folder in which the files reside, or if the DBX files have the
Read-Only attribute set (as when copied to a CD). Good luck.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express



"eric" wrote in message
...
One other thing.
Having found the files, OE6 refused to import them, constantly telling me
there were no files to import [even after telling it where to look!!].
I worked around it by simply creating a new folder on the c drive, and
cut and pasted the dbx files {I found in the search} into this folder.
OE then allowed me to do an import from this folder on the c drive...

Again, many thanks

eric



"Jim Pickering" wrote in message
...
Glad to hear you fixed it. Thanks for the feedback.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express



"eric" wrote in message
...
Thank you Jim.
I have found the dbx's in a folder elsewhere by searching for 'hidden
files' in the search engine. I had no idea that this option existed as
I had already made hidden files viewable through the folders view and
had previously searched for dbx files on the hard drive. Altering the
search option through advanced features allowed me to search for the
hidden files and duly found the dbx's stored elsewhere.
I now just need to get them back to the new store folder location which
I assume I can do by drag/drop or cut/paste........
Thank you for taking the time to reply and the helpful link

eric


"Jim Pickering" wrote in message
...
See here for some ideas as to what may have happened:

The Other E-Mail Threat: File Corruption in Outlook Express:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/...orruption.mspx

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.
Thanks.

See the last paragraph on this page to import individual dbx files:
www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx

cheers,

steve

"eric" wrote in message
...


Whoopee.
Thanks a million for that link and helpful advice.
Did a search for 'hidden files' and have found them, hidden away in some
folder or other!!!
I'm sure I can get it from here or at least find some internet help but am
I right in thinking I can just copy/move them in block to the new .dbx
store folder?
Just cut and paste? Is it ok to overwrite the exisitng 'empty' folders
that have the same name [inbox, sent, etc] and allow the extra dbx folders
that I created originally [plus newsgroup folders] to just be copied/moved
into the new dbx store folder. Or is there some import task or other I
need to go through.
Thanks again for this help, it is much, much appreciated..

Regards

eric


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
See here for message recovery techniques: www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4

The dbx files are hidden, so you have to search for hidden files.

Are you sure you had the store set to local and didn't hack it to reside
on the network? That would account for the problems, if you did.