A problem in OE 6 - can't import messages anymore

The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and folders.
Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS files to see them.
Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View. Also if searching you need to
include hidden files and folders in the advanced search properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but the
inability to get anything at all to display in the browser window to point
to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read only
files.

You can manually import also. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve

Steve,
Hidden, system files is a problem when you are looking in Windows Explorer
for the OE message store. I did not know that it could be a problem when
using OE import.
The files will not display if folders.dbx is missing. Is it possible the
folders.dbx is corrupted?
--
Ron Sommer

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and
folders. Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS files to
see them. Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View. Also if searching
you need to include hidden files and folders in the advanced search
properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but the
inability to get anything at all to display in the browser window to
point to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read only
files.

You can manually import also. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve

I have no problem accessing the folder, viewing my DBX files and copying
them to an archive folder.

I also have no problem importing the dbx files from my archive folder to
other computers.

And I doubt that the folder.dbx file is corrupted, since I can readily add
new folders, and rename any folder, with no problem.

Remember what I have stated -

When I go to FILEIMPORTMESSAGES, nothing shows in that window, except a
small dashed line near the top. There is zero there. There is nothing to
navigate a path to anywhere.

So the problem is not the inability to import, but the inability to get a
lsit of what could be imported.

Thanks for all the HELP from everyone. I think I'm just going to put this
problem to bed.

Ron Hirsch

Yes, its quite possible folders.dbx is corrupted. Alternatively the actual
path that OE is loading for the directory of dbx files could be wrong, as it
often is when importing in Winmail (see the import steps for Winmail at
www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#wm)

It could be something else as well, but since he doesn't wish to pursue it,
we can just drop it.

steve

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Steve,
Hidden, system files is a problem when you are looking in Windows Explorer
for the OE message store. I did not know that it could be a problem when
using OE import.
The files will not display if folders.dbx is missing. Is it possible the
folders.dbx is corrupted?
--
Ron Sommer

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and
folders. Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS files to
see them. Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View. Also if searching
you need to include hidden files and folders in the advanced search
properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but the
inability to get anything at all to display in the browser window to
point to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read only
files.

You can manually import also. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve

Steve,

I do thank you for all the info you and others have offered.

I do have a general question re the "folders.dbx" file. If that file were
indeed corrupted, would that still block the ability to browse for a path in
the Import Messages window?

I would seem to me that if it were corrupt, the system would not recognize
that until one had selected the path/folder it was in. but if one is unable
to see a folder tree and select that (or any other) folder, how would
Windows know the file was corrupted until one tried to use it?

Ron
+++++++++++++++++

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
news
Yes, its quite possible folders.dbx is corrupted. Alternatively the
actual path that OE is loading for the directory of dbx files could be
wrong, as it often is when importing in Winmail (see the import steps for
Winmail at www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#wm)

It could be something else as well, but since he doesn't wish to pursue
it, we can just drop it.

steve

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Steve,
Hidden, system files is a problem when you are looking in Windows
Explorer for the OE message store. I did not know that it could be a
problem when using OE import.
The files will not display if folders.dbx is missing. Is it possible the
folders.dbx is corrupted?
--
Ron Sommer

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and
folders. Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS files
to see them. Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View. Also if
searching you need to include hidden files and folders in the advanced
search properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but the
inability to get anything at all to display in the browser window to
point to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read only
files.

You can manually import also. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve

Hi Ron,

Corruption of folders.dbx would not affect browsing to the folder to import
messages. The path sometimes when one browses in WinMail (see
www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx) gets messed up and so the actual path has to be
specified so that the files show up.

How about if you move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages. Then File | Import | Messages and choose OE6 format and then
specify import from a directory and then browse to C:\messages. See if that
works.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Steve,

I do thank you for all the info you and others have offered.

I do have a general question re the "folders.dbx" file. If that file were
indeed corrupted, would that still block the ability to browse for a path
in the Import Messages window?

I would seem to me that if it were corrupt, the system would not recognize
that until one had selected the path/folder it was in. but if one is
unable to see a folder tree and select that (or any other) folder, how
would Windows know the file was corrupted until one tried to use it?

Ron
+++++++++++++++++

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
news
Yes, its quite possible folders.dbx is corrupted. Alternatively the
actual path that OE is loading for the directory of dbx files could be
wrong, as it often is when importing in Winmail (see the import steps
for Winmail at www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#wm)

It could be something else as well, but since he doesn't wish to pursue
it, we can just drop it.

steve

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Steve,
Hidden, system files is a problem when you are looking in Windows
Explorer for the OE message store. I did not know that it could be a
problem when using OE import.
The files will not display if folders.dbx is missing. Is it possible
the folders.dbx is corrupted?
--
Ron Sommer

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and
folders. Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS files
to see them. Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View. Also if
searching you need to include hidden files and folders in the advanced
search properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but the
inability to get anything at all to display in the browser window to
point to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read
only files.

You can manually import also. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve

Hi Steve,

That looks like an interesting suggestion.

One thing is not clear -

When you say "move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages", do you mean that I should move the files using my file
browser, or create that new folder in my browser, and then use IE6 to
specify that new storage folder to move them via TOOLSMAINTENANCESTORE
FOLDER, and have IE move them there?

One thing I am concerned about is if this fails, and I then have all my
messages inaccessible. this would entail creating new blank folders in OE
named exactly as they were in OE now, and then swaping in the old folders
with those names

I should note that corruption somewhere is a good possibility.

Last week, I had a situation where when I turned the machine on, there was a
blue screen with a message that no boot drive/OS was to be found. I decided
that this was a disasterous C drive failure. So I replaced the C drive with
a preformatted drive, which I always have ready for such occasion. And then
I restored an image from a few weeks prior, using Acronis True Image. This
brought the system back to life. So, since a catastrophic failure such as
that occurred, it was probably preceded by other non catastrophic
corruptionns, one of which could have involved OE6, since it is always
reading and writing from the drive. But the store folder should not have
been affected, as it is on the D drive.

I wonder if the simplest solution would be to just install Windows Live
Mail, and set it up as my default mail program. If for any reason that
failed, I assume that I could just revert back to OE6, as it is still very
functional.

Ron
++++++++++++++
"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Hi Ron,

Corruption of folders.dbx would not affect browsing to the folder to
import messages. The path sometimes when one browses in WinMail (see
www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx) gets messed up and so the actual path has to
be specified so that the files show up.

How about if you move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages. Then File | Import | Messages and choose OE6 format and then
specify import from a directory and then browse to C:\messages. See if
that works.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Steve,

I do thank you for all the info you and others have offered.

I do have a general question re the "folders.dbx" file. If that file were
indeed corrupted, would that still block the ability to browse for a path
in the Import Messages window?

I would seem to me that if it were corrupt, the system would not
recognize that until one had selected the path/folder it was in. but if
one is unable to see a folder tree and select that (or any other) folder,
how would Windows know the file was corrupted until one tried to use it?

Ron
+++++++++++++++++

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
news
Yes, its quite possible folders.dbx is corrupted. Alternatively the
actual path that OE is loading for the directory of dbx files could be
wrong, as it often is when importing in Winmail (see the import steps
for Winmail at www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#wm)

It could be something else as well, but since he doesn't wish to pursue
it, we can just drop it.

steve

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Steve,
Hidden, system files is a problem when you are looking in Windows
Explorer for the OE message store. I did not know that it could be a
problem when using OE import.
The files will not display if folders.dbx is missing. Is it possible
the folders.dbx is corrupted?
--
Ron Sommer

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and
folders. Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS files
to see them. Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View. Also if
searching you need to include hidden files and folders in the advanced
search properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but
the inability to get anything at all to display in the browser window
to point to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read
only files.

You can manually import also. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve

Use your file browser.
With the OE files in C:\messages, you can enter the location rather than
trying to browse.

To import into WLMail, folders.dbx must be ok.
If you did install WLMail and the import was successful, then you would know
that your dbx files are ok.
--
Ron Sommer
MS MVP-Mail

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

That looks like an interesting suggestion.

One thing is not clear -

When you say "move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages", do you mean that I should move the files using my file
browser, or create that new folder in my browser, and then use IE6 to
specify that new storage folder to move them via TOOLSMAINTENANCESTORE
FOLDER, and have IE move them there?

One thing I am concerned about is if this fails, and I then have all my
messages inaccessible. this would entail creating new blank folders in OE
named exactly as they were in OE now, and then swaping in the old folders
with those names

I should note that corruption somewhere is a good possibility.

Last week, I had a situation where when I turned the machine on, there was
a blue screen with a message that no boot drive/OS was to be found. I
decided that this was a disasterous C drive failure. So I replaced the C
drive with a preformatted drive, which I always have ready for such
occasion. And then I restored an image from a few weeks prior, using
Acronis True Image. This brought the system back to life. So, since a
catastrophic failure such as that occurred, it was probably preceded by
other non catastrophic corruptionns, one of which could have involved OE6,
since it is always reading and writing from the drive. But the store
folder should not have been affected, as it is on the D drive.

I wonder if the simplest solution would be to just install Windows Live
Mail, and set it up as my default mail program. If for any reason that
failed, I assume that I could just revert back to OE6, as it is still very
functional.

Ron
++++++++++++++
"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Hi Ron,

Corruption of folders.dbx would not affect browsing to the folder to
import messages. The path sometimes when one browses in WinMail (see
www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx) gets messed up and so the actual path has to
be specified so that the files show up.

How about if you move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages. Then File | Import | Messages and choose OE6 format and
then specify import from a directory and then browse to C:\messages. See
if that works.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Steve,

I do thank you for all the info you and others have offered.

I do have a general question re the "folders.dbx" file. If that file
were indeed corrupted, would that still block the ability to browse for
a path in the Import Messages window?

I would seem to me that if it were corrupt, the system would not
recognize that until one had selected the path/folder it was in. but if
one is unable to see a folder tree and select that (or any other)
folder, how would Windows know the file was corrupted until one tried to
use it?

Ron
+++++++++++++++++

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
news Yes, its quite possible folders.dbx is corrupted. Alternatively the
actual path that OE is loading for the directory of dbx files could be
wrong, as it often is when importing in Winmail (see the import steps
for Winmail at www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#wm)

It could be something else as well, but since he doesn't wish to pursue
it, we can just drop it.

steve

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Steve,
Hidden, system files is a problem when you are looking in Windows
Explorer for the OE message store. I did not know that it could be a
problem when using OE import.
The files will not display if folders.dbx is missing. Is it possible
the folders.dbx is corrupted?
--
Ron Sommer

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and
folders. Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS
files to see them. Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View. Also
if searching you need to include hidden files and folders in the
advanced search properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but
the inability to get anything at all to display in the browser
window to point to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read
only files.

You can manually import also. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve

Hi Ron,

Unfortunately, all the small windows that come up when I try to import
anything, are totally blank. So nothing can be selected or keyed in.

Ron
+++++++++++++++++++

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Use your file browser.
With the OE files in C:\messages, you can enter the location rather than
trying to browse.

To import into WLMail, folders.dbx must be ok.
If you did install WLMail and the import was successful, then you would
know that your dbx files are ok.
--
Ron Sommer
MS MVP-Mail

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

That looks like an interesting suggestion.

One thing is not clear -

When you say "move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages", do you mean that I should move the files using my file
browser, or create that new folder in my browser, and then use IE6 to
specify that new storage folder to move them via TOOLSMAINTENANCESTORE
FOLDER, and have IE move them there?

One thing I am concerned about is if this fails, and I then have all my
messages inaccessible. this would entail creating new blank folders in OE
named exactly as they were in OE now, and then swaping in the old folders
with those names

I should note that corruption somewhere is a good possibility.

Last week, I had a situation where when I turned the machine on, there
was a blue screen with a message that no boot drive/OS was to be found. I
decided that this was a disasterous C drive failure. So I replaced the C
drive with a preformatted drive, which I always have ready for such
occasion. And then I restored an image from a few weeks prior, using
Acronis True Image. This brought the system back to life. So, since a
catastrophic failure such as that occurred, it was probably preceded by
other non catastrophic corruptionns, one of which could have involved
OE6, since it is always reading and writing from the drive. But the store
folder should not have been affected, as it is on the D drive.

I wonder if the simplest solution would be to just install Windows Live
Mail, and set it up as my default mail program. If for any reason that
failed, I assume that I could just revert back to OE6, as it is still
very functional.

Ron
++++++++++++++
"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Hi Ron,

Corruption of folders.dbx would not affect browsing to the folder to
import messages. The path sometimes when one browses in WinMail (see
www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx) gets messed up and so the actual path has to
be specified so that the files show up.

How about if you move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages. Then File | Import | Messages and choose OE6 format and
then specify import from a directory and then browse to C:\messages.
See if that works.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Steve,

I do thank you for all the info you and others have offered.

I do have a general question re the "folders.dbx" file. If that file
were indeed corrupted, would that still block the ability to browse for
a path in the Import Messages window?

I would seem to me that if it were corrupt, the system would not
recognize that until one had selected the path/folder it was in. but if
one is unable to see a folder tree and select that (or any other)
folder, how would Windows know the file was corrupted until one tried
to use it?

Ron
+++++++++++++++++

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
news Yes, its quite possible folders.dbx is corrupted. Alternatively the
actual path that OE is loading for the directory of dbx files could be
wrong, as it often is when importing in Winmail (see the import steps
for Winmail at www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#wm)

It could be something else as well, but since he doesn't wish to
pursue it, we can just drop it.

steve

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Steve,
Hidden, system files is a problem when you are looking in Windows
Explorer for the OE message store. I did not know that it could be a
problem when using OE import.
The files will not display if folders.dbx is missing. Is it possible
the folders.dbx is corrupted?
--
Ron Sommer

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and
folders. Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS
files to see them. Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View.
Also if searching you need to include hidden files and folders in
the advanced search properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but
the inability to get anything at all to display in the browser
window to point to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read
only files.

You can manually import also. See www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve

You are left with 3 choices.
Install Windows Live Mail and import the messages
Create a new Identity in another computer and import the messages, then move
the Identity back to your computer http://www.insideoe.com/backup/
Manually create the folders and replace the dbx files.
--
Ron Sommer
MS MVP-Mail

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Ron,

Unfortunately, all the small windows that come up when I try to import
anything, are totally blank. So nothing can be selected or keyed in.

Ron
+++++++++++++++++++

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Use your file browser.
With the OE files in C:\messages, you can enter the location rather than
trying to browse.

To import into WLMail, folders.dbx must be ok.
If you did install WLMail and the import was successful, then you would
know that your dbx files are ok.
--
Ron Sommer
MS MVP-Mail

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

That looks like an interesting suggestion.

One thing is not clear -

When you say "move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages", do you mean that I should move the files using my file
browser, or create that new folder in my browser, and then use IE6 to
specify that new storage folder to move them via TOOLSMAINTENANCESTORE
FOLDER, and have IE move them there?

One thing I am concerned about is if this fails, and I then have all my
messages inaccessible. this would entail creating new blank folders in
OE named exactly as they were in OE now, and then swaping in the old
folders with those names

I should note that corruption somewhere is a good possibility.

Last week, I had a situation where when I turned the machine on, there
was a blue screen with a message that no boot drive/OS was to be found.
I decided that this was a disasterous C drive failure. So I replaced the
C drive with a preformatted drive, which I always have ready for such
occasion. And then I restored an image from a few weeks prior, using
Acronis True Image. This brought the system back to life. So, since a
catastrophic failure such as that occurred, it was probably preceded by
other non catastrophic corruptionns, one of which could have involved
OE6, since it is always reading and writing from the drive. But the
store folder should not have been affected, as it is on the D drive.

I wonder if the simplest solution would be to just install Windows Live
Mail, and set it up as my default mail program. If for any reason that
failed, I assume that I could just revert back to OE6, as it is still
very functional.

Ron
++++++++++++++
"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Hi Ron,

Corruption of folders.dbx would not affect browsing to the folder to
import messages. The path sometimes when one browses in WinMail (see
www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx) gets messed up and so the actual path has
to be specified so that the files show up.

How about if you move all the files to another simple directory such as
C:\messages. Then File | Import | Messages and choose OE6 format and
then specify import from a directory and then browse to C:\messages.
See if that works.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Steve,

I do thank you for all the info you and others have offered.

I do have a general question re the "folders.dbx" file. If that file
were indeed corrupted, would that still block the ability to browse
for a path in the Import Messages window?

I would seem to me that if it were corrupt, the system would not
recognize that until one had selected the path/folder it was in. but
if one is unable to see a folder tree and select that (or any other)
folder, how would Windows know the file was corrupted until one tried
to use it?

Ron
+++++++++++++++++

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
news Yes, its quite possible folders.dbx is corrupted. Alternatively the
actual path that OE is loading for the directory of dbx files could
be wrong, as it often is when importing in Winmail (see the import
steps for Winmail at www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#wm)

It could be something else as well, but since he doesn't wish to
pursue it, we can just drop it.

steve

"Ron Sommer" wrote in message
...
Steve,
Hidden, system files is a problem when you are looking in Windows
Explorer for the OE message store. I did not know that it could be
a problem when using OE import.
The files will not display if folders.dbx is missing. Is it
possible the folders.dbx is corrupted?
--
Ron Sommer

"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
The files are hidden so you have to enable showing hidden files and
folders. Its possible you may also need to show protected and OS
files to see them. Check Control Panel | Folder Options | View.
Also if searching you need to include hidden files and folders in
the advanced search properties.

steve

"Ron Hirsch" wrote in message
...
Hi Steve,

No, they're not read-only.

My problem was not the inability to import a selected file(s), but
the inability to get anything at all to display in the browser
window to point to the path/folders involved.

Ron


"Steve Cochran" wrote in message
...
Make sure the files are not read only. OE won't import from read
only files.

You can manually import also. See
www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#imp1

steve