Member Avatar for arnewank

I recently reformatted my computer, and saved my Outlook Express Inbox, Sent, and addresses . The only way I could find to save them was in .dbx files, which I cannot seem to find a way to open!! In looking on line, I find programs ...to buy...that will open them, but surely there must be a "better" (cheaper, more accessable) way ? I keep thinking that if that is the common way to save these, I must be missing the common way to open them. Please tell me how to proceed . Thanks very much

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by thomaspatel
Member Avatar for rproffitt

It's a shame folk don't look into this before formatting.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Import_from_Outlook_Express notes how to get to Thunderbird and that is cross platform and a lot safer to keep backups.

Of course you could install Outlook Express (it came with some OSes) and bring it back in then off to Thunderbird then from one bird to the next?

But I should write there is no common way but many ways.

Member Avatar for thomaspatel
  1. Open Outlook Express
  2. Click "Local Folders" in the left side navigation
  3. Select New Folder and name it TEMP
  4. If possible move all of the email from your Inbox to the TEMP folder
  5. Go to menu bar and select Tools -> Options -> Maintenance -> Store Folder and then write down the location of your inbox
  6. Close Outlook Express
  7. Use My Computer to go to the location is step 5 and then delete the file inbox.dbx
  8. Open Outlook Express - The Inbox folder should be auto recreated.
  9. Move your email from the TEMP folder back to your Inbox
  10. Apply professional software for .dbx files http://www.dbx.openfiletool.com/ DBX Open File Tool
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