Is it possible to retrieve Deleted Emails from Outlook Express?

Is it possible to retrieve deleted emails if they have been deleted from the Deleted Box in Outlook Express?

And if so, how?

thanks for any advice

Comments

  • sugar puffsugar puff Posts: 898
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    thanks, I'll give it a go
  • Helmut10Helmut10 Posts: 2,431
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    There are several things you can try, depending on what options in Outlook Express you have set:

    1) Sign into your Email account with the Webmail interface. If you have the Account Option 'Leave a copy of message on server' checked then it will be still in there.

    2) When items are Deleted the body of text remains in the 'Deleted Items.DBX' file. Even though it appears empty. Unless it's been Compacted in which case it should be in the Recycle Bin with the name 'Deleted Items.BAK'

    So in principle you just open that 'Deleted Items.dbx' (or BAK) file in something like Notepad.

    Obviously make a copy to mess around with.

    The text will be in there somewhere, along with a load of formatting depending on whether it was HTML or just plain text.

    The 'Deleted Items.dbx' file default location is something obscure in a hidden folder somewhere. You can find that by going to OE Options > Maintenance Tab > Store Folder...

    I changed that to something more obvious in My documents folder which I back up. Also the option mentioned in 1) is set for just your sort of scenario.
  • max99max99 Posts: 9,002
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    Helmut10 wrote: »
    So in principle you just open that 'Deleted Items.dbx' (or BAK) file in something like Notepad.

    Obviously make a copy to mess around with.

    The text will be in there somewhere, along with a load of formatting depending on whether it was HTML or just plain text.

    Mail Viewer will open .dbx files and allow you to view individual emails. It's a little basic, but does the job.
  • sugar puffsugar puff Posts: 898
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    Stig wrote: »

    Ok, I've found the Deleted items.bak and Deleted Items.dbx files in the recycle bin and where they are stored in the application files, but how do I restore them back into the normal place in Outlook Express.

    I followed the ehow instructions, until the final stage and got confused because its talking about restoring sent files.
  • LION8TIGERLION8TIGER Posts: 8,484
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    sugar puff wrote: »
    Ok, I've found the Deleted items.bak and Deleted Items.dbx files in the recycle bin and where they are stored in the application files, but how do I restore them back into the normal place in Outlook Express.

    I followed the ehow instructions, until the final stage and got confused because its talking about restoring sent files.

    If they are in the recycle bin there should be an option in the left hand pane to 'restore all items'. That is how it is on XP, must be similar on all.
  • sugar puffsugar puff Posts: 898
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    there is, but there are thousands of things in the recycle bin, didn't want to have to restore all, if possible. i think I tried to restore individual files and nothing happened ie it didn't end up back where I deleted it from!
  • albertdalbertd Posts: 14,341
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    I don't know about any other providers, but with Gmail via IMAP there is a folder called All Mail which contains copies of lots of mails which have passed in both directions and do not disappear when you delete them fom Inbox or Sent Mail. They seem to stay there until you deliberately clear out that folder.

    I don't know if that folder also exists when using POP3, but only accessible via the webmail.
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