Recovering identities

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: Charles Freeman ("charlie[at]aeromed[dash]software[dot]com")
Date: 12/28/04 

Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 10:37:37 -0500

I had a meltdown recently where both my registry and profile were damaged.
I was able to recover and repair much of the damage, however I have a
perplexing problem that I can't seem to find an answer to.

In the previous setup I had established identities for both my wife and
myself. However, we had decided they were a bit of a pain, and for several
years we've just used the one identity I had set up for myself (NOT "Main
Identity").

I've got a backup with about 1Gb worth of .mbx files from the identity I
was using along with the old GUID for that identity.

Right now OE is set up with only "Main Identity". The Import from Store
utility fails to see any of the backup .mbx files when I select the folder
where they are stored. If I select the backed-up-but-disused "Main
Identity" it sees the folders OK.

Thus I suspect that this is because I'm not using the same identity as I
was before. I'm also not quite certain of the name I used for the previous
identity (my full name, nickname, etc.) I do, however, have the GUID I had
used previously, since that is the folder name contained on the backup.

My goal is to be able to access or import all the old messages I've got in
these backed up mbx files.

Before I go mucking about and really screw this up, I'd like to ask:

1) Am I on the right track? Is the missing identity the reason I can't
restore the old messages?

2) What's important for me to restore here: the name or the GUID or both?

3) Should I try to create a new identity, then change the folder name and
registry key to the old GUID?

Any clues here? I can google a zillion hits on "recovering OE messages" or
"Importing fro data store" and they all start out "using your previous
identity..."

TIA

Charlie

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