Reading/accessing old .dbx files with Outlook?

Hello,
I had saved the Outlook Express folders from my PC before it crashed sometime ago. I now use Outlook, and I am trying to access/read some of the e-mails I received and sent three years ago.

I tried opening these folders ( "inbox.dbx" and "sent items.dbx ") with Outlook, but couldn't, and then I tried to import them, but I don't see an option to import .dbx folders.

How can I read some of these older e-mails?

Thanks!
Alex

 

Ingeniero1--Maybe this is what you have already tried.
See the Accepted answer (from PC-bilder) in this reference
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Applications/MS_Office/Outlook/Q_21208051.html
There are third party programs to do this, but they will charge you $15-20.

http://www.google.com/search?source...D,GGLD:2004-31,GGLD:en&q=convert+.dbx+to+.pst
You can also read .dbx files using DBXtract which costs $5. You then could convert them to .pst files by copying and pasting into an email you would send to yourself.
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/Default.aspx

 

Jim,
Thanks for replying; I will consider those.

What gets me is that even using Outlook Express on another PC I still cannot access/read the files. I have followed free instructions provided elsewhere, as found through a google search, but still no-go.

Here is what I have done (PC using Outlook Express)
1. Moved the working, active files from Outlook Exress message folder elsewhere, and rename them so they won't be confused
2. Moved the files of interest to the Outlook Exress message folder
3. Delete the file "folders.dbx" to force O.Express to recreate it
4. Remove the [Read Only] attribute from all these files

Still no go!

Alex

 

Ingeniero1--In my first post I did not know that you still had a PC with OE installed. I thought you only had some saved .dbx files, probably without the necessary folders.dbx file. However you say that you cannot read the files even on the other PC. Do you have the original folders.dbx file in the same Store Folder as the email message .dbx files?
This is the standard way of backing up and transferring .dbx files.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270670/
But I think this assumes that OE and Outlook are on the same PC.
If you could read the desired .dbx files on the PC with OE installed, I would think the simplest solution would be to send emails of the messages you want to keep from the OE PC to the one with Outlook.
However, I am starting to think you may need to use DBXtract.
P.S.--In your description of what you are doing, I am not sure that deleting folders.dbx is a good idea.