Re: dbx files are corrrupt after pc freeze during compression.

If you are using XP/SP2 and have already downloaded this patch, then you have a backup.

Patch KB918766:
http://tinyurl.com/mx3r2

This patch addresses some of the issues that were caused by KB911567.

Address Book problems.
Unsent templates appearing as sent.
Manually compacting will now reset the registry counter to Zero in WinXP/SP2 and also sends a copy of your dbx files to the recycle bin as a temporary backup.

To complete the fix for .eml templates, a registry change is needed. See:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918766

Tom Koch also has this information at his site, along with a downloadable Zip file to do the registry change for you. See:
http://www.insideoe.com/#kb918651

If you do not have a backup, DBXpress is the only tool that can recover messages after they have been compacted. Read on:

The two most common reasons for what you describe is disruption of the compacting process, (never touch anything until it's finished), or bloated folders. More on that below.

Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:
http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact

Why Mail Disappears:
http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone

About File Corruption:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx

Recovery tools:

If you are using a fully patched version of XP/SP2, see:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918069/en-us

If not:

DBXpress run in Disk Mode is the best chance to recover messages:
http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspx

And see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4

A general warning if you don't want to lose your messages in the future:

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

And backup often.

Backup and Restore:

http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/

http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx

http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"rob1963" <rob1963@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:D97E11FA-76A2-477F-924B-563792DB93E0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A few days ago my O.E. started compressing my messages.
At the same time i was opening some other file what made my computer freeze.
At that point i made a very stupid decission and restarted my pc.
Because O.E. was not finishd with compressing my messages, all the dbx files
are now somehow corrupt.

I have allready made an attempt to save the files with different recovery
tools but with no succes.

My final hope and also my question is:
does O.E. make a backup of my dbx files before its starts the comprssion?
And if so, where can i find it.

best regards

.

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