Restoring Outlook Express mail

[Geoff]

I had a dead machine. It refused to boot at all. So I stuck my Linux Rescue CD in and copied C:\Documents and Settings. I've rebuilt the machine and got everything working again apart from Outlook Express. Obviously I couldn't do the normal 'export everything' trick as the machine wouldn't run. I just have the DBX files. How can I get OE on the new install to recognise/import these?

[webman]

Launch outlook express using their account - this should create new, empty DBX files for Inbox, Sent etc. Then close OE, and you should be able to just overwrite those with the ones you have backed up.

[SimpleSi]

You set up the new machine with the account and then just overwrite the new dbx files with the old ones - that'll get all the msgs back.

regards

Simon

[elsiegee40]

Yes you can simply replace the dbx files, BUT to persuade Outlook Express to recognise them they must have had something in them first!

So, set up OE and create any personal subfolders that you want.

create a dummy email and save it to draft.

Then move that email about... put it in the inbox, in the sent items folder, and in any of your personal folders...

THEN close OE and replace the dbx files with those from your old machine.

I have done this and it works fine

[Geoff]

Doesn't work. OE refuses to start complaining that the message store is corrupt.

[SimpleSi]

I'd think the (or one of them) dbx files are corrupted then.

The technique works - I did it on Friday with a new laptop for a head.

@elsiegee40

I think you only need your technique if you've got extra folders/subfolders other than inbox/sent/outbox etc but always good to expect the worst

regards

Simon

[webman]

Start a fresh Geoff, replace one at a time and launch OE each time until you find the affected DBX file.

[NetworkGeezer]

I remmember reading somewhere of about somebody using ThunderBird as middle man. Import then re-export.

Anyway, aren't OE DBX files just plain text anyway?