# Help! Outlook died and I need to access files
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-outlook-died-and-i-need-to-access-files/483168
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 27, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-outlook-died-and-i-need-to-access-files/483168 "2009-01-27T01:54:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-outlook-died-and-i-need-to-access-files/483168/1 "2009-01-27T01:54:42Z")
Outlook died today. I tried to re-install, but it didn’t work. I’ll probably have one of my more computer savvy friends take a look at it later this week, but I need to access files saved in my mail folders before then.
How do I do that? I’ve looked and looked and can’t seem to find where they are stored. I don’t necessarily need to access the messages, just the attachments.
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2009, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-outlook-died-and-i-need-to-access-files/483168/2 "2009-01-27T02:09:40Z")
Outlook (from Office, not Outlook Express) stores everything in one big file that ends in .pst, rather than storing each individual email as a file. It includes your emails, calendar, to-do list, _everything_. In my case, using Outlook 2003 on XP, the location is
C:\Documents and Settings<username\>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst
I know of no way to manipulate the contents of this file without using Outlook to do it, although it’s possible someone out there has written a program to do so.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-outlook-died-and-i-need-to-access-files/483168/3 "2009-01-27T02:49:17Z")
I should have known…
Is there a way to access my contacts?
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### Author:  [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-outlook-died-and-i-need-to-access-files/483168/4 "2009-01-27T02:54:22Z")
Download the file at this site:
[http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/OE\_Reader/dbxviewer.html](http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/OE_Reader/dbxviewer.html)
It’s called OE Reader, but it appears to work for Outlook and Outlook Express.
It’s freeware and 534 kb. It works for .DBX and .PST files.
I tested it on a both types.
It’s a ZIP file.
It will let you read and save attachments in a .DBX and .PST file format.
“OE Reader is a viewer for Microsoft Outlook Express 5/6 message database files(.dbx). Just browse for the .dbx file, open it and the program will display a list of all contained messages and their header. You can choose to view the messages in text or HTML view, sort them and also save them as standard .eml files. Additional features include support for attachments and printing.”
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-outlook-died-and-i-need-to-access-files/483168/5 "2009-01-27T03:50:51Z")
Thanks. I’ll try it.