# .dbx - recover attachments from backed up inbox.dbx



## vagrant (Jun 11, 2001)

I've searched everywhere for a proggy for this: basically, before I was clued up to use the .pst personal folder file in Outlook 2000 to backup my email, I saved my inbox holus bolus, by just searching for inbox.dbx in Outlook EXPRESS and moving it to a backup location.

The trouble comes when you try to retrieve your backups. You can view inbox.dbx as a text file, but any attachments are irretrievable garbage eg the jpgs are just letters, the excel characters and so on....

there's plenty of info from Microsoft and hobbyists on converting ALL sorts of things except .dbx files back into an inbox.

You can try to restore the inbox to outlook express by deleting both the existing inbox and its reference files from outlook express, but outlook simply recreates a new blank inbox and ignores yours - no matter how thorough you are, you can't recreate (or get outlook to recreate) teh reference tree it builds for an inbox. You just get a brand new empty inbox alongside your ignored imported .dbx file...

Has anyone found a program which converts .dbx files back into an inbox? Microsoft pages don't have the answer...yet it must be fairly simple...


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## ClassyLinks (Aug 12, 2001)

If I remember correctly (which is a miracle at the best of times) I was able to recover info from a .dbx by IMPORTING. Can you choose File-->Import and get anything that way?


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## vagrant (Jun 11, 2001)

ha! maybe i'm a stupido but when i've tried that, it says unrecognised file type; it will import a variety of netscape and other email types but not its own inbox.dbx!

ALso, if you choose to "import messages from Outlook express" and choose "all folders" it will only import those .dbx folders which are already referenced - ie, sticking the extra file in the same directory as the outlook stuff won't work....

it's the sort of thing someone somewhere may have written a program to convert an inbox.dbx to a .pst file, which CAN be imported!


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## ClassyLinks (Aug 12, 2001)

You're not stupido!

Let me give this a think. I know I did it not too long ago for a friend who's HD went kaput.

I do remember it took me a day to figure it out, so it wasn't something obvious.

If I can remember it I'll post here. Sorry for not being more helpful....the brain is jello this week.


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## vagrant (Jun 11, 2001)

so exciting! let's hope for that moment of clarity. mine usually comes between first coffee and breakfast....

thought I'd found the answer by sticking inbak.dbx (my name for the backup inbox) into the outlook express mail directory next to the new inbox.dbx, and then opening outlook 2000 and choosing to "import mail from outlook express", "all folders"...

it imported everything except inbak.dbx....now, did i remember to delete the refernce files before doing it? 

You know how you can delete the inbox, the reference files etc. and then open outlook express, and it's created a nice new blank copy of the missing files?

Well I haven't been able to get it to recognise inbak.dbx as one of the folders. But if I could, I could import it using the "all folders" option in outlook 2000...(or simply read it in express! ha! being stupido again)


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## ClassyLinks (Aug 12, 2001)

My moments of clarity are few and far between these days.

I do remember having a problem because I was initially trying to restore to a different version of OE.

Your versions are the same right?


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## vagrant (Jun 11, 2001)

hm. well i have the outlook EXPRESS which comes with windows ME, and Outlook 2000 which comes with Office 2000............


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## ClassyLinks (Aug 12, 2001)

hmmmm......

hopefully that won't be what is causing the conflict 

Let me see what I can drum up in the old grey matter.


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## ClassyLinks (Aug 12, 2001)

I did find this:


> Outlook Express (POP) to Outlook 2000 (Exchange)
> 
> Create an Exchange account for the user.
> 
> ...


It was here:
http://www2.slac.stanford.edu/comp/winnt/faq/email/miscl/Outlook%20to%20Outlook%202000.htm

I know it deals with migration....but you may be able to use it.


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## ClassyLinks (Aug 12, 2001)

Also...(silly question coming...)

Have you tried restoring the .dbx to OE and then importing it to Outlook, instead of going from the .dbx directly to Outlook?


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## vagrant (Jun 11, 2001)

thanks for your help! yes, the stuff i was going on about re the reference files was my attempt to restore old inbox..

i will keep trying and let you know if i get anywhere!

what i am searching for at the moment is a program which will convert .dbx to .pst files - such a program would solve all problems!! ))


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## ClassyLinks (Aug 12, 2001)

if all else fails, here is a program which allows you to view .dbx folders....you should be able to glean your attachments through it.

http://www.hot-software.net/stories.php?topic=17


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## vagrant (Jun 11, 2001)

classy! i can't believe it ! I've been searching for this for a year! you are marvellous! i am downloading it now - a big thanks to you and the tsg forum which supported our discussion!

i'm quite sure this is exactly what;s needed. hope i can help you sometime! ))

thanks agasin! ))


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## ClassyLinks (Aug 12, 2001)

Glad I found it 

I hope it suits your needs.


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