Outlook Express I need to reinstall is it possible ?Please READ

[Epoman]

Sorry but no one was replying on the software forum. I need to retrieve some emails ASAP.

Ok heres what happened on my wifes computer (win98se) when she went to outlook express it would crash before it even started invalid page fault. I tried to reboot but it still would crash. So I installed Outlook not express OUTLOOK but it need not import her settings, well it did but not her inbox,outbox, special folders, etc etc.

I did back up her folders (inbox,sent, special folders, deleted etc etc). Now heres the weird thing I unistalled Outlook Express but when I rebooted it was still there.

Basically I need to go back to outlook express, where do I install it from?

 

[vi edit]

Ok...simple...but possibly not the "best" answer...

1. Back up all the .dbx files (do a search for .dbx, you'll see inbox, outbox, sent, ect)
2. use windows update to upgrade IE to 6.0 and it'll upgrade outlook express along with it
3. when the upgrade is done, open up outlook express and go to tools--->options---> and click on the "maintanence" tab, choose "change store location" and then browse to the backup directory of those .dbx files

That should get you back up and running.

You could always try start-->control panel--> add/remove programs and then click "internet explorer" then remove and choose "repair" when that option comes up.

 

[Ornery]

I'm running 98SE and had bad luck with Outlook (not sure wahat version) corrupting the email files. Anybody I support is now forbidden from installing Outlook unless they want to take their own chances. Not my problem if they do.

If Outlook changed that email to its own format, it may be toast. Reinstall 98SE and cross your fingers on whether it can read the current email files. If you did back it up, swap the backup to the default email directory and see if OE can open it without a new installation.

 

[Epoman]

thats the thing I did back up before I installed outlook, But where do the .dbx files go?

 

[vi edit]

in win9X, check in-->c:\windows\application data\identities\microsoft\somebighugelongcombinationoflettersandnumbers\outlook express\

That's where the .dbx files should be.

 

[Epoman]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
in win9X, check in-->c:\windows\application data\identities\microsoft\somebighugelongcombinationoflettersandnumbers\outlook express\

That's where the .dbx files should be.

I did thats the thing there is no outlook express dir after the \somebighugelongcombinationoflettersandnumbers\

Its blank YET there is stuff in the inbox and outbox but its old from 2 years ago.

I even did the find command and only found the places I've already looked but nothing.

 

[Epoman]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Ok...simple...but possibly not the "best" answer...

1. Back up all the .dbx files (do a search for .dbx, you'll see inbox, outbox, sent, ect)
2. use windows update to upgrade IE to 6.0 and it'll upgrade outlook express along with it
3. when the upgrade is done, open up outlook express and go to tools--->options---> and click on the "maintanence" tab, choose "change store location" and then browse to the backup directory of those .dbx files

That should get you back up and running.

You could always try start-->control panel--> add/remove programs and then click "internet explorer" then remove and choose "repair" when that option comes up.

There is no Maintance tab in my tools/options? Help

 

[Ornery]

You said you 'backed up'. What did you mean by that? Where did you put the backed up files?

I think Outlook may give them a different extention or something. Try a search for Inbox.*. The new extension may be .mbx. Still doesn't explain where the backup went.

 

[Epoman]

Originally posted by: Ornery
You said you 'backed up'. What did you mean by that? Where did you put the backed up files?

I think Outlook may give them a different extention or something. Try a search for Inbox.*. The new extension may be .mbx. Still doesn't explain where the backup went.

I backed them up on my desktop in a folder called "mail". I backed them up because I UNinstalled outlook express from the add/remove programs panel. but when I restarted outlook express was there again but an older version 4.5 I believe.

So basically I have no where to PUT my .DBX back up files.

 

[Epoman]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I'm running 98SE and had bad luck with Outlook (not sure wahat version) corrupting the email files. Anybody I support is now forbidden from installing Outlook unless they want to take their own chances. Not my problem if they do.

If Outlook changed that email to its own format, it may be toast. Reinstall 98SE and cross your fingers on whether it can read the current email files. If you did back it up, swap the backup to the default email directory and see if OE can open it without a new installation.

((swap the backup to the default email directory)) Where is the DIR in outlook 4.5?

 

[Ornery]

Once you have a functioning installation of OE, you can import your backed up files. Or you can even just replace the newly created mailboxes with your old ones. Same goes for your contacts list.

Get your current old version of OE working. Get it setup so it sends and receives mail and send yourself a few messages. Upgrade that to a newer version by installing the latest IE browser, which is 6.0. That should be able to import your backup.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Why don't you try the people over in eitherSoftware - applications, programming, and games, or technical support? You know.. the correct forums?

(yes, I know I'm being a bitch. But I'm tired of this crap)

 

[Ornery]

"Sorry but no one was replying on the software forum. I need to retrieve some emails ASAP."

Yeah, you're taking up valuable space that could be used for more Kobe topics!