All mail disappeared

[Juha]

I was fixing a security problem following a suggestion from Bigfix. I installed the new file, but the result was that all the letters in my Outlook Express program disappeared (the addresses remained). The same happened to a number of auxiliary programs. I've been forced to dig up many programs from here and there.

I use an AVG virus program and a Zonealarm firewall.

Is there any way I could get the mail back and perhaps everything else, too?

[david eaton]

Hello Juha
I don't know what the Bigfix installation would have done, but if you use the Start menu\find option and look for files of type *.dbx, it should show if the files are still on disk. If no files found, as a last resort, after checking the recycle bin, there are utils around for recovery. Never used one myself, but someone else will no doubt know.

David

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If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve the man, but disimprove the cat.

Mark Twain

[Juha]

Thanks, David, for your tip. I found the files, but I must now figure out how I return them to the Outlook. Any suggestions?

[david eaton]

Glad that worked. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif Try the file/ import/messages option, and point at the files you found. That should put the files back, but you might have to copy the files elsewhere, and delete the originals. Outlook Express can be very b***y minded over what it imports http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif

David

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If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve the man, but disimprove the cat.

Mark Twain

[Paul Komski]

If the above measures fail you could try DBXtract (http://www.webattack.com/get/dbx.shtml)

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Take nice care of yourselves - Paul
"For a Pandora's box upgrade to IE6 (IEsicks that is)"

[Sylvander]

Hello Juha

For your Emails to show in Outlook Express these files with the "dbx" extensions should be located in possibly several folders, one for each "Identity" [see{complex identity code}below]used in Outlook Express [if you use Identities that is].
Look in the following location.

C:\Windows\Application Data\Identities\{complex identity code}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Each set of sub folders under the "Identity" code number ends in the folder "Outlook Express" and this is where the set of "dbx" files should be. The particular set of files determines which Emails will show up when you select your Identity and enter your password to open Outlook Express.
If there are many identities you must try to figure out which is yours, perhaps by studying the contents of the others.
If these files have been deleted or moved elsewhere you need to somehow put them back in their correct place.