Importing Outlook Express Folders

[marioj]

I performed a migration from W98 to W2000. Made a copy of .dbx files in W98 to my CD from Application Data/Identities/ ........../Microsoft/outlook Express and now I'm not able to import these folders in W2000.

At the beginning OE 5.5 rejected the .dbx files in the Import process. I read a tip indicating that files should be copied from cd to hdd and that the read only attribute should be removed. I did so and advanced one step. Now OE recognizes the different folders and asks me to indicate which one I want to import. Every folder receives the message:
"Not all the messages from the folder "xxxxx" could be imported. An error has ocurred"

Actually no message was imported for every folder processed.

Anyone has any idea what should I do? Any tip?
I'll appreciate any help.
Regards,
Mario

 

[kwunder]

I had a similar problem once. Now when I want to back up my e mails, I don't do it from within OE, I copy the entire OUTLOOK EXPRESS folder from within the
C:\WINDOWS\Application data\Identities\{*******}\Microsoft
folder. Then from within OE, select FILE/IMPORT/MESSAGES, then select the version of OE you backed up from, navigate to the OUTLOOK EXPRESS folder you backed up and away you go. You have to make sure that you are restoring to the same version of OE as the one you backed up from I believe.

Perhaps this doesn't solve your issue, but may help you in the future.

kwunder

 

[marioj]

Kwunder, thank you for your post.

I just did what you indicate and can't import my messages. Years of archived messages. It looks like .dbx files were corrupted during the hdd to cd transfer, but can't get confirmation on this.

Is there any error log in OE to find more detailed information of the cause of import failure?

Regards,
Mario

 

[kwunder]

Mario,

When you backed up the .dbx files, what folders did you back up. I mean did you rename them or did you have your own folders other than inbox, sent items etc ?

kwunder

 

[TheGodSplinter]

Why doesn't some ingenious person write a piece of software that is independent of OEx and will read, allow editing, writing and Word/plain-text conversion of these stupid .dbx files, so that this needn't happen to us, again? If MicroSoft can do it, programmers can always do better than it - let's face it!

 

[marioj]

Kwunder,

I backed up the entire Outlook Express folder under the selected identity.

C:/Windows/ApplicationData/Identities/........../Microsoft/Outlook Express

Thanks for your interest.
Regards,
Mario

 

[kwunder]

marioj

How did you back them up. I find the best way is to simply copy the entire OUTLOOK EXPRESS folder from the C:/Windows/ApplicationData/Identities/........../Microsoft/
directory.

Are the .dbx files you backed up from an earlier version of OE than the one you're trying to restore to ?

Do you have any other folders that you've created yourself besides the standard INBOX ?

What method are you using to try to restore the .dbx files ?

kwunder

 

[marioj]

Finally I solved the problem.

It looks like my .dbx files were damaged in the CD.

I found in Microsft Support site the reference to a program that is able to recover messages from damaged .dbx files (as TheGodSplinter suggested in his reply above).

I downloaded if from

http://chattanooga.net/~scochran/DBXtract.htm

AND WORKED FINE !!!!!

Thanks for your help.
Mario