I use Outlook Express as my main email software. When it prompts a
"compacting" I usually do it.
this afternoon compacting was prompt and I clicked "ok". I came back to
the computer a couple hours later, opened outlook express, and found that I
lost the last 5 months of emails!!!!!!
ANY chance to restore those??

Check Your recycle bin.
"shirapoem" <shirapoem@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6D9E1298-28EB-46CC-9A56-BC96064B019F@microsoft.com...
>I use Outlook Express as my main email software. When it prompts a
> "compacting" I usually do it.
> this afternoon compacting was prompt and I clicked "ok". I came back to
> the computer a couple hours later, opened outlook express, and found that
> I
> lost the last 5 months of emails!!!!!!
> ANY chance to restore those??
>

Shirapoem,
Had the same problem and just by accident discovered where after compacting
files were backed up and sent to the recycle bin. Did my suggestion help
you?. If I am correct in my assumption you would have had a ton of those
backed up items in your recycle bin. Comments?.
"SD" <SD@NoSPAMiso.com> wrote in message
news:%231vSQjtBIHA.5960@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Check Your recycle bin.
> "shirapoem" <shirapoem@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6D9E1298-28EB-46CC-9A56-BC96064B019F@microsoft.com...
>>I use Outlook Express as my main email software. When it prompts a
>> "compacting" I usually do it.
>> this afternoon compacting was prompt and I clicked "ok". I came back to
>> the computer a couple hours later, opened outlook express, and found that
>> I
>> lost the last 5 months of emails!!!!!!
>> ANY chance to restore those??
>>
>
>

I have the same problem. I found some files in the recycle bin but they are
..bak files. How do I get them back in my Inbox?

"SD" wrote:

> Shirapoem,
> Had the same problem and just by accident discovered where after compacting
> files were backed up and sent to the recycle bin. Did my suggestion help
> you?. If I am correct in my assumption you would have had a ton of those
> backed up items in your recycle bin. Comments?.
> "SD" <SD@NoSPAMiso.com> wrote in message
> news:%231vSQjtBIHA.5960@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> > Check Your recycle bin.
> > "shirapoem" <shirapoem@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:6D9E1298-28EB-46CC-9A56-BC96064B019F@microsoft.com...
> >>I use Outlook Express as my main email software. When it prompts a
> >> "compacting" I usually do it.
> >> this afternoon compacting was prompt and I clicked "ok". I came back to
> >> the computer a couple hours later, opened outlook express, and found that
> >> I
> >> lost the last 5 months of emails!!!!!!
> >> ANY chance to restore those??
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
>

The BAK files are copies of the associated DBX file made on the file date
just before compacting. Here's one way to recover their contents:
For the OE folder named FolderName:
In OE make a new folder named New FolderName.
Transfer all the messages from FolderName to New FolderName.
Go to Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder and write it down.
Close OE.
Open Windows Explorer.
Click Tools | Folder Options | View and set it to Show hidden files and
folders.
Go to the OE store folder.
Delete FolderName.dbx
In Recycled Bin restore FolderName.bak
Use Windows Explorer to rename it to FolderName.dbx
Open IE.

"joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F7F9AFEF-9B88-4318-A3DB-7FDB49D3247D@microsoft.com...
>I have the same problem. I found some files in the recycle bin but they are
> .bak files. How do I get them back in my Inbox?
>
> "SD" wrote:
>
>> Shirapoem,
>> Had the same problem and just by accident discovered where after
>> compacting
>> files were backed up and sent to the recycle bin. Did my suggestion help
>> you?. If I am correct in my assumption you would have had a ton of those
>> backed up items in your recycle bin. Comments?.
>> "SD" <SD@NoSPAMiso.com> wrote in message
>> news:%231vSQjtBIHA.5960@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> > Check Your recycle bin.
>> > "shirapoem" <shirapoem@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > news:6D9E1298-28EB-46CC-9A56-BC96064B019F@microsoft.com...
>> >>I use Outlook Express as my main email software. When it prompts a
>> >> "compacting" I usually do it.
>> >> this afternoon compacting was prompt and I clicked "ok". I came back
>> >> to
>> >> the computer a couple hours later, opened outlook express, and found
>> >> that
>> >> I
>> >> lost the last 5 months of emails

Thanks Frank. I found all the .bak files in the Recycle bin except for the
Inbox.bak file. The size of the Inbox.dbx file is 1.88GB and the computer C:
drive only had about 1 GB left of free space. I wonder if OE did not save
Inbox.bak because of space.

"Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" wrote:

> The BAK files are copies of the associated DBX file made on the file date
> just before compacting. Here's one way to recover their contents:
> For the OE folder named FolderName:
> In OE make a new folder named New FolderName.
> Transfer all the messages from FolderName to New FolderName.
> Go to Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder and write it down.
> Close OE.
> Open Windows Explorer.
> Click Tools | Folder Options | View and set it to Show hidden files and
> folders.
> Go to the OE store folder.
> Delete FolderName.dbx
> In Recycled Bin restore FolderName.bak
> Use Windows Explorer to rename it to FolderName.dbx
> Open IE.
>
> "joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F7F9AFEF-9B88-4318-A3DB-7FDB49D3247D@microsoft.com...
> >I have the same problem. I found some files in the recycle bin but they are
> > .bak files. How do I get them back in my Inbox?
> >
> > "SD" wrote:
> >
> >> Shirapoem,
> >> Had the same problem and just by accident discovered where after
> >> compacting
> >> files were backed up and sent to the recycle bin. Did my suggestion help
> >> you?. If I am correct in my assumption you would have had a ton of those
> >> backed up items in your recycle bin. Comments?.
> >> "SD" <SD@NoSPAMiso.com> wrote in message
> >> news:%231vSQjtBIHA.5960@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> >> > Check Your recycle bin.
> >> > "shirapoem" <shirapoem@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> > news:6D9E1298-28EB-46CC-9A56-BC96064B019F@microsoft.com...
> >> >>I use Outlook Express as my main email software. When it prompts a
> >> >> "compacting" I usually do it.
> >> >> this afternoon compacting was prompt and I clicked "ok". I came back
> >> >> to
> >> >> the computer a couple hours later, opened outlook express, and found
> >> >> that
> >> >> I
> >> >> lost the last 5 months of emails
>

"joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FBE0278B-8F2B-4B52-84AE-5554781552EE@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Frank. I found all the .bak files in the Recycle bin except for the
> Inbox.bak file. The size of the Inbox.dbx file is 1.88GB and the computer
> C:
> drive only had about 1 GB left of free space. I wonder if OE did not save
> Inbox.bak because of space.


Correct.
That is way too big for any DBX file. A folder should have the messages
moved out of it and compacted long before that. In addition, no hard drive
should be allowed to get that full. Free up 15% of the total hard drive
space and we'll work on recovering the messages. As soon as you can save a
copy of Inbox.dbx in some empty Windows folder.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
www.fjsmjs.com
Do not send email

I am going to copy the inbox.dbx file onto my desktop, which has an 80GB Hard
Drive with about 60% free space. Would that work?

"Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" wrote:

> "joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:FBE0278B-8F2B-4B52-84AE-5554781552EE@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks Frank. I found all the .bak files in the Recycle bin except for the
> > Inbox.bak file. The size of the Inbox.dbx file is 1.88GB and the computer
> > C:
> > drive only had about 1 GB left of free space. I wonder if OE did not save
> > Inbox.bak because of space.
>
>
> Correct.
> That is way too big for any DBX file. A folder should have the messages
> moved out of it and compacted long before that. In addition, no hard drive
> should be allowed to get that full. Free up 15% of the total hard drive
> space and we'll work on recovering the messages. As soon as you can save a
> copy of Inbox.dbx in some empty Windows folder.
>
> --
> Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
> www.fjsmjs.com
> Do not send email
>

It should. Use one of these programs to extract the messages:
DBXtract ($7): http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/Default.aspx
There is also a free alternative to DBXtract, though not for DBXpress:
http://www.insideoe.com/resources/tools.htm#macallan
DBXpress: ($25) http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

With that large a file any of them will probably take days to finish the
job. DBXpress is faster than DBXtract.

"joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:00D6D3B5-DD5A-48E3-B035-13E1FB6F7A16@microsoft.com...
>I am going to copy the inbox.dbx file onto my desktop, which has an 80GB
>Hard
> Drive with about 60% free space. Would that work?
>
> "Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" wrote:
>
>> "joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:FBE0278B-8F2B-4B52-84AE-5554781552EE@microsoft.com...
>> > Thanks Frank. I found all the .bak files in the Recycle bin except for
>> > the
>> > Inbox.bak file. The size of the Inbox.dbx file is 1.88GB and the
>> > computer
>> > C:
>> > drive only had about 1 GB left of free space. I wonder if OE did not
>> > save
>> > Inbox.bak because of space.
>>
>>
>> Correct.
>> That is way too big for any DBX file. A folder should have the messages
>> moved out of it and compacted long before that. In addition, no hard
>> drive
>> should be allowed to get that full. Free up 15% of the total hard drive
>> space and we'll work on recovering the messages. As soon as you can save
>> a
>> copy of Inbox.dbx in some empty Windows folder.

Hi Frank
I got Inbox.dbx with plenty of free space. What's next?. Keep in mind that I
do have access to my inbox, but I lost all emails from feb 12, 07 to Oct 31,
07.
Thanks.

"joe212" wrote:

> I am going to copy the inbox.dbx file onto my desktop, which has an 80GB Hard
> Drive with about 60% free space. Would that work?
>
> "Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" wrote:
>
> > "joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:FBE0278B-8F2B-4B52-84AE-5554781552EE@microsoft.com...
> > > Thanks Frank. I found all the .bak files in the Recycle bin except for the
> > > Inbox.bak file. The size of the Inbox.dbx file is 1.88GB and the computer
> > > C:
> > > drive only had about 1 GB left of free space. I wonder if OE did not save
> > > Inbox.bak because of space.
> >
> >
> > Correct.
> > That is way too big for any DBX file. A folder should have the messages
> > moved out of it and compacted long before that. In addition, no hard drive
> > should be allowed to get that full. Free up 15% of the total hard drive
> > space and we'll work on recovering the messages. As soon as you can save a
> > copy of Inbox.dbx in some empty Windows folder.
> >
> > --
> > Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
> > www.fjsmjs.com
> > Do not send email
> >

Create a new folder in OE and move everything that you can see in the Inbox
to that new folder. Then close OE and move Ombox.dbx to a new, empty
Windows folder. Then use one of these programs to extract the messages from
Inbox.dbx to that same new Windows folder.
DBXtract ($7): http://www.oehelp.com/DBXtract/Default.aspx
There is also a free alternative to DBXtract, though not for DBXpress:
http://www.insideoe.com/resources/tools.htm#macallan
DBXpress: ($25) http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

Once the messages are recovered you can drag them back to a new folder in
OE, but don't use the Inbox. Messages should not be archived in the default
OE folders and all OE folders should be kept down to around 100 MB.

"joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A6F6710B-D11F-4CA6-9367-CBFCDDAB84BA@microsoft.com...
> Hi Frank
> I got Inbox.dbx with plenty of free space. What's next?. Keep in mind that
> I
> do have access to my inbox, but I lost all emails from feb 12, 07 to Oct
> 31,
> 07.
>
> "joe212" wrote:
>
>> I am going to copy the inbox.dbx file onto my desktop, which has an 80GB
>> Hard
>> Drive with about 60% free space. Would that work?
>>
>> "Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" wrote:
>>
>> > "joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > news:FBE0278B-8F2B-4B52-84AE-5554781552EE@microsoft.com...
>> > > Thanks Frank. I found all the .bak files in the Recycle bin except
>> > > for the
>> > > Inbox.bak file. The size of the Inbox.dbx file is 1.88GB and the
>> > > computer
>> > > C:
>> > > drive only had about 1 GB left of free space. I wonder if OE did not
>> > > save
>> > > Inbox.bak because of space.
>> >
>> >
>> > Correct.
>> > That is way too big for any DBX file. A folder should have the
>> > messages
>> > moved out of it and compacted long before that. In addition, no hard
>> > drive
>> > should be allowed to get that full. Free up 15% of the total hard
>> > drive
>> > space and we'll work on recovering the messages. As soon as you can
>> > save a
>> > copy of Inbox.dbx in some empty Windows folder.

Frank: I had the same problem while compacting. After compacting all my
subfolders other than the main ones( In out,deleted, etc) were gone.

After a lot of trials and tribulations I found them all as *.bak folders in
my recycle bin. I restored the *bak folders and they disappeared from the
recycle bin. After a lot of further trial and trib's, I fould the *bak as
well as the original *dbx in the original OE folder that normally stored the
*dbx files.

So all the files are in the original windows location except OE cannot read
them any longer.

Do I need to go thro the same sequence and copy them in a different storage
folder?

This is a pain, and wonder why is this happening in the first place. Is this
a glitch in OE, and if so why does'nt Microsoft do something about.

It seems Microsfot induces you into doing something that's good for you and
in the process screws you up if you follow their advice.

Thanks for you help

--
Paul Chebi


"Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM" wrote:

> The BAK files are copies of the associated DBX file made on the file date
> just before compacting. Here's one way to recover their contents:
> For the OE folder named FolderName:
> In OE make a new folder named New FolderName.
> Transfer all the messages from FolderName to New FolderName.
> Go to Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder and write it down.
> Close OE.
> Open Windows Explorer.
> Click Tools | Folder Options | View and set it to Show hidden files and
> folders.
> Go to the OE store folder.
> Delete FolderName.dbx
> In Recycled Bin restore FolderName.bak
> Use Windows Explorer to rename it to FolderName.dbx
> Open IE.
>
> "joe212" <joe212@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F7F9AFEF-9B88-4318-A3DB-7FDB49D3247D@microsoft.com...
> >I have the same problem. I found some files in the recycle bin but they are
> > .bak files. How do I get them back in my Inbox?
> >
> > "SD" wrote:
> >
> >> Shirapoem,
> >> Had the same problem and just by accident discovered where after
> >> compacting
> >> files were backed up and sent to the recycle bin. Did my suggestion help
> >> you?. If I am correct in my assumption you would have had a ton of those
> >> backed up items in your recycle bin. Comments?.
> >> "SD" <SD@NoSPAMiso.com> wrote in message
> >> news:%231vSQjtBIHA.5960@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> >> > Check Your recycle bin.
> >> > "shirapoem" <shirapoem@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> > news:6D9E1298-28EB-46CC-9A56-BC96064B019F@microsoft.com...
> >> >>I use Outlook Express as my main email software. When it prompts a
> >> >> "compacting" I usually do it.
> >> >> this afternoon compacting was prompt and I clicked "ok". I came back
> >> >> to
> >> >> the computer a couple hours later, opened outlook express, and found
> >> >> that
> >> >> I
> >> >> lost the last 5 months of emails
>

"Chebi" <Chebi@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ABF7C140-A42A-4542-BCE8-F030A502FC46@microsoft.com...
> Frank: I had the same problem while compacting. After compacting all my
> subfolders other than the main ones( In out,deleted, etc) were gone.
>
> After a lot of trials and tribulations I found them all as *.bak folders
> in
> my recycle bin. I restored the *bak folders and they disappeared from the
> recycle bin. After a lot of further trial and trib's, I fould the *bak as
> well as the original *dbx in the original OE folder that normally stored
> the
> *dbx files.
>
> So all the files are in the original windows location except OE cannot
> read
> them any longer.
>
> Do I need to go thro the same sequence and copy them in a different
> storage
> folder?
>
> This is a pain, and wonder why is this happening in the first place. Is
> this
> a glitch in OE, and if so why does'nt Microsoft do something about.
>
> It seems Microsfot induces you into doing something that's good for you
> and
> in the process screws you up if you follow their advice.


This is generally caused by interrupting the compacting process. It's best
to leave the computer alone while compacting.

Rename the BAK files to DBX files and delete Folders.dbx - you will lose any
folder hierarchy and the lists of newsgroups on the news servers.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
www.fjsmjs.com
Do not send email

I had the exact same problme with OE just now and I lost my entire
send file for October. Really need all these emails. PLease advise
how to restore in layman's terms. thanks.


On Oct 4, 5:13 pm, shirapoem <shirap...@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> I use Outlook Express as my main email software. When it prompts a
> "compacting" I usually do it.
> this afternoon compacting was prompt and I clicked "ok". I came back to
> the computer a couple hours later, opened outlook express, and found that I
> lost the last 5 months of emails!!!!!!
> ANY chance to restore those??

"sparis" <shelleyparis@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:1194503629.816924.52840@50g2000hsm.googlegrou ps.com...
>I had the exact same problme with OE just now and I lost my entire
> send file for October. Really need all these emails. PLease advise
> how to restore in layman's terms. thanks.
>

If your version of OE is fully patched, then the compaction process puts a
copy of your dbx files in the recycle bin.....