Restoring Backed up Outlook Express Files

[beaver eager]

Hi Folks,

I have backed up a load of e-mails onto a zip disc using iomega's own 'one step backup' program.

Having safely stored the files I wanted to keep, I then deleted from outlook express the folder with all the newly backed up files on it.

I now want to put them back into outlook express and did the 'one step restore'. This has restored all the data to my hard disk where it was before, ( C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Identities\{6C89B9C0-0B67-11D5-A9D9-A74C44F52639}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\File Names ) but the e-mails don't show up in Outlook Express and the folders aren't there either.

If the data is back on my hard disk, there must be a way to make OE display it, surely?

Can anyone help please?

[BOAC]

Think you'll need to 'import' that folder. Speaking from a lowly 'anorak' ranking here, but I think when you shut-down and restart OE, the file index was rebuilt without your folder, and importing might fix it?

[fobotcso]

Can be done; I do this regularly.

Make a careful note of the exact names of the .dbx files that you have backed up. Each File represents a Folder in OE.

Open OE, and as well as the default folders such as Inbox, Outbox, Deleted Items etc, create new folders with the exact names of the files you backed up (without the .dbx bit obviously).

Then - this is the critical bit - open each of the new folders in OE. They will all be empty, but this action creates files of the same name in the Identity folder you described.

Then, using Windows Explorer, copy your backed up .dbx files over the new unused files. In each case you will be asked the usual question, "Do you want to replace the existing ..." and you will answer "yes".

No harm in copying Folders.dbx as well and pop3iudl.dbx and pop3.log as well. The pop3 files contain information about the e-mails you already have. If you copy them over, you will avoid downloading a lot of duplicate e-mails you already have.

Next time you open OE you should see all your e-mails.

If it doesn't work, get back to me. I have probably not explained something clearly enough.

[beaver eager]

Thanks fobotsco,

That's worked a treat. I've got all the mails in question back where they belong, thank goodness.

I'm not sure though, that I fully understand the bit about the pop3 files and log files though.

If I'm only re-instating one folder, does it make any difference if it
knows what files I already have, as I don't have the files in question anyway.

Perhaps what you are saying is that if I am restoring say the whole of outlook express from 3 months ago (not just one folder), if I copy Folders.dbx, pop3iudl.dbx and pop3.log, these files from 3 months ago will stop it importing a second version of any e-mails that have not been deleted since the backup was done? Have I got this right?

The other thing that confuses me a bit is that in C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer, there are other .dbx files with names of folders that I have deleted or moved/copied to other folders ages ago. What is their purpose? I have deleted them (but only to the recycle bin, just in case), and it hasn't affected any of the current stock of mails that I want to keep. So why were they there and should I really be keeping them? Some were quite large, having been an entire folder at some time with lots of attachments in it (70mb or so).

And finally, I haven't asked a question in here for nearly a year, but it's always you with the answer.

Thank you.

[fobotcso]

You're Welcome!

As to the Pop3 files, you can leave them behind or delete them at any time and OE will create new ones the next time you download e-mails. But, if there are still stacks of e-mails on the Server(s) that you already have, being held there for the time you specified on the Advanced Tab in the User Account(s) Properties, you will just get duplicates. Eventually they disappear from the Server(s), of course. Taking the Pop3 log files with you just avoids all those duplicates.

Those old .dbx files are just detritus. When you deleted the folders in OE the files were left in the Identity Folder. You can let them go. But try doing it by using the File/Folder/Compact All Folders command. That'll also get rid of the stuff within the wanted folders that has been deleted. You may notice that the Deleted Items File is quite big even though you have just emptied it.

Finally, this is a good stage to change the names of OE Folders if you want by renaming the corresponding file and making sure you create a folder in OE with exactly the same name.

[beaver eager]

Thanks again fobotsco,

So if I've got the "leave a copy of messages on the server" box unchecked, the issue of importing duplicate files just doesn't apply to me?

I don't really keep stuff in my "deleted items" folder. I always hold shift down when deleting and only delete stuff that I definitely don't want. Hence wanting to get stuff out of OE but with the option of putting it back one day if required. I think I've got the hang of how to do it now though thank you.

If I understand you correctly, Compacting all folders achieves the same as me manually deleting all the "detritus" files out of windows explorer. Is this correct? The help files don't exactly spell out what is happening when you choose "compact files"

How is the "detritus" created? Does it copy files only when you delete them, or when you change the name of a folder within OE or maybe drag a folder to a different one?

The more you learn the harder it gets!

[fobotcso]

Hi eager beaver! Hadn't abandoned you but been up to my neck in hard disk cloning and rescuing data. Got to the end of the tunnel and I'm a happy bunny again - thanks to Partition Magic 6.0.

Now, you're correct that if you never leave e-mails on the server you will not have a problem with duplicates if you retrieve using a clean version of OE. However, a POP3 record is always created and updated when you start from scratch.

No, compacting OE folders is not the same as emptying your Recycling Bin. For some reason, even when you delete e-mails from a Folder, the substance of the e-mail remains in the appropriate File - until, that is, you "Compact" the Folder. In this respect, it's a bit like deleting a File from a disk. The contents of the file remain on the disk until they are over-written; only the File name is deleted from the Table of Contents.

I did an experiment to illustrate this:

My Deleted folder was "Empty"; the associated File (Deleted.dbx) was 187Kb.

I then compacted the Deleted Folder in OE; the File size reduced to 59kB. That is the default size of any empty Folder in OE 5.5.

So it's a useful thing to know this because, if you have received any e-mails containing viruses or unsavoury stuff, simply deleting them and emptying your Deleted Folder doesn't get rid of them. Even compacting the Folder doesn't remove traces of them from your Hard Disk but it's a help.

This way lies madness! Check the size of your Files in the Identity Folder.

[beaver eager]

Thanks fobotsco,

That's all been a great help. Glad you've got your system sorted OK.

Until next time then...