OE: How to restore .dbx files after crash during `Compress`?

[Eric Wang]

0. I use Outlook Express 6.0 (OE6) with multiple identities.
1. I switch from current identity A to 2nd identity B.
2. OE6 pops up a window: "OE can compress folders. This may take a few
minutes."
3. I click 'Yes'.
4. Several minutes later, while still compressing, OE6 crashes.
5. On restarting OE6, I find that most of my folders are empty.
6. Checking my C:/Documents and Settings/<name>/Local Settings/Application
Data/Identities/<A>/ folder, I see that of ~1500 total .dbx files for A's
folders, 942 of them have been truncated to 137 KB, which is an empty OE
folder with 0 messages. These correspond to the empty folders I see in OE.

So OE6 has erased 942 folders' worth of my e-mails, dating back 12 years.
How can I restore these .dbx files?

 

[Eric Wang]

So OE6 has erased 942 folders' worth of my e-mails, dating back 12 years.

How can I restore these .dbx files?

More info:
7. In addition to the above, 176 other .dbx files kept their old sizes, but
were trashed to all-null, i.e. they consist entirely of hex 00 bytes. So OE
lost all of their contents, too.

8. I have since found KB918069
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918069/en-us?spid=2578&sid=78). Checking my
OE Help/About, I see that I do _not_ have the KB918766 update that provides
auto-backup during compaction:
- Directdb.dll: mine = .2180, new = .2892
- Msoe.dll: mine = .2869, new = .2892

My original question remains: Is there any other way I can restore my .dbx
files?

 

[Milly Staples - MVP Outlook]

Try posting this in an Outlook Express news group - this is not one of them.
Outlook is a part of Microsoft Office and is what this group supports.
Outlook Express is a part of Internet Explorer and has its own news groups.

You can also find some good Outlook Express information here:

http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com


--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Eric Wang asked:

| 0. I use Outlook Express 6.0 (OE6) with multiple identities.
| 1. I switch from current identity A to 2nd identity B.
| 2. OE6 pops up a window: "OE can compress folders. This may take a
| few minutes."
| 3. I click 'Yes'.
| 4. Several minutes later, while still compressing, OE6 crashes.
| 5. On restarting OE6, I find that most of my folders are empty.
| 6. Checking my C:/Documents and Settings/<name>/Local
| Settings/Application Data/Identities/<A>/ folder, I see that of ~1500
| total .dbx files for A's folders, 942 of them have been truncated to
| 137 KB, which is an empty OE folder with 0 messages. These
| correspond to the empty folders I see in OE.
|
| So OE6 has erased 942 folders' worth of my e-mails, dating back 12
| years. How can I restore these .dbx files?