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missing message after compacting files/how to restore dbx file

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donna

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Aug 16, 2006, 6:50:02 PM8/16/06
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All my messages from my Sent and Drafts folders were deleted - I believe I
may have interrupted the compacting process although don't remember doing it.
Doing a search, I have found the folders in Documents & Settings and they are
a pretty good size so I think the message are there.

1. Can I get some specific instructions on how to restore all the contents
of these two folders back into the folders of the same name in OE6.

2. Also if I have 1-2 brand new messages in these folders in OE6 now, do I
need to remove them first?

3. Lastly, will the recent patch for XPSP2 regarding this eliminate this
problem in the future?

Bruce Hagen

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Aug 16, 2006, 7:36:50 PM8/16/06
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The patch will help in the future, (see Recovery Tools first link), but not
this time.

The two most common reasons for what you describe is disruption of the
compacting process, (never touch anything until it's finished), and bloated
folders. More on that below.

Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact

Why Mail Disappears:
http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone

About File Corruption:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx

Recovery tools:

If you are using a fully patched version of XP/SP2, see:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918069/en-us

If not:

DBXpress run in Extract From Disk Mode is the best, (probably only), chance
to recover messages:
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

And see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4

A general warning if you don't want to lose your messages in the future:

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move
your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

And backup often.

Backup and Restore:

http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/

http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx

http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS MVP - Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
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donna

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Aug 16, 2006, 7:49:01 PM8/16/06
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Actually, I already saw your message below from before but if the messages
are all there in the dbx file, isn't there another way to restore them to OE6
without having to purchase DBExpress??? Is there something I can try?

mac

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Aug 16, 2006, 7:54:07 PM8/16/06
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"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5CACB65C-AEA2-4FC5...@microsoft.com...

> Actually, I already saw your message below from before but if the messages
> are all there in the dbx file, isn't there another way to restore them to
> OE6
> without having to purchase DBExpress??? Is there something I can try?

No.


Bruce Hagen

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Aug 16, 2006, 8:01:03 PM8/16/06
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If the messages were lost during the compacting process, then this is the
only tool that can retrieve the since it reads directly from the HDD and
doesn't rely on the dbx files where your messages no longer reside.

You can try this freeware, but it most likely won't work if you are
explaining the problem correctly.

http://www.insideoe.com/resources/tools.htm#macallan


--
Bruce Hagen
MS MVP - Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

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donna

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Aug 16, 2006, 9:55:01 PM8/16/06
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1. Will shutting down the computer impact my ability to retrieve the messages
from the HDD or use DBExpress?

2. Can you tell from any info in the dbx file in the root folder - size of
file etc. if the program will be more likely to succeed than not?

Thanks.

Bruce Hagen

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Aug 16, 2006, 10:05:44 PM8/16/06
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1: No. Not a normal shutdown.

2: No. As I said, if the problem was due to disruption of the compacting
process, the messages are not in the dbx files anymore. That is why you need
DBXpress because it is the only tool that can bypass the dbx files and read
directly from the hard drive. At this point, the size of the files are
irrelevant.


--
Bruce Hagen
MS MVP - Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

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Sully

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Aug 17, 2006, 5:59:29 AM8/17/06
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Hey,

Im having the exact same problems, tho I lost more then that and we use
it for the business.

See here:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress/browse_thread/thread/79a398d67993ee99/bfd39d12d228eb18#bfd39d12d228eb18

I tried one of the freeware programs but it never worked. The program
recommended here, didnt do the job fully for me -- it restored emails &
folders I deleted over 2 years ago. Making it extremley difficult for
me to fish out genuine from non-genuine emails. I tried my best at
sorting it, but it seems to have mainly extracted Sent Items and not my
other emails. Im still in talk with Steve (the author of the program)
to try and fish out my problems. I was also kinda hoping that there was
a way to not restore emails dating back from 2004 -- but it seems from
another discussion on the group I started: Thats not possible. There
still their unless the folders are compacted (ie marked as deletion).
So much for delete being permanent eh?

Just thought id give feedback on how its going for me :)

Regards,
Kevin

--Alias--

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Aug 17, 2006, 6:12:31 AM8/17/06
to
Sully wrote:
> Hey,
>
> Im having the exact same problems, tho I lost more then that and we use
> it for the business.
>
> See here:
> http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress/browse_thread/thread/79a398d67993ee99/bfd39d12d228eb18#bfd39d12d228eb18
>
> I tried one of the freeware programs but it never worked. The program
> recommended here, didnt do the job fully for me -- it restored emails &
> folders I deleted over 2 years ago. Making it extremley difficult for
> me to fish out genuine from non-genuine emails. I tried my best at
> sorting it, but it seems to have mainly extracted Sent Items and not my
> other emails. Im still in talk with Steve (the author of the program)
> to try and fish out my problems. I was also kinda hoping that there was
> a way to not restore emails dating back from 2004 -- but it seems from
> another discussion on the group I started: Thats not possible. There
> still their unless the folders are compacted (ie marked as deletion).
> So much for delete being permanent eh?
>
> Just thought id give feedback on how its going for me :)
>
> Regards,
> Kevin

Well, now you know that back up is a computer user's best friend. Here's
a good, free back up program for OE:

http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx

Alias

donna

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Aug 17, 2006, 9:55:02 AM8/17/06
to
Last question I promise. Does Windows Update download the patch on this
automatically? If so, I updated Windows right before this happened. Or does
the patch prevent the deletions in the first place. Thanks to Sully for
feedback on the DBExpress.

Sully

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Aug 17, 2006, 10:14:11 AM8/17/06
to

donna wrote:
> Last question I promise. Does Windows Update download the patch on this
> automatically? If so, I updated Windows right before this happened. Or does
> the patch prevent the deletions in the first place. Thanks to Sully for
> feedback on the DBExpress.

I would of thought that, because I always keep windows up-to-date on my
PC, and downloads are being done when ever Windows update checks (every
day) yet this problem still happened. Im assuming that it didnt come
via Windows Update, and this link was given to me:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918069/en-us

Hope that helps.

Regards,
Kevin

mac

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Aug 17, 2006, 10:15:25 AM8/17/06
to

"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:708756FA-73C0-4EDD...@microsoft.com...

> Last question I promise. Does Windows Update download the patch on this
> automatically? If so, I updated Windows right before this happened. Or
> does
> the patch prevent the deletions in the first place. Thanks to Sully for
> feedback on the DBExpress.
>

No.

See http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/ for how to get it and follow the
instructions on the page.

--
Regards Steve.
MS-MVP. OE. [DTS]


Steve Cochran

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Aug 17, 2006, 10:24:53 AM8/17/06
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Not yet. See www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#2 and also #14.

steve

"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

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donna

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Aug 17, 2006, 12:00:01 PM8/17/06
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I lied - one more question. If I have only downloaded the recent patch
KB918766 (May 06) but I never downloaded the first patch KB911567 (Apr 06),
do I still need to edit the registry key according to the instructions on
KB918766? Thanks.

Sully

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Aug 17, 2006, 12:47:09 PM8/17/06
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Well I cant say for sure but all I was told to do was install the patch
which I linked which will prevent it happening in the future :)

Regards,
Kevin

donna

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Aug 17, 2006, 3:37:16 PM8/17/06
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I can't get an answer from Steve on this as I am trying to run the DBXpress
program. No instructions with the program and I don't know if I should put
something in the "output" section or what I should select for the "save
options" before trying to retrieve the two dbx files. Any help on this?

Jim Pickering

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Aug 17, 2006, 4:18:16 PM8/17/06
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Have you reviewed the "Help" information about using the program at this
link?
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/DBXpress.htm

It will answer most of your questions and is available from the default
page where you went to download the program. Please read it and then
post back if you continue to have questions.
--
Jim Pickering
MVP-Outlook Express/Windows Mail
Please reply to newsgroup only so that others may be helped with your
feedback.


"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

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donna

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Aug 17, 2006, 4:54:01 PM8/17/06
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Thanks for the link. But it's still Greek to me. Recap is I'm extracting all
messages from only the Sent and Drafts folders. I don't know what output
directory to select -is this a directory you must create or already in
existence typically. On save options, assume "by subject" is the norm and
even with only two folders, it is recommended to check the option "use input
file name as the output subdirectory." what does the "remove re:" option do?

Steve Cochran

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Aug 17, 2006, 4:58:41 PM8/17/06
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There is a button on the form called "Help". That displays the directions.

The output is the directory where you want the messages to be extracted to.

Test it first as I indicated in email twice.

steve

"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

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Jim Pickering

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Aug 17, 2006, 5:03:10 PM8/17/06
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You must create the directory to which you wish the output to be sent.
From the Help file: Use the Browse button to choose an output directory
for the extracted files. This directory must exist, the program will not
create it.

Use input name is recommended to keep the information grouped.
From the Help file: If one checks the option to "Use the Input Filename
as Output Subdirectory", then the output will be to a subdirectory
having the same name as the input file. For instance, if the output path
is "D:\output" and the file being extracted is inbox.dbx, then the
extracted messages can be found in the "d:\output\inbox" directory. In
this case, the program will automatically create the subdirectories
under the output path.

The above suggests that you really did not read the Help file
information.


--
Jim Pickering
MVP-Outlook Express/Windows Mail
Please reply to newsgroup only so that others may be helped with your
feedback.


"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

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donna

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Aug 17, 2006, 5:17:01 PM8/17/06
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I did read the Help file several times and printed it out. But I'm not in the
business as you are & don't understand techno-speak as you or perhaps many
others do. It's usually easier for me to grasp it in a phone conversation
rather than an email. Copying the paragraph word for word from the Help file
doesn't make it any clearer.

Jim Pickering

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Aug 17, 2006, 6:45:23 PM8/17/06
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Please review Steve's reply in this thread. Good luck.

--
Jim Pickering
MVP-Outlook Express/Windows Mail
Please reply to newsgroup only so that others may be helped with your
feedback.


"donna" <do...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

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Steve Cochran

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Aug 18, 2006, 8:20:34 AM8/18/06
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I also sent several email replies.

steve

"Jim Pickering" <ji...@mvps.org> wrote in message
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