Have I lost all of my email records ?

[webdiv]

Hi,

This morning when I logged in I received a message telling me that my profile was corrupted and that I would be logged in as a temporary user - I am running 2000 pro.

It's been a very long day :eek: but I have managed to restore most of my document files and other stuff. However, my original desktop has not been restored and Outlook Express simply treats me like I have just installed it and there is absolutely no record of my emails - HELP ! Can anyone tell me if it is possible to retrieve all of the emails I previously had in OE before this morning, as well as my original desktop ? I can see the user profile folder in 'Documents and Settings' that contains my original desktop, but don't know how I can make my computer point to it on boot up.

I ran dskchk and that was what restored most of my stuff, but now I am stuck, don't know what else to do and desperate.

Any suggestions would be really gratefully received.

Thank you.

[firepages]

If the old mail files are still there you can simply transfer them to your new profile, look in
old_profile/local Settings/application data/microsoft/identites/{weird number}/outlook express
, in there should be some inbox.db etc type files, copy them all to your new profile (overwriting the new files in there (but back those up first if you have used OE at all)) and restart outlook express.

You point OE to your old profile for its mailstore, but I would not recommend that.

[webdiv]

Hi firepages,

Thanks for responding. Is the following exactly what I should type in to a search for files and folders from the start button, or is there another way of finding my old mails and address book ?

look in
old_profile/local Settings/application data/microsoft/identites/{weird number}/outlook express


I tried typing this in exactly but didn't get anything.

I appreciate your help.

Thanks

[firepages]

just search for `inbox` (no quotes) or `*.db` , remembering to select 'search hidden files and folders' in the advanced preferences.

[webdiv]

Hi again firepages,

There is no 'hidden folders' option only 'search subfolders'. I did this and found a file named inbox.dbx which I believe could be what I'm after although the date against it is 2005 - so it may be an old out of date file, However that will be better than nothing if it's what I'm looking for !

BUT I don't know how to open it. I tried Notepad but that didn't really work. Can you suggest what I can do with this file to be able to read it ?

Thanks firepages, I really appreciate this, my stomache has been in a knot since yesterday morning.

Cheers :thumbsup:

[webdiv]

firepages,

I have been looking at those files and they do seem to be 2005 files, as that is the date it says they were last modified. I do still want to retrieve them though because as I said that will be better than nothing.

I don't understand however why only files from 2005 are there, have I really lost all of my mails up until yesterday do you think ?

This all happened because somehow my user profile was corrupted and I couldn't log in as normal. I can see the folder for my previous user profile with all of my desktop settings etc in it, I don't know how to make the computer use this profile again, but, if I managed to get my computer to use my original user profile do you think I will retrieve Outlook Express intact, as it was before ?

Again, thanks !