Outlook Express Mail

[imanetter2]

Does anyone know if it is possible to back up emails in Outlook Express that is in all the folders I have created so if I crash, I can have all the mail back where it was before the crash? I'm looking for a way to save all emails in the inbox, and all the other file folders that I created and added to Outlook. I'm not sure if this is possible so I am asking all you experts out there for advice.

[Welshjim]

imanetter2--This is MS's recommended procedure
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/270/6/70.ASP
You can then transfer these files to external media if you wish.
Note that you will not be able to read the backed up mail, since it will be in .dbx format. They can be read when you once again put them into your OE Store Folder. Or by using the program DBXtract. Free version here
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/fid,23383-order,1-page,1-c,alldownloads/download.html#
More recent pay version here
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/Default.aspx
P.S.--You can also save all mail as .eml files, which can be read on any PC that has OE installed, but cannot be transferred as easily back to the OE Store Folder.

[imanetter2]

HELP! I followed the instructons and backed up the folders but now my OE was totally wiped out. I cannot get the info back into it and all my drop down menus are blank. What is happeneing????? :confused:

[chaszal]

Dear imanetter2,
Yikes.
Did you at any time copy your .dbx files to back up media? Or did you do a search to see if they have been moved? There is a fabulous program which I have been using for a few years, not freeware, but not expensive, called Mailbag at http://www.fookes.com/mailbag. It can find, manipulate, filter and archive your emails in searchable "mailbags" or it can put them into "Notetab" (also a great program by Fookes software), or save them in other ways.
Good luck, I hope you find your wayward mail,
Chas

[Welshjim]

imanetter--That is pretty discouraging news.
The only procedure you needed to take were the 13 steps under "Copy Mail Files to a Backup Folder". Is it possible that in step 8 "On the Edit menu, click Copy, and then close the window" That you clicked Cut?
Were you able to Paste the Cut or Copied files into a backup folder as instructed in Step 12?
Do you know where the backup folder is? Does it contain the files? If so, Import the files back into the Store Folder as instructed under "Import Messages from the Backup Folder".
Did you do any of the other steps such as "Export the Mail Account to a File
"?

[chaszal]

Dear imanetter2,
Please remember that if you didn't save your .dbx files, your email data is still on your drive; it's just the pointers to it that are missing and the more you do, the greater risk of overwriting it. However if you saved your email folders (with the .dbx files) anywhere, then not to worry, Mailbag can read them and save them in a number of different formats - I think DBXract can too, but the saved emails are not as searchable, or identifiable as with Mailbag; - but with either program I don't think you can put them back so when you click on the Outlook Express icon they are readable from there.
Chas

[Welshjim]

imanetter2--We do not know if you have found those "backed up" email files yet.
One way is to Search for *.dbx files. If you find them you should be able to Import them into the OE Store Folder as mentioned in the link in my first post.
If you cannot find them, then, as Chazal has said write to your hard drive as little as possible and use this program.
http://www.webattack.com/get/restoration.html
If possible download it to a floppy and run it from there. That way you will not write to the harddrive.
This program is what as known as an Undelete program and finds things which have been deleted. You just cannot access them without using an Undelete program. When you delete a file it remains on the harddrive. But Windows thinks the space is available for writing new data. Windows does not necessarily do that right away, but once the space is overwritten, the file becomes very difficult to recover.

P.S. OE was totally wiped out I have assumed that OE will still open and that you still can access your Address Book but you cannot access the email messages. If you meant something else, please post back.

[imanetter2]

Hello everyone, I had someone come over that is more computer savvy then I am. He found my backup and restored everything for me. Thanks for all your help. It certainly helped my friend to find and restore my OE messages. Case closed.