When outlook express offered to compact my inbox, it removed much incoming
mail from the inbox in 'like' monthly chunks: i.e. 03/01/06 - 07/25/06! Is
there any way to retrieve this mail or a way to undo compact or compress?
Also, is there a way to undo a messages import?

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 Disk Mode is the best 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~

"cmbrng" wrote in message
...
When outlook express offered to compact my inbox, it removed much incoming
mail from the inbox in 'like' monthly chunks: i.e. 03/01/06 - 07/25/06! Is
there any way to retrieve this mail or a way to undo compact or compress?
Also, is there a way to undo a messages import?

Sounds like you interupted the compacting while it was ongoing. As a
result, you probably have some corrupted files in your message store folder.
Use Windows Explorer to navigate there and see if you have any files with a
number appended such as Inbox(1).dbx, or Inbox(2).dbx, etc. To determine
the location of your message store folder, click in Outlook Express,
Tools/Options/Maintenance and then Store Folder button. If using Windows
2000 or XP, the DBX files will be hidden by the operating sytem.

There is no way to undo a compacting operation which only recovers "wasted
space" that is occupied when you delete a message. Post back with your
results and someone will try to help.
--
Jim Pickering
MVP-Outlook Express/Windows Mail
Please reply to newsgroup only so that others may be helped with your
feedback.


"cmbrng" wrote in message
...
When outlook express offered to compact my inbox, it removed much incoming
mail from the inbox in 'like' monthly chunks: i.e. 03/01/06 - 07/25/06! Is
there any way to retrieve this mail or a way to undo compact or compress?
Also, is there a way to undo a messages import?

The file probably got wiped of the messages. DBXpress
(www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/) can analyze the entire hard drive for messages
and it may be able to recover those that were lost.

For the future see points 2 and 3 he www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx

steve

"cmbrng" wrote in message
...
When outlook express offered to compact my inbox, it removed much incoming
mail from the inbox in 'like' monthly chunks: i.e. 03/01/06 - 07/25/06! Is
there any way to retrieve this mail or a way to undo compact or compress?
Also, is there a way to undo a messages import?