Outlook Express problem: Missing folders after power cut

HI
I have a huge problem.
I was working in Outlook Express when the electricity went. When I re-booted the computer and went back into OE, some of my folders had disappeared.
I did a search and found that all of the .dbx files, including the missing ones, are on the hard drive so I followed directions to re-import them. But when I go to "Select Folders ", the missing folders, although I know they are there, don't appear on the list of folders I can opt to import back into OE.
I use XP and OE6.
Please can anyone help?
Many thanks
Lynne
Nottingham
UK

 

If you haven't already "unhidden" the folders, go to Control Panel>Folder Options>View tab. Check "Show hidden files and folders," uncheck "Hide protected operating system files" (OK the warning message) and "Hide extensions for known file types," click OK.

Once you've done all that, when you use OE's import, you should be able to see the folders containing the .dbx files.

 

Many thanks for replying, but all of those were already done.
Lynne

 

Your folders have been damaged & OE would not import or read them.

The only way out is to open these folders in a program like OEView [www.mitec.cz] and try to salvage whatever you can.

 

No guarantee but this may work:
Close Outlook Express, click Start > Search and type FOLDERS.DBX (include hidden files in the search, capitals are for clarity only), right click on the file > Rename and type FOLDERS.OLD, click OK. If you cannot access it because it’s ‘read only’, right-click it > Properties and uncheck the Read attribute.

Now restart Outlook Express and a new folders.dbx file will be recreated automatically, which may give you access to the .dbx files.

Also, read through this http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx

 

Thank you so, so much, that worked brilliantly.
I'm really grateful.
Best wishes
Lynne

 

Sorry, just one more question.
Now that I've got them back, do I need to do something with the file that I've renamed folders.old?
Thanks again
Lynne

 

I'm glad it worked.

Delete folders.old.