Help I have lost all my emails and address book......

[Katymac]

Well they exist on a hard drive in a caddy - but I can't find them

Any ideas?

TIA
KMc

Do you use Outlook Express?

yep

I used to know where they were hidden... you can import them back into Outlook if youfind them. Hang on...

My emails are are under
My Computer
C drive
Documents and Settings
All Users
Aplication data
Identies

and then there are several folders named with gibberish. In each of these there is a folder Microsoft then Outlook Express. You need to work out which gibberish folderis the right one if you have several OExpress identities.

Your addressbook should be here as well I think, unless it's all got deleted which is why you've lost them in the first place IYSWIM.

All Users doesn't have a applications data....bu&&er

Is it set to show "hidden files"?

Or try your user name instead?

I HATE COMPUTERS (sorry )

They're great when they work properly though!

Search your c drive for a file called contacts.dbx

Well I found it - but I can't do anything with it

You need to note down /remembe where you found it and then in outlook Express choose File, Import, Addressbook and then navigate to where you found it. I think.

How did you lose them all though? The file could, of course, be empty!

Motherboard died - hard drive OK (I hope)

fingers crossed

I@ve had to do it when reinstalling OExpress before. Your emails shouls be in a file in the same flder as the address book

No - nothing will open

Thanks for your help

Bum... I wonder how I did it before then...? Sorry

Inside Outlook Express - this may help.

Depending on the version of Outlook express, the files you are looking for may have different extensions.

Try searching the drive for the following:

*.ibx - Outlook Express V4
*.mbx - Outlook Express V4
*.dbx - Outlook Express V5 onwards

Note where these files are located. Better still, see if you can COPY them to an external drive, so you play around with the COPY rather than your original.

May be a good time to consider changing e-mail software. Thunderbird I find is good. Also, you could consider an online e-mail soluition such as Google Mail (if you need an invite, let me know).

I'll try this when my brain is feeling a bity brighter......it's sunday afternoon and it's gone into snooze mode