It was probably McAfee that caused the problem. How big are the DBX files?
Your best bet is probably DBXtract or DBXpress from http://www.oehelp.com

How to Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows
XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318378
Make sure your anti-virus is turned off.
The section
"Windows XP and Windows XP SP1: Edit the registry and install Internet
Explorer 6"
works on earlier versions of Windows.

"wrdfinesse" wrote in message
...
Hi Frank,

Sorry, was trying to keep my original post brief. I'd already uninstalled
McAfee and rebooted, then installed AVG anti-spam and anti-spyware
software,
as recommended by my PC guru (who is totally stumped by this one). My View
settings were already as you described.

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM" wrote:

"wrdfinesse" wrote in message
...
When I open OE 6, all the pre-existing content of my Inbox (including
subfolders and their contents) have disappeared. I can locate inbox.dbx
and
the subfolders using Windows Explorer, but I cannot import them into OE
6
or
into Outlook.

I suspect OE collided with McAfee and got corrupted. Is there a place
to
download and install just OE 6?

Has anyone else experienced this issue?

I've copied the .dbx file to another computer and tried to import with
no
success.

Turn off email scanning and anti-spam in McAfee. It does not leave you
anymore vulnerable than just having McAfee do it's normal background
check.

While in the Inbox click View | Current View and make sure that "Sow all
messages" is checked and nothing else.