During my last download of messages into OE, my system froze at a point
where it seemed that all had downloaded. After rebooting, the messages
aren't there, and, worse, they were automatically deleted from the
server. Is there a file, extension, or directory I can look for to
recover them?

There's a tool to search your Inbox.dbx and the HDD itself, but it's not
freeware and I doubt the messages made it.

To prevent this in the futu

Tools | Accounts | Mail | Properties | Advanced. Check: Leave a copy of
messages on the server, and check to delete after one day.

Also do the following /especially/ e-mail scanning, which may have caused
the problem.

Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become
corrupt. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move your
mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created
folders under 100MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.

After you are done, follow up by compacting your folders manually while
working *offline* and do it often.

Click on Outlook Express at the top of the folder tree so no folders are
open. Then: File | Work Offline (or double click Working Online in the
Status Bar). File | Folder | Compact all folders. Don't touch anything until
the compacting is completed.

Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer
of protection that eats up CPUs and causes a multitude of problems such as
time-outs and account setting changes. Your up-to-date A/V program will
continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3

In Tools | Options | Maintenance: Uncheck Compact messages in background and
leave it unchecked. {N/A if running XP/SP2}.

And backup often.

Backup & Resto
http://www.insideoutlookexpress.com/backup/

Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB):
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
~IB-CA~

"Steve" wrote in message
news:wggph.3876$GL.795@trndny06...
During my last download of messages into OE, my system froze at a point
where it seemed that all had downloaded. After rebooting, the messages
aren't there, and, worse, they were automatically deleted from the server.
Is there a file, extension, or directory I can look for to recover them?

My DBXpress program will analyze the entire hard drive for messages, so it
might be able to find them. But there's no way of knowing without running
it. See www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/

steve

"Steve" wrote in message
news:wggph.3876$GL.795@trndny06...
During my last download of messages into OE, my system froze at a point
where it seemed that all had downloaded. After rebooting, the messages
aren't there, and, worse, they were automatically deleted from the server.
Is there a file, extension, or directory I can look for to recover them?