Recovering hundreds of "lost" OE6 emails

When I bought a new computer, I really ******* up regarding my OE e-mails. Following someone's idiot advice, I merely copied (not backed up) my emails to my external HDD. To make things worse, I managed to delete the emails on the main HDD. When I move said message files to my new computer, they show up in the main folder, but OE cannot access them.

Can I recover from this idiocy?

Many (but by no means all) of those same e-mails still reside on my old computer's HDD in Thunderbird. In case I can't recover the OE folders and messages, how can I migrate/backup Thunderbird and its mail folders to my new computer.

I desperately need these messages to finish the book I am writing.

Thanks for your help.

Gary Admin: don't post your emial address unless you like spam!

P.S. The old computer is running XP Home Edition, the new computer, Windows Media Center Edition 2005.

 

http://www.updatexp.com/tip21.html

 

Bill Castner--Assuming garys37 already has some new email messages on the new PC, what happens to them when the old messages are imported per your advice?

 

They are added. This is an import not a replacement.