Outlook Express - restore archived messages failed

[Guest]

I am a heavy e-mail user.
Every now and then, on exit, OE asks if I would like to compact my messages
to save space. Every other time or so, I say yes.

On opening OE this morning, after such an action yesterday, I see that ALL
my mails have disappeared from the folder that was open when I shut OE down
and all those folders alphabetically below it.

Going into the C:\Documents and Settings\My Name\Local Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{478A0B64-B369-4F6C-9BE0-E1B10B85BBBD}\Microsoft\Outlook
Express file, I see all the correct folders with chunky sizes, so there is
data in them.

They are, as expected, .dbx files.

I try to import them into their, still existing, empty folders in OE.

File/Import/Messages/OE6/import messages from an OE6 store directory/browse
to the above 'dbx folder.

When I hit next I am told that either there are no messages in the folder or
it is being used by another program.

I tried copying one of the folders to a new location, closing down the
original and importing the new one. Same response.

Now I am getting worried.

My folders seem to be backed up. But how can I get them back to where they
belong?

Please help. All my work is in those folders.

Many thanks, in advance.

Regards

FalcoPilot

 

[Jon Kennedy]

For issues with OE 6, please post to the appropriate newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress -
newsreader



http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...ublic.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress -
web interface


See this site for possible help:
http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone

If those .dbx files are damaged/corrupted, you may need this tool to extract
the information therein:
http://www.oehelp.com/dbxtract/default.aspx

 

[Guest]

For issues with OE 6, please post to the appropriate newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress -
newsreader



http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...ublic.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress -
web interface


See this site for possible help:
http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone

If those .dbx files are damaged/corrupted, you may need this tool to extract
the information therein:
http://www.oehelp.com/dbxtract/default.aspx
--

Jon R. Kennedy
Charlotte, NC, USA
(e-mail address removed)



Many thanks, Jon.

I think that this narrows the problem down. I do have large .dbx files and I
do have in/out AV scanning enabled in Norton. I have bought DBXpress - the
latest version of DBXtract - on the web last night, as recommended. First run
tells me that there are no messages in my folders - although Windows
Explorer still shows them as having many megabites of stuff in them, so I
guess it's about corruption. I have searched on files only, so far and will
now go direct to the disk.

Although I back up regularly; once a month and, would you believe, yesterday
was my next scheduled day (and yes, I know it should be once a week) I had no
idea that OE was vulnerable like this, especially with a standard application
like NAV.

You learn something every day.

Many thanks again.

Regards

Geoffrey

 

[PA Bear]

Every now and then, on exit, OE asks if I would like to compact my

messages
to save space. Every other time or so, I say yes

Say yes everytime or compact manually at the end of every work day before
closing OE.

See http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone,
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx,
and http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4
~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a manual
compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause such
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE) & Security, AH-VSOP

Inside Outlook Express
http://www.insideoe.com

 

[Guest]

Every now and then, on exit, OE asks if I would like to compact my
messages
to save space. Every other time or so, I say yes

Say yes everytime or compact manually at the end of every work day before
closing OE.

See http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone,
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx,
and http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4
~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a manual
compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause such
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--
OE6-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE) & Security, AH-VSOP

Inside Outlook Express
http://www.insideoe.com

I am a heavy e-mail user.
Every now and then, on exit, OE asks if I would like to compact my
messages
to save space. Every other time or so, I say yes.

On opening OE this morning, after such an action yesterday, I see that ALL
my mails have disappeared from the folder that was open when I shut OE
down
and all those folders alphabetically below it.

Going into the C:\Documents and Settings\My Name\Local
Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{478A0B64-B369-4F6C-9BE0-E1B10B85BBBD}\Microsoft\Outlook
Express file, I see all the correct folders with chunky sizes, so there is
data in them.

They are, as expected, .dbx files.

I try to import them into their, still existing, empty folders in OE.

File/Import/Messages/OE6/import messages from an OE6 store
directory/browse
to the above 'dbx folder.

When I hit next I am told that either there are no messages in the folder
or
it is being used by another program.

I tried copying one of the folders to a new location, closing down the
original and importing the new one. Same response.

Now I am getting worried.

My folders seem to be backed up. But how can I get them back to where they
belong?

Please help. All my work is in those folders.

Many thanks, in advance.

Regards

FalcoPilot

Many thanks. Very useful info

regards

falcodriver

 

[PA Bear]

Every now and then, on exit, OE asks if I would like to compact my
messages
to save space. Every other time or so, I say yes

Say yes everytime or compact manually at the end of every work day
before closing OE.

See http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone,
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx,
and http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4
~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't use Inbox or Sent Items to archive messages. Move them to local
folders created for this purpose.

Disable Background Compacting [N/A in SP2] and frequently perform a
manual compact of all OE folders while "working offline". More at
http://www.insideoe.com/files/maintain.htm.

Your anti-virus application's email scanning feature can also cause such
corruption. Disable it. It provides no additional protection.
--

Many thanks. Very useful info

regards

falcodriver

YW & thanks for the feedback.