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Resolved Question

Extract emails from Outlook Express on a HDD

Mar 15, 2016 10:09AM PDT

Hey folks,
I have a need to extract emails from Outlook (or Outlook Express, I dont have the HDD to verify) on a HDD that has been removed from the PC it was in.
It is no longer possible to boot into the OS to recover the emails, so I am looking for a way to extract all the emails, addresses and information contained within so it can be imported to a new Outlook installation.
Any suggestions? I am reluctant to buy anything without some good recommendations first. Happy

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PaullBall has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Extract emails from Outlook Express on a HDD
Mar 23, 2016 8:34AM PDT

If it is outlook you will need to find and copy the .pst file(s). You can do search for *.pst. Once you have the pst you can mount it as is or import it to the new mail profile.
Move the backed up dbx files into the Outlook Express folder where the other, new dbx files are (do a search for *.dbx or use for this Outlook Express repair online service https://onlinefilerepair.com/en/outlookexpress-repair-online.html). Make sure they are not set to read-only.
Move the folder.dbx file to another folder. Then start Outlook Express.
Can I suggest that while you have the affected hard drive slaved to a functional Windows PC, or while you have the affected computer booted to a Linux/WinPE environment, that you search for *.WAB files and copy them out too.
You can import from a WAB (Windows Address Book) into Outlook in much the same way as you can import messages from DBX files:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/286116

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$5 plus $1 for every 50 MB over 100 MB
Mar 23, 2016 8:51AM PDT

This is a fine reason to try the free paths first. A recent OE database save had a 2GB email store. So that's $5 then another $39 with a lot of caveats noted in the link you gave.

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Solved!
Mar 25, 2016 7:12AM PDT

Thank you guys for your feedback and help. Sorry, that long time did not respond. This is because the issue was solved and I forgot to tell.) Thank you!

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Answer
Try the free path first.
Mar 15, 2016 10:14AM PDT

Go get Thunderbird and since there are so many web articles about it fetching OE content you should start with that. This way you can try the free path first.

What's in Outlook (which version?) that's not in Thunderbird?

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Answer
Extract emails from Outlook Express on a HDD
Mar 23, 2016 8:47AM PDT