Help! Missing Folder in Outlook Express

[tnsbuff]

Hi,

I hope someone can help as I'm out of ideas.

Ok, I noticed this morning that one of my email folders was missing in O.E. After looking through all of the other folders (thinking maybe it had inadvertently gotten moved to another folder), I did a System Restore (suggested by the Sony Support tech) since I did have some problems with OE and IE last night. This did not solve the problem.

Next, I downloaded and ran a program that is supposed to restore deleted files. It found a folder called Deleted Items.dbx. I thought this might be what I needed since maybe in an attempt to delete an individual message I might have deleted the entire folder, and then emptied the Deleted Items folder (with this missing folder accidentally inside).

I copied the folder to my desktop then tried to import into O.E., but get the error message that a lot of people get. "No messages can be found in this folder or another application is running, etc."

Can anyone help? I'm starting to panic

 

[pritska]

Please advise whether you are running XP Pro/Home/98/SE/ME?

Which version of Internet Explorer is it?

Did you install any service packs?

Have you done a search for .dbx files?

Was that folder in your blind spot?

Was the folder a sub folder of the Inbox?

When you tried to import the deleted items.dbx, which option in the import window did you choose, OE 4 or OE6?

What antivirus software, if any, have you got installed?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspxscid=kb;ENUS;Q321505

Or maybe it is something to do with this:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;295965

 

[tnsbuff]

Hi,

To answer your questions:

1. I'm running Window XP Home Edition
2. I'm running I.E. 6
3. Service Packs - Not recently but I think I have installed some, how would I know which ones?
4. I did a search for the .dbx file but could not find it.
5. I'm not sure what you mean by "Was that folder in your blind spot?"
6. No, the folder was in the "Local Folders" (not a subdirectory of Inbox.
7. When I tried to import I selected OE6.

I couldn't access either of the Microsoft pages that you referenced. I'll keep trying.

Thanks,

 

[tnsbuff]

Oops, forgot to mention the antivirus software:

McAffee Virus Scan - including latest virus definitions.

 

[pritska]

Hi,
Sorry about the MS links, Go to the microsoft site, and do a search for: Q321505 and the other one is: Q295965.

I reckon the first article will sort out your problem.
It's something to do with McAffee.

Question 5 was my weak attempt at humour, sorry!

Good luck.

 

[tnsbuff]

Hi,

Thanks for responding.

Actually, I already tried the method in the first article and ended up with 2 sets of .dbx folders for each folder in O.E. and the ones OE displays now are not organized properly; folders that are supposed to be inside other folders are now all at the same level. Messages that I had in my Drafts folder are now missing. So, I guess I need to find a way to get OE to use the original .dbx files. (I still don't see the Folder that is missing.)

As for the second method, I am actually running Mcafee 7.0 and I think that problem pertains to McAfee 6.0, but I went ahead and downloaded the utility and ran it, but it doesn't seem to be extracting any of the files to the output folder even though it appears to go through the motions. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I read the instructions.

Have you personally used this software? (DBXtract)

Thanks again,

 

[pritska]

I'm out of ideas mate, sorry! I haven't tried the software myself. Might be that because you ran system restore, it cannot find the original reference for the missing folder?
Clutching at straws now, sorry.

 

[tnsbuff]

Thanks for your efforts pritska.

I guess I'll just have to get by without the contents of that folder; I haven't been able to restore it.I just hope there wasn't anything critically important in it.

Thanks again,