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Transferring MBX and DBX Files

Discussion in 'Internet Explorer & Microsoft Edge' started by Barry, 2003/08/24.

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  1. 2003/08/24
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    In clearing off unnecessary data from my drive, before upgrading from WIN98 to XP, I accidentally deleted outlook express before saving the messages and address book. I've lost the address book, but believe I saved the inbox files. I have mbx and dbx files, but don't know how to open them or transfer them to my new outlook express. Any suggestions?
     
    Barry,
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  2. 2003/08/24
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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  4. 2003/08/24
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Pete,
    I'm not sure what I am looking for there. Nothing I tried that I found at that site worked. I just have these files sitting in My Documents and don't know how to access them. I tried the temp file and the mail file, but nothing will give me access. Is there a way of copying them and pasting them into a program that will read them?
    Barry
     
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  5. 2003/08/24
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Hi Barry!

    If You have kept Your Win98 updated, a bug in one of those updates might have saved Your address book.

    When the contents is changed, a backup of the address book is updated. The file name of the AB is "Your Name.wab" and the backup is normally "Your Name. wa~ ". They are normally both stored in the Address Book folder.

    The bug has moved the backup to the root of C: (in Win98 I think, it depends on which OS) and it is named "~" only. If You find it, rename it "Your Name.wab" and double-click it. Your address book should be there.

    DBX files are "mail-files" but I don´t know about MBX, I don´t have any in my "Outlook Express" folder.
    However, I won´t be of much help on that issue.

    Regards,
    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2003/08/24
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  6. 2003/08/24
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    In OE click file>import>messages.
     
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  7. 2003/08/24
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Christer, I believe everything was lost when I upgraded from WIN98 to XP. If you feel the address book may have been left behind, please tell me where to look. Search won't look for hidden folders, even though I changed my computer to make them visable.
    Zander, I tried that first, but I can't seem to import those files other than as an attachment for new mail.
     
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  8. 2003/08/24
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    Then try this. In OE create a new folder for each of the files you want to get at. Name them whatever you want. Then, close OE, rename the dbx files you want using the same names as the folders you created in OE. Now, find where your present OE dbx files are and delete those that you just created in OE, then move the ones you're trying to get at into that folder. Open OE and see what happens.
     
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  9. 2003/08/24
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    If you cant' get that to work (I doubt it will for the .mbx files) your best bet for the dbx files is probably DBXtract . For the mbx files try MBXtract .
     
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  10. 2003/08/24
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    The "~" file is not hidden and if I recall correctly, in Win98, it is located in the root of C:.

    If You made an upgrade from Win98 to WinXP I should think that it is still there but if You havent installed that exact update, it will still be named "Your Name.wa~" and be at the same location as the "Your Name.wab ".

    Christer
     
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  11. 2003/08/24
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    I was able to save the dbx files, but not the mbx. I downloaded MBXtract, but it isn't clear how to work it, and there isn't even a button to click to take any action. Please tell me where to put the mbx files, how to input it into MBXtract, and how to make the program work. I found the address book for my present Outlook Express 6.0, but there was no other file with it that might have led me to my OE 5 address book. Any other suggestions?
    Thanks for all the help,
    Barry
     
    Barry,
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  12. 2003/08/24
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    Well, I've never used it but did download it and had a look at it. From what it says on the web page you simply type the path to the folder where the .mbx files are located in the box where it says path. The files should then appear in the box below that and the extract button will then be enabled. If you run it from the desktop be sure to change the output path or it'll extract them all to your desktop which could be a big mess if there's a lot of emails in them. So, either change the path or make a folder for it and run it from there instead of from the desktop.
     
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  13. 2003/08/24
    Barry

    Barry Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Zander,
    Thanks, it worked. Actually, it was the same as the dbx files with tons of extra garbage added in. At least, now I know the difference between the two types of files.
    Barry
     
    Barry,
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