Computer problems and/or advice 2012

[mark smyth]

I'm talking 3000 emails. They arent in the deleted folder or spam box. They disappeared

[Tony Willis]

Mark

do you not have them backed up and can recover them from there?

[Martin Baxendale]

I'm talking 3000 emails. They arent in the deleted folder or spam box. They disappeared

I don't mean the deleted folder, I mean have you looked in your computer's recycle bin where dumped files are stored until you empty it. There may be a dumped inbox folder in there from the last time Outlook Express compressed your files.

[Martin Baxendale]

You could also try checking in your applications data file. If you can navigate to local settings, application data, microsoft, outlook express and see if the inbox file is there.

[Alan_b]

If you had a large number of email messages the file that stores them may have grown very large and unwieldy.  This file is called inbox.  I think the regular extension is .dbx and a backup copy has the extension .bak.  If you're on XP you need to search for inbox making sure you have selected the additional option of including hidden (/system ?) files.  In later versions of Windows you have to search the entire computer, not just the indexed locations.  If you look "manually" make sure you can view hidden and system files.

Once you find the file (and there will be at least one, even if not the one you want) make a copy to another location.  You may need to do the same for your sent items in a file called sent.

Meanwhile, don't empty your recycle bin and don't defragment your hard drive and get out your backup media.   

[Martin Baxendale]

Alan, I've forgotten how you put the inbox .dbx or .bak file back into outlook express when you retrieve it (from backup media or your computer). Would you just open outlook express and drag and drop the .dbx or .bak file into the inbox folder?   

[annew]

Anne I've just spent some time on what I take it to be your new website, and I think its excellent, .
For me it covers everything I require, as a customer, from a website of this kind. Congratulations, I take it you've done all the work yourself?

Thanks, Ron. It does the job now, but it's hardly exciting to look at. I've sorted out the problem I had through serendipity, which is how we are supposed to learn computer software, seemingly - keep pressing buttons at random until something happens. The trouble is, it's hard to duplicate if you need to do it again. 

[Tony Willis]

Alan, I've forgotten how you put the inbox .dbx or .bak file back into outlook express when you retrieve it (from backup media or your computer). Would you just open outlook express and drag and drop the .dbx or .bak file into the inbox folder?

Martin

I think you would search for Inbox.dbx and then you would have to move  it in the correct system folder which in my case on XP is

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{532BB0B8-6877-4865-9C40-9131A397B668}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

this would have to replace the new file created by Windows if the original had been deleted. I do not believe it has been deleted and will be there somewhere.

My first option,I would search for unique  known word which I knew  occurred in an email (e.g. jeffersonia)and see if it finds it ( there may be several files but easy to identify an email) then open the containing folder which should disclose its location. Then it is easy to move them back to the inbox.

[Martin Baxendale]

Thanks Tony. That's the route I take to locate the OE .dbx files, so I guess it makes sense if you've lost a file to move your backup file back into the same system folder then OE can find and display it. Just had a feeling that dragging and dropping the backup .dbx file into the appropriate folder on the OE display also worked the last time I had to bring in a backup file to OE (when I was moving emails across to a new computer).

[Tony Willis]

Personally I have never seen the need to keep emails when their purpose is finished and I delete them.

I think of more importance is to safeguard my address book and I use

Cobian Backup 10

to save a copy of the address book file and also my Outlook Express files with those emails I want to keep on a daily basis

My 'My Documents' folder is also saved daily on a Seagate backup drive.

Both these run automatically at 9pm and 10pm each evening

[Roma]

Since last week Internet Explorer is refusing to open PDF files.  Can't see last week's Bulblog for one.  Microsoft tell me I need to install Vista Service Pack 1 which I have been reluctant to install as it means disabling my virus protection.  I tried a few times way back but gave up.  I have not had problems up till now.  I've been checking through this thread and it seems most of you would recommend changing my internet provider. 

[Palustris]

Firefox and Chrome are both better than IE. However, you really ought to download Service Pack 1 as it does remove a lot of vulnerabilities in Windows  Not sure if one can Download and Save it. then go off the Internet, turn off your Anti-virus and Install it. Then put back the Anti virus. If not then turn off the Antivirus, Install the Service pack,  then do a full Scan. I think that is what we did and had no problems.

[David Pilling]

Twice when I didn't have automatic updates for Windows turned on, I had my computer wrecked by going to websites which exploited shortcomings in Internet Explorer or Flash or whatever. Keeping everything up to date is important.

[Alan_b]

I must be approaching 100 installations of Vista Service Pack 1.  I have never disabled virus protection whilst doing this and I have never had a problem; although the installation would probably run a bit faster if I did.

[Roma]

Well I've successfully installed Vista Service Pack one without disabling virus protection.  It did have a problem restarting between parts 2 and 3.  I have tried several times before in the last three or four years since it became available but without success.......but still not opening PDF files .   Next move new browser.