[INBOX contents gone after compressing files in Outlook Express]

GRAHAM WESTON · 2009/11/21

Outlook Express came up with the usual message about compressing all the files, not a problem, clicked ok. But when it had finished everything I had in my INBOX has gone. All the other files appear to be ok. I have done this numerous times in the past, but never lost my inbox emails. Has anybody had this happen to them, and does anybody know what may have happened to my inbox emails.

Cheers
Graham

PeteC · 2009/11/21

I've seen this before on the BBS on one or two occasions ....

When compressing files OE puts a backup in the Recycle Bin - a .bak file for each folder. Hopefully that is the case here. If so ....

To restore a bak folder to the message store folder

To restore a bak folder to the message store folder, first close OE and locate the Message Store in Windows Explorer.

Tools > Options > Maintenance > Store Folder will reveal the location of your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight the folder location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will put the location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files. Otherwise, write the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.

In WinXP, the .dbx files are by default marked as hidden. To view these files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start > Control Panel > Folder Options > View.

In Windows Explorer, click on the dbx file for the missing, or empty, folder and drag it to the Desktop. It can be deleted later once you have
successfully restored the bak file. Minimize the Message Store.

Open OE and, if the folder is missing, create a folder with the *exact* same name as the bak file you want to restore but without the .bak. Eg: If the file is Saved.bak, the new folder should be named Saved. Open the new folder and then close OE. If the folder is there, but just empty, continue on to the next step.

Open the Recycle bin and right click on the bak file for the folder in question and click Restore. Open the Message Store back up and change the file extension from .bak to .dbx. Close the Message Store and open OE. The messages should now be back in the folder.

If the messages are successfully restored, you can go ahead and delete the old dbx file that you moved to the Desktop.
Click to expand...

Don't recall the source URL for this, but it has worked for other posters in the past.

Steve R Jones · 2009/11/21

Today would be a good day to start a backup routine

PeteC · 2009/11/21

Echoing Steve's comment in the days I was using XP I moved the OE Message Store to another drive which is backed up every hour to another drive. Have done the same with Windows 7 and Outlook 2007.

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[INBOX contents gone after compressing files in Outlook Express]

GRAHAM WESTON Well-Known Member Thread Starter

PeteC SuperGeek Staff

Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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[INBOX contents gone after compressing files in Outlook Express]

GRAHAM WESTON Well-Known Member Thread Starter

PeteC SuperGeek Staff

Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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