>>>>>> I don't think you have the same problem. Are you missing messages? Were you
>>>>>> keeping them in the Inbox and is that now empty? DBX files contain your
>>>>>> messages, but are virtually unreadable. Remember, when you move or delete
>>>>>> messages, the space they took up is not reclaimed until you compact your
>>>>>> folders.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Your post is very vague to say the least, but start by reading this.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 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 running XP/SP2, and are fully patched, then you should have a
>>>>>> backup of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, copied as bak files.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> To restore a bak folder to the message store folder, first close OE and
>>>>>> locate the Message Store in Windows Explorer.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of
>>>>>> your Outlook Express files. Press the Tab key to highlight the folder
>>>>>> location, then Ctrl+C. Close OE, then Start | Run | Ctrl+V will put the
>>>>>> location in the box - Click OK and you'll see the OE files. Otherwise, write
>>>>>> the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In WinXP, the .dbx files are by default marked as hidden. To view these
>>>>>> files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In Windows Explorer, click on the dbx file for the missing, or empty, folder
>>>>>> and drag it to the Desktop. It can be deleted later once you have
>>>>>> successfully restored the bak file. Minimize the Message Store.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Open OE and, if the folder is missing, create a folder with the *exact* same
>>>>>> name as the bak file you want to restore but without the .bak. Eg: If the
>>>>>> file is Saved.bak, the new folder should be named Saved. Open the new folder
>>>>>> and then close OE. If the folder is there, but just empty, continue on to
>>>>>> the next step.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Open the Recycle bin and right click on the bak file for the folder in
>>>>>> question and click Restore. Open the Message Store back up and change the
>>>>>> file extension from .bak to .dbx. Close the Message Store and open OE. The
>>>>>> messages should now be back in the folder.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If the messages are successfully restored, you can go ahead and delete the
>>>>>> old dbx file that you moved to the Desktop.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If you do not have bak copies of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, then:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> DBXpress run in Extract From 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 to help avoid this 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.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer
>>>>>> of protection that eats up CPUs, slows down sending and receiving, and
>>>>>> causes a multitude of problems such as time-outs, account setting changes
>>>>>> and has even been responsible for lose of messages. Your up-to-date A/V
>>>>>> program will continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:
>>>>>>
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And backup often.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Backup and Restore:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And this good one click backup program.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB):
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Bruce Hagen
>>>>>> MS-MVP Outlook Express
>>>>>> Imperial Beach, CA
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Jadedl" <Jadedl@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:237A1D3D-2BEF-49D3-98AC-85C0A43605FF@microsoft.com...