Hello.

I moved my OE store folder and in the process all of my DBX files got
deleted. I managed to recover them using EasyRecovery Pro. All of them are
the size they used to be but when I try to import them into OE, it tells me
that they are empty!

I tried DBXtract but it didn't extract anything. I installed a DBX viewer
and imagine my surprise then I saw that the files are empty even if some of
them are over 100mb in size!

I fear that I have lost over two years worth of emails.

Anyone has an idea on how to get me out of this mess?

Thank you.

You have to right click on the dbx files and remove the Read Only attribute,
and your backup has to include Folders.dbx or the import will fail. If the
import will not work, you will have to import them manually. This canned
reply if the dbx files were on the Desktop, so if they are someplace else,
just go there instead of the Desktop.

Open OE and create a folder with the *exact* same name as the one on the
Desktop. Open the new folder and then close OE. Go to Windows Explorer and
locate the Message Store folder for your OE identity, but don't open it.
Click on the Desktop and drag the file from the Desktop in the right hand
pane to the OE store folder in the left pane. Prompt - "Do you want to
overwrite......."? Click Yes.

General precautions for Outlook Express:

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.insideoutlookexpress.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

"TheEvilDonut" wrote in message
...
Hello.

I moved my OE store folder and in the process all of my DBX files got
deleted. I managed to recover them using EasyRecovery Pro. All of them are
the size they used to be but when I try to import them into OE, it tells
me
that they are empty!

I tried DBXtract but it didn't extract anything. I installed a DBX viewer
and imagine my surprise then I saw that the files are empty even if some
of
them are over 100mb in size!

I fear that I have lost over two years worth of emails.

Anyone has an idea on how to get me out of this mess?

Thank you.

Hello Bruce,

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

You have to right click on the dbx files and remove the Read Only attribute,
and your backup has to include Folders.dbx or the import will fail.

Tried this. The files are not read-only. Folders.dbx is present. Import does
not work. It tells me that no messages are found.

If the import will not work, you will have to import them manually. This canned
reply if the dbx files were on the Desktop, so if they are someplace else,
just go there instead of the Desktop.

Open OE and create a folder with the *exact* same name as the one on the
Desktop. Open the new folder and then close OE. Go to Windows Explorer and
locate the Message Store folder for your OE identity, but don't open it.
Click on the Desktop and drag the file from the Desktop in the right hand
pane to the OE store folder in the left pane. Prompt - "Do you want to
overwrite......."? Click Yes.

Also tried this and it didn't work. Tried all sorts of programs (including
DBXtract) to no avail.

Thank you very much for your input.

If you tried it manually, then they probably are empty. The reason they show
a size is because the space is not restored until you compact. I think your
only possible hope is DBXpress run in Extract from disk mode as it can read
from the HDD bypassing the dbx files.

DBXpress:
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA

"TheEvilDonut" wrote in message
...
Hello Bruce,

"Bruce Hagen" wrote:

You have to right click on the dbx files and remove the Read Only
attribute,
and your backup has to include Folders.dbx or the import will fail.

Tried this. The files are not read-only. Folders.dbx is present. Import
does
not work. It tells me that no messages are found.

If the import will not work, you will have to import them manually. This
canned
reply if the dbx files were on the Desktop, so if they are someplace
else,
just go there instead of the Desktop.

Open OE and create a folder with the *exact* same name as the one on the
Desktop. Open the new folder and then close OE. Go to Windows Explorer
and
locate the Message Store folder for your OE identity, but don't open it.
Click on the Desktop and drag the file from the Desktop in the right hand
pane to the OE store folder in the left pane. Prompt - "Do you want to
overwrite......."? Click Yes.

Also tried this and it didn't work. Tried all sorts of programs (including
DBXtract) to no avail.

Thank you very much for your input.

Your only chance at this point is DBXpress, as Bruce indicates. It will
analyze the entire hard drive disk clusters for messages and bypass the file
system and it should be able to recover a good deal of the messages. Its
the only program that has this feature, and it was specifically developed
for this purpose.

steve

"TheEvilDonut" wrote in message
...
Hello.

I moved my OE store folder and in the process all of my DBX files got
deleted. I managed to recover them using EasyRecovery Pro. All of them are
the size they used to be but when I try to import them into OE, it tells
me
that they are empty!

I tried DBXtract but it didn't extract anything. I installed a DBX viewer
and imagine my surprise then I saw that the files are empty even if some
of
them are over 100mb in size!

I fear that I have lost over two years worth of emails.

Anyone has an idea on how to get me out of this mess?

Thank you.