Outlook Express

Signs and Symptoms of DBX Corruption (Outlook Express stores all emails (even the deleted ones) in folders which extension all end in DBX)

To minimize the chance of errors during the compaction process, I recommend this simple procedure:
(1) On the File menu, click Work Offline so that no new messages will be arriving.
(2) In the Folder list, click on Outlook Express so that no e-mail or news folder is open.
(3) Close the Folder list by clicking the X in the upper right-hand corner of the list panel. Alternatively you can click Layout on the View menu, and then clear the checkbox for “Folder List”.
(4) On the File menu, point to Folder, and then click Compact All Folders. Do not use your computer until the process is complete, which might take several minutes.If an error occurs, close Outlook Express, re-open it, and begin the process again from the top. If the same error occurs again, close Outlook Express, restart your computer (or log off and then log on again), open Outlook Express and then begin the whole process again.
If compacting does not correct the corruption, you will need to move all messages out of the damaged folder (if possible), close Outlook Express, and then delete the associated DBX file for that folder. If you cannot open the folder, move the damaged DBX file out of the Store Folder into a new folder you create. I will explain later how you can recover most messages from the corrupt file.

In cases of severe corruption Outlook Express will no longer recognize that the DBX file exits, and so the corresponding folder will disappear from the Folder list. If however the corrupt file is Inbox.dbx, Outlook Express will sometimes create a new one and append a number to its name, such as Inbox(1).dbx. If this happens when you open the Inbox, you will see your Inbox messages disappear right before your very eyes.