Where is data in Outlook Express hidden?

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duncan · #1 Post by **duncan** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 5:20 am

I have just swapped hdds. The old 4 GB one, full to bursting, now sits in an adapter in the ultrabay while the new [second-hand!] 30 GB one purrs away in the bowels of my T20. Windows XP and most of my software etc installed ok and all my own data [MyDocs etc] successfully copied across. However, there were a few emails on the old hdd that I know I need which I stupidly failed to save before the change. I thought I could grab them from their new drive. But I can't find them! One has a unique name which, when searched for windows fails to find or anything close. I don't really want to take out the old hdd and reinstall it just to get these emails, I only use Outlook Express, not Outlook. I can see the Outlook Extress folder, but there's no sign of what I am looking for. So can anyone tell me just exactly where Windows XP squirrels the stuff away? Many thanks.

#2 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:04 am

You are looking for an Outlook Express folder with .dbx files in it.
Once you find it you will need to import the .dbx files to see your message.
Go to the Outlook Express main window, Click "file", "import", "messages".
Then select the version of Outlook Express you had on the old drive.
On the next screen select"import from an OE store directory" and browse to the location of the .dbx files.
Then you pick which folders to import and the import proceeds.

FRiC · #3 Post by **FRiC** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:38 am

The Outlook Express .dbx files are in:
C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\[unique identity]\Microsoft\Outlook Express\

Replace [username] and [unique identity] with your own. The folders are marked hidden so you might have to unhide them...

nikemen · #4 Post by **nikemen** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 2:20 pm

the contacts are located in a folder called ADDRESSBOOK. Similar path, not at my laptop right now though.

rjm1135 · #5 Post by **rjm1135** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:34 pm

Address Book located in

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book

It is a .wab file.

Cheers,
Rob.

#6 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:14 pm

Or you can just search for *.dbx and *.wab.

duncan · #7 Post by **duncan** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:04 am

Many thanks everybody! Sod's Law - or Murphy's, depending on which side of the water you are - but at the vital moment just after I posted I had to go away for a couple of days and was deprived of internet access. Is there life without the internet? Virtually not! Anyway, I shall pursue the avenues you all suggest. Thanks again. Duncan

Where is data in Outlook Express hidden?

Where is data in Outlook Express hidden?

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