Outlook Express in the hands of a nitwit (me)

HankReardon · Joined: Feb 18, 2010 Posts: 3

I have never backed up Outlook Express. I do a regular backup of my entire C drive onto an external drive.

I lost (crashed) my computer last week and purchased a new one. I was able to restore my email, but nothing since 12/08. In 12/08 I had a crash and did a system restore.

Question: Since I still have my original C drive on backup, is there some way to restore my missing email from 2009?

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

---PLEASE Read all BEFORE proceeding---

Do a search for *.dbx (both machine - note location on new)
These will be in your OE folder most likely (unless someone or something changed it)
The * will correspond to "inbox" , "sent", etc
Just copy all of these over & paste each one IN PLACE OF the ones on your new install.

NOTE: this will replace what you currently have as emails (& assumes the old is either empty or of no value)
If you have others to save then check out this link as I THINK it explains how to merge the two by importing.

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/showthread.php?t=194455

Basically - just rename the old INBOX.DBX to INBOX2.DBX & import. Then in OE just copy the emails to your other folder. Delete the one with the added "2" when done. - do this with all the DBX files. (some will [should] be empty - such as outbox)

BTW: saving these DBX files is how you can back up OE. (for anyone that is interested)

HankReardon · Joined: Feb 18, 2010 Posts: 3

Thanks Baby Tux but it wouldn't work for me. I can see the dbx files only when I click the backup file and enter restore (my external drive is F).

In the restore mode, you can only select and deselect files. This is like being on a date with Miss America - I can see the files but can't touch them!

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

Yeah, my bad - I was thinking in different terms of how to do a backup & not all are the same.

Can you select where to restore them to? - if so, make a folder & restore them there, then do as written.

If it wants to restore to the right place then you could do that too.
Or if you KNOW where it is restoring to, you may be able to move them.

And if you need the originals, just rename them before hand. (something like INBOX-OLD.DBX - or whatever will remind you, which is which)

HankReardon · Joined: Feb 18, 2010 Posts: 3

Success!

I was able to adjust the security settings (un-check) in the restore wizard. It then released the dbx files into a separate folder where I was able to copy and paste over the existing folders.

Thanks so much for the help - I appreciate it.

P.S. Lesson learned - backup!!!

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

You are very welcome & glad to hear you got it!!!

Very Happy