Importing .dbx files back into Outlook Express 6 8

[jennymitcham]

Hi there,
I have some old .dbx files on CD that I am trying to import back into Outlook Express 6. The old dbx files were created on Windows 98 and I am now running on Windows XP.
It seems like there must be an easy solution to this problem.....I am in Outlook Express, going to File - Import - Messages - Outlook Express 6 - import mail from store directory - then clicking on the location of these dbx files and clicking OK, but the error message below keeps popping up:

'No messages can be found in this folder or another application is running that has the required files open....'

I have no other progs running and the dbx files ARE in the location I am pointing to!

Am tearing my hair out now!
Any help appreciated!
Jen

 

[smah]

If the file was created while using win98, are you sure it was using OE6? Try importing as OE4.

 

[jennymitcham]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have tried importing the dbx files as OE 4 and OE6 but it gives the same error message regardless. Any other ideas?

Cheers,
Jen

 

[joegz]

Since you say you copied them to a CD did you remove the Read-Only attirbute from the files? joegz
"Sometimes you just need to find out what it's not first to figure out what it is."

 

[jennymitcham]

Thanks for the suggestion - was a good thought! I had copied the files on to the desktop and they are no longer read only. Its still not working though.
Cheers,
Jen

 

[joegz]

OK...one more question. Did you also copy the folders.dbx file?

This link may help

http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/faqs/how.htm#importOE5

joegz
"Sometimes you just need to find out what it's not first to figure out what it is."

 

[jennymitcham]

You star! Spot on! Easy when you know how eh?
Have a happy new year!
Jen

 

[bartzos]

Thanks from me too, joegz!

I ran on the exact same problem as Jen, and landed on this forum after a yahoo search. It seems that I was one step behind her (trying to import directly from the CD with the read-only attribute) and when I moved them into the hard disk and removed the read-only attribute, it worked!

Dimitrios.

 

[johannsabbach]

Good stuff. I'll save this for my many friends who have had troubles transfering their old email messages...or have been too afraid to attempt doing so. -johann
Always think twice...fix once.
Don't think...fix many. (bring asprin)
Hope I can be some help to you someday!

 

[bakerboy]

Yepee! I works...the folders.dbx file is the part that I did not know about...thanx...

 

[LongShadows]

We had the same problem, found this thread, and followed joegz's advice.

We followed the instructions suggested in the link to insideoe.tomsterdam.com. Added new identity, switched to it, but got no new account wizard. Instead, OE closed, and now it will not open. Any ideas?

 

[johnberry3]

I was wondering whether anyone could help me with a similar problem. I have been trying to restore lost folders and data in Outlook Express6. Following work carried out on my PC recently all my data seemed to go missing, but I eventually located it in Cocuments and Settings\John\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\?????????????\Mic, where ????? is a very long string of numbers and letters. The files are of the .dbx type.

I have tried opening them but the message I receive says that Windows needs to know what program created these files and that I should go online to download it. I very tentatively tried downloading some software called DXtract which did not work except that it converted the dbx files into Adobe Acrobat files which still didn’t work! I have since restored them to .dbx files.

I have also tried the suggestions in these threads, i.e. importing the files from the store above, but I can't locate this when I hit the 'browse' button.

Any assistance would be much appreciated!

John Berry, UK

 

[johannsabbach]

The best advise on transferring .dbx and other Outlook Express files to a new computer or fresh install seems to be many places, such as at

http://www.iopus.com/guides/oe-backup.htm

...BUT the easiest way I've heard of is this little program written by a Microsoft MVP (Not really MS) which is found at:

http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx

As Tom Koch, another reliable Microsoft MVP {from

http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com

as mentioned in an above tip} says:

"This has a new free utility called simply OE Backup. This will backup everything in OE, including multiple Identities, mail folders, newsgroups, address book and customized Identity settings. Or you can back up only selected items, such as rules, but without having to edit the registry. Add it to yours (toolbox) and say goodbye to manual backups."

I hope this helps some more of you.

Have a great day! -johann
Always think twice...fix once.
Don't think...fix many. (bring asprin)
Hope I can be some help to you someday!

 

[farfrom]

I have recently reinstalled system, had all my dbx on a cd, copied, changed attributes and imported ..... 210 out of 230 folders came through without any problem, the rest just does not seem to work.

currently all I can do is open them in Note pad.

anyone had this before ? Maybe there is limit on the number of folders ? although that should be maybe 256

I am lost, please advise if you can.

 

[farfrom]

well as it happens, I found a mechanical solution, I create a dummy folders in OE and then copy overwrite the new dbx with the old one with my data in it.

it still bugs me a lot that this is a manual process and that I can see no apparent reason why a routine process was compromised in such a unique way

please share your thoughts if you experienced similar things

 

[Launcelot]

Oh dear, I'm feeling especially dim.

In the past I've manipulated dbx files (OE4/OE5) at will on Win98/Win2k. However, on my XP (OE6) machine I cannot find the files anywhere. Explorer is set to view absolutely everything.

Anyone got the patience to set me right?

Geoff

 

[moemoff]

Use Find Files to search for DBX ... make sure you use advanced and show hidden files. If you don't want to copy and paste from there look for properties and that will tell you where the file resides. In the alternative in the Outlook Express program right click on any folder and it will tell you where it is located on your system. Also you can look at tools>options>maintenance>store folder

Mo

 

[Launcelot]

Thanks Mo

Didn't realise there was another setting in the Advanced option. Have a lot to learn about XP, but don't really like it.

Regards
Geoff

 

[stevenfeldman]

I have a similar problem but for some reason my mail old OE/Win 98 folders have been saved as pairs of mbx and idx files plus folders.nch

I have tried all of the above tips and have also renamed to dbx files but still get the same error message.

Any ideas?

Steven

 

[joegz]

Steve...it sounds like you were using OE4 instead of OE5. Try

http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/faqs/how.htm#importOE4

joegz
"Sometimes you just need to find out what it's not first to figure out what it is."