Accessing Emails when Windows crashes

[dj.klassic]

Sorry if the answers to the following question is in this group but
could not find when searching.

Question: Is there a file I can burn to CD/DVD that will contain all my
email history that I can then access when I reinstall windows given I
cannot run windows due to unfixable errors.

1. My windows has crashed and I am having diffficulty in fixing the
boot file using the recovery console. (error: unmountable boot volume
and when I use the FIXBOOT MBR and CHKDSK /P or /R commands am told
unfixable erros)

2. My harddrive was pretty much full to capacity prior to the crash so
have not got room to create a partition via recovery console and
reinstall windows. Given the above not even sure it will let me create
the partition - haven't tried as do not want to loose data at mo.

3. I have been able to access my harddrive by using Knoppix running on
CD and wondered if there was a file I could burn to CD so I can access
my emails either upon a reinstall of windows or read via another route.
The problem being that I will have to format the harddrive before
reinstalling.

I have been using Outlook express and running XP pro with SP2
installed.

Another way I thought to resolve is to buy another hardrive, make that
the master and then install windows on this drive and then I presume
somehow I can then access them off the other harddrive - is that a
possibility as well?

Thanks in a dvance for any help offered.

Regards

K

 

[BillR [MVP]]

Look for a (possibly hidden) large file with a PST extension. that should
contain all your data. It might be too big for a CD. Try a DVD if you can.
When it is transferred back to a stable system open it with Outlook and copy
the items over. Ensure the read-only attribute is not set prior to opening
it.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Sorry if the answers to the following question is in this group but
could not find when searching.

Question: Is there a file I can burn to CD/DVD that will contain all
my email history that I can then access when I reinstall windows
given I cannot run windows due to unfixable errors.

Your PST, usually located in the (hodden) folder
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook. See
http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm

I have been using Outlook express and running XP pro with SP2
installed.

Oops. Outlook and Outlook Express are two different applications. Ask in
an Outlook Express newsgroup like
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlookexpresss.general and see
http://www.insideoe.com/ . You'll be interested in the ".dbx" files.

Another way I thought to resolve is to buy another hardrive, make that
the master and then install windows on this drive and then I presume
somehow I can then access them off the other harddrive - is that a
possibility as well?

It's certainly worth a try. I saw a 160 GB EIDE hard drive on sale for US$
50 (after rebates) the other day.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Your PST, usually located in the (hodden) folder

Snort! "Hidden".