In my brilliant efforts to tweak Outlook Express, I inadvertently sent all of my files (in box and sent mail) to my desktop. Now, it’s all there–about 7 separate files containing a couple hundred e-mails. I tried opening these files with several applications (Word 2000, Notepad, Wordpad, WinZip, etc.–clearly not knowing what I’m doing–yet when opened, they look like an NSA code.
When I highlight each file, it says, “DBX file.”
What is this? How can I send it back to OE and make everything ok again?
I’ll assume you mean you used the “Send to” function to move them to the desktop.
I’m not an expert on this, but on my PC those files exist in both “c:\windows\application data\Microsoft\outlook express”
and “c:\windows\application data\identities{identitycodegibberish}\Microsoft\outlook express”
There aren’t two inboxes or sent data folders in one of those folders.
How did you get your folders to the desktop? Knowing a little more may help figure out what happened and how to undo it. I know that when things happen inadvertently due to tinkering, I often don’t have a clue, though. :eek:
Anyway, a .dbx file is an Outlook Express file type. (Check http://extsearch.com/ when you’re in doubt about a file extension.) Not knowing exactly how you got the files to the desktop, I’m not sure, but I would try importing the files back into Outlook Express. (File–>Import).
If you did not start OE you can just put all the files back where they came from and everything should be OK. If you opened OE it will have created some files (like folders.dbx) so when you copy back the originals you will be asked if you want to overwrite them and you can just say yes. If you just place all the dbx files there but no folders.dbx, that is ok as it will just create one. I do this all the time when I transfer all the email folders from desktop to laptop and viceversa. no problem.