HELP! - Outlook Express

[Gremlin]

Oh, and could people recommending Gmail etc please think about it....

The email account has got nothing to do with the email client. You could have a Gmail account set up inside Outlook Express, and it lose its information.

Yes, asking the server to keep a copy is a viable solution, but you must then manage your emails in two locations. If this was going to be done, sometimes using IMAP is a better alternative.

Also, having had a client get locked out of his own personal gmail account for 2 weeks... Gmail is not the infallible magic non-breakable email account people seem to think it is.

[The Stranger:Me]

All,

For the first time in it's six years in my hands, Outlook Express just dropped all of the emails I've been storing over all those years. And as per usual, a lot of it is very important 'stuff'.

Any ideas on how to get it all back, or am I fooked?

Cheers
Mark

First rule of lost data, if you REALLY REALLY want it back. Turn your computer off at the wall and get it to someone who KNOWS what they are doing.
Sure Fred (name changed) may have got it back before - and may well again, but frequently it not the same fault Fred had, but for some strange reason Fred will assume it is and advise you how he got it back - which may get the data back - or may just fuck it up completely. Roll the dice.

I would like to think I fall into the category of knowing what I am doing, and would offer to help, but I'm not in your garage.

[Gremlin]

I would like to think I fall into the category of knowing what I am doing, and would offer to help, but I'm not in your garage.

Oh come now... isn't it always much more exciting to try and figure out the problem AND whats been done afterwards, thereby deciphering the whole chain, to get the data back?

Mark... Stranger is basically asking for your location... just so ya know

[Marknz]

well I've found all the *.dbx files, and Outlook Express is still working well enough. I just don't have any of the folders and sub-folders I previously had off my Inbox with any of the emails in them.

I've tried importing the files, but it won't let me get to the directory that the .dbx's are in... I guess that is 'cause it's hidden?

Sounding like a 'know-nothing' now aren't I?

I wonder if this is a job for Geeks on Wheels next week?

Do I need to stop using Outlook in the meantime?

Oh, and Stranger... I'm in Wgtn

[Winston001]

Ok Mark, do not compact folders or defrag or anything of that nature. In other words try not to disturb your hard drive. If you continue to use OE, do not delete anything. Leave it as untouched as possible.

I'm sure we could figure it out for you - Gremlin for one - but if you are willing to get the Geeks in, then do so.

[scracha]

Oh, and Stranger... I'm in Wgtn

Doesnie matter. Have you got broadband? Plenty folks on here who can sort you out via remote access (if the appropriate dbf files still exist...which they almost certainly will).

I won't lecture you about IMAP, backing up or ticking the little box that stops the emails being erased on the server.

[hospitalfood]

Oh, and could people recommending Gmail etc please think about it....

The email account has got nothing to do with the email client. You could have a Gmail account set up inside Outlook Express, and it lose its information.

Yes, asking the server to keep a copy is a viable solution, but you must then manage your emails in two locations. If this was going to be done, sometimes using IMAP is a better alternative.

Also, having had a client get locked out of his own personal gmail account for 2 weeks... Gmail is not the infallible magic non-breakable email account people seem to think it is.

i don't think you know gmail well, you don't access it through a piece of email software. you just log on to the site, its all there.
sure it could crash like anything, but i have never been locked out. and in my opinion i would rather be using the resources of google to take care of my emails than the resources of one man ( me )

it is far superior to having emails on your computer, the only other thing i know of that comes close is a service Mac provides which is very similar in the way it works. perhaps you should look into it further

[Winston001]

it is far superior to having emails on your computer, the only other thing i know of that comes close is a service Mac provides which is very similar in the way it works. perhaps you should look into it further

Each to their own. Personally I would not want availability of emails to be at the mercy of an internet connection - or the goodwill of a server.

I often look at email offline. There are places I go, such as my mothers home, where there is no connection, but it doesn't matter. Just open an email and show her photos.

Doesn't mean you are wrong - Gremlin and I just have a different approach.

[hospitalfood]

Each to their own. Personally I would not want availability of emails to be at the mercy of an internet connection - or the goodwill of a server.

I often look at email offline. There are places I go, such as my mothers home, where there is no connection, but it doesn't matter. Just open an email and show her photos.

Doesn't mean you are wrong - Gremlin and I just have a different approach.

fair call, and you are right that there are some advantages to having them downloaded, i prefer the advantage of being able to access them all from any computer which is the default setting on gmail

[Winston001]

fair call, and you are right that there are some advantages to having them downloaded, i prefer the advantage of being able to access them all from any computer which is the default setting on gmail

Yes I should have said I do the same thing but its really just a backup in case my lappie goes down.

Anyway - for OE repair apparently this is the business - http://www.oemailrecovery.com/outloo...-recovery.html US$27.

See discussion here - http://pressf1.pcworld.co.nz/showthread.php?t=102685

[boomer]

i don't think you know gmail well, you don't access it through a piece of email software.

I'm sure he knows exactly what Gmail is and the different mechanisms to access it and your emails... some chose to have email clients manage all there accounts, including Gmail; which doesn't require the use of a web browser..


remember young padawan, there are many ways to skin a dog !

[Gremlin]

i don't think you know gmail well, you don't access it through a piece of email software. you just log on to the site, its all there.

No, you're right. I know absolutely nothing about it. I don't have 2 gmail accounts (and haven't for years) nor do I access both mainly through my phone, as IMAP accounts (which reduces bandwidth). I also don't know that you can't email them directly or ring them, if there is a problem with your account.

Back on topic

Mark. First make a copy of your dbx files, and store them elsewhere. Ideally the whole folder. There are some other items you should backup (just as complete insurance) and this is from within Outlook (easiest way, without sending you through the computer to find them). Under File > Import / Export, Export your address book. This is all your contacts. Sorry these instructions are a bit general, but I don't have a working copy to work off at the moment, and the last time I worked with OE was about a month ago.

Also, go to Tools > Accounts, and you should be able to export your email account settings into a single file (that you can re-import if things went really wrong). Store all of this away from the computer.

Next thing. Ideally... if the dbx files for your subfolders are in the folder, then OE *should* see them, but there could be other issues at play.

The reason you can't see them when trying to import them, is because the previously provided directory structure is hidden. Since you're using Outlook Express, I'm assuming you're using Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Open any folder on your computer and click on Tools (or go to your Control Panel) and choose folder options.

Under the 2nd tab, View, will be an option "Show hidden files and folders". Checking this would allow the folders to be seen. If you're know what you're doing, when browsing to the directory, typing the folder name into the file name box would work as well (but few understand this). Anyhoo, with that option checked, browsing to the directory should be possible. I'd suggest turning that option off afterwards, to be safe.

I would imagine you would need to re-create the folder in OE, then import the emails into the folder...

Ideally, yeah, let someone who knows what they are doing sort it out. However, as Devil could testify, we had a part time client who did just that, took it to some fella, who made it far worse. We couldn't even fix the problem, but we think he somehow layered 3 operating systems on top of each other.

[Gremlin]

lastly... as people say, if you have a working internet connection, then its possible anyone of us knowing what to do could assist, with the likes of Teamviewer etc.

[Spuds1234]

Get a Gmail account, set it to forward emails to a your current email address and leave a copy of the email still in your gmail account.

Problem solved. You'll never run out of space with Gmail, and will have a copy of every email if Outlook goes pear shapped again.

Its what I do and works fine, hell I havnt even visited Gmail in ages. No doubt I have like a 1000 unread messages but that doesnt matter.

[Virago]

Ummm, just thinking through the obvious stuff...

You've mentioned both Outlook and Outlook Express. You have both on your machine?

When installing Automatic Updates, Windows often changes the default mail to Outlook, so that when you open Outlook Express there's no stored mail there. Changing your default to Outlook Express will reinstall the files.