Another computer Wo

Hightower · 31 January 2007, 22:02

I've install some software tonight and lost the contence of some selected folders in Outlook Express. Where do I start to look/recover these in windows explorer?

Richard B · 31 January 2007, 23:42

Outlook folders are little databases. In Outlook, click on Tools, Options and then on the maintenence tab (this is from memory.... I use Outlook 2002 for a number of reasons...) Then you can start looking for the location of the mail store.

Hightower · 01 February 2007, 01:09

I've found the mail store, however it appears that no backup of this store took place when outlook decided to dump the contence of my folders.

What's really annoying is the fact that some of the folders still have saved emails, like my sent Items folder has everything I ever sent, but my Inbox is completly cleared as are some of my other folders.

Very strange.

Anyone know how I might recover these?

Biggles · 01 February 2007, 01:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

I've install some software tonight and lost the contence of some selected folders in Outlook Express. Where do I start to look/recover these in windows explorer?

And people complain about AOL !!!

codprawn · 01 February 2007, 01:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard B

Outlook folders are little databases. In Outlook, click on Tools, Options and then on the maintenence tab (this is from memory.... I use Outlook 2002 for a number of reasons...) Then you can start looking for the location of the mail store.

Outlook EXPRESS is a very different beast from Outlook.

Search for .dbx files - they are in docs and settings - whatever user you were logged in as - local settings - application data - identities - microsoft - outlook express.

Much easier to do a search.

If you find the files you need let me know - will tell you how to put them back.

Biggles · 01 February 2007, 01:43

Just get AOL. You won't get that problem then. LOL.

I have never ever used Outlook or Outlook Express. Its far too finicky. It needs to know so much before you even send an E Mail.

Hightower · 01 February 2007, 01:45

Thanks Codprawn. If I use windows explorer all I get is this:

C:\Documents and Settings\Dad\Application Data\Identities\{071BE7CE-D31E-4A34-A616-E3CC9D8A8FD1}

If I search .dbx I get nothing

If I search: C:\Documents and Settings\Dad\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{071BE7CE-D31E-4A34-A616-E3CC9D8A8FD1}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

I get my dbx files.

So what do I do know? And why might this have happened?

Biggles · 01 February 2007, 01:47

Andy,

Have you tried a system restore.

codprawn · 01 February 2007, 01:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Thanks Codprawn. If I use windows explorer all I get is this:

C:\Documents and Settings\Dad\Application Data\Identities\{071BE7CE-D31E-4A34-A616-E3CC9D8A8FD1}

If I search .dbx I get nothing

If I search: C:\Documents and Settings\Dad\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{071BE7CE-D31E-4A34-A616-E3CC9D8A8FD1}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

I get my dbx files.

So what do I do know? And why might this have happened?

You need to search the whole of your C drive for *.dbx - this should list them all. Make sure you have show all files etc etc turned on.

A system restore MAY work.

Hightower · 01 February 2007, 01:55

That's interesting. I've just discovered that there are folders in the form of .bak files in my Recycle Bin. How the hell they get there!

They appear to be the ones that are missing.

I'm off to bed now. I'll pick this problem up either at lunch time or when I get home from work..

Hightower · 01 February 2007, 01:56

Don't system restore. It didn't work.

As for the search it's still going but I'm off to bed now and will look tomorrow Codders.

Thanks.

BogMonster · 01 February 2007, 09:52

I had a problem recently and Googled for solutions, found this

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/.../oerepair.mspx

google for "outlook express folder repair" and other similar ones come up BUT note it is interesting that it takes MUCH longer when you follow the instructions shown on that web page rather than just go to "folder maintenance" and "repair" from there without closing the folder tree etc. first. Suggests it is doing far more stuff.

didn't entirely work for me but did fix some problems, I think part of the problem with the broken search function is too much mail in my folders on the PC at work!

another suggestion made to me was to copy the store folder, start a new one and then do an "import messages" then it will go through all the folders and import the messages individually.

Hightower · 01 February 2007, 18:38

I've restored all the files and floders from the recycle bin and they've gone back in the right place exept they are BAK files.

There also are identically named dbx files in there as well.

As an example when I click properties and look at file size for the following path:
C:\Documents and Settings\Dad\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{071BE7CE-D31E-4A34-A616-E3CC9D8A8FD1}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Twinning.dbx

it shows me that there is a file size of 15 MB (my letters, I assume) but the Twinning Folder in outlook is empty.

Any Ideas Codprawn

Hightower · 01 February 2007, 18:49

Right, update.

If I swap the bak and dbx file extention over I can recover the info.

This isn't easy as first I have to change the dbx to another file extention say bat and then rename the bak with the dbx one. Then I have to rename the bat file bak.

Is there an easy way of doing this. It's gonna take me forever.

codprawn · 01 February 2007, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Right, update.

If I swap the bak and dbx file extention over I can recover the info.

This isn't easy as first I have to change the dbx to another file extention say bat and then rename the bak with the dbx one. Then I have to rename the bat file bak.

Is there an easy way of doing this. It's gonna take me forever.

Well sussed - that's the way to do it. Dunno if there's an easy way - I seem to use computers totally different to anyone else!!!

Poly · 01 February 2007, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Right, update.

If I swap the bak and dbx file extention over I can recover the info.

This isn't easy as first I have to change the dbx to another file extention say bat and then rename the bak with the dbx one. Then I have to rename the bat file bak.

Is there an easy way of doing this. It's gonna take me forever.

Are there a lot of files? (I presume so otherwise why would it take forever?). If so open a command prompt (type cmd in the Run... on start menu).

change to the directory where the files are. e.g.

cd "C:\long path name\to the files\"

(to check you are in the right folder - type dir )

type:

rename *.dbx *.bac
rename *.bak *.dbx
rename *.bac *.bak

(This assumes there are no files in the folder that should have a .bac extension. suggest you dont use .bat as some reasonably important files end .bat - if you have other .bac files pick a different extension).

I may have the wrong end of the stick on the problem with renaming - or have just totally partonised/insulted you - in which case sorry.

Hightower · 01 February 2007, 22:45

Ha, I should have checked here first

I've spent ages changing all the files from bac to dbx. There where a few files there that didn't seem to do anything but I've kept them there just in case they're system files of some sort.

The good news is that I've deleted all the crap files and replaced these with the good ones. All seems to be working at the mo and I've set up a "backup" folder on my D drive to keep my copied folders in.

So what do you guys think I did? Or is it a glitch of Outlook? I did have conection problems with my email client yesterday, could it have been that? I'd like to find out to prevent this happening again.

jwalker · 02 February 2007, 01:05

Andy, lash out on an external USB/Firewire drive. Most come with a backup utility which will copy an image of all your files and update them regularly. Cleverly, the one I have copied files which are in use...the ones Windows wont allow you to copy. It certainly saved lotsa work for me a couple of weeks ago. It paid for itself that day.

Hightower · 02 February 2007, 12:32

Do you think there is a utility available sperately that I can use with a second harddrive?