I have a very similar situation as to some others in this forms. I can send email in Outlook Express via comcast but can't receive and have nothing in my inbox anymore. Everything in personal folders is still there. Here's the error message I receive: An unknown error has occurred. Account: 'mail.comcast.net', Server: 'mail.comcast.net', Protocol: POP3, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Error Number: 0x800C0133Will the retrieval tool the form talked about bring over all my folders and sent mail?For the record, I don't recall anything in the instructions that said we should ever back up our inbox.One other question. My emails are still sitting on the comcast servier. Is it possible to download them back into my outlook express, and if so, how?Thank you for your help.

I just replied to your other post in the old thread, but do not bother with that. Stick with this thread now.What instructions? OE doesn't come with any, but you should back up your messages no matter what e-mail program you are using. You probably lost the messages due to bloating the Inbox and lack of compacting.Before we proceed, are you confidant that all the messages you are missing are still on the Comcast server? If yes, is everything OK other than the missing messages?Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA

Yes, I doublechecked the Comcast server and my inbox messages are there that I am most interested in. I am sure there are messages not on the server there were in my local inbox, and I would like to get them back if possible. But there were some that were really important that do still exist.My local pc sent messages and personal folders appears to be fine and I can actually send messages. I did test that several times.

If you're satisfied with just the messages on the server, see Option 1. If you want all messages back, see Option 2.Option 1Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.In WinXP, Win2K & Win2K3, the OE user files (DBX and WAB) are by default marked as hidden. To view these files in Windows Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options Icon | View, or in Windows Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | View.With OE closed, find the Inbox.dbx and Pop3uidl.dbx file and delete them. A new Inbox will be waiting when you open OE and the messages should download. will be created automatically when you open OE.Option 2The two most common reasons for what you describe is disruption of the compacting process, (never touch anything until it's finished), or bloated folders. More on that below.Why does OE insist on compacting folders when I close it?:http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/why.htm#compact Why Mail Disappears:http://www.insideoe.com/problems/bugs.htm#mailgone About File Corruption:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspxRecovery methods:If you are running XP/SP2, or SP3, and are fully patched, then you should have a backup of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, (or possibly the message store), copied as bak files.To restore a bak folder to the message store folder, first find the location of the Message Store.Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store Folder will reveal the location of your Outlook Express files. Write the location down and navigate to it in Windows Explorer or, copy and paste it into Start | Run.In WinXP, the .dbx files are by default marked as hidden. To view these files in Explorer, you must enable Show Hidden Files and Folders under Start | Control Panel | Folder Options | View.Close OE and then in Windows Explorer, click on the dbx file for the missing, or empty, folder and drag it to the Desktop. It can be deleted later once you have successfully restored the bak file. Minimize the Message Store.Open OE and, if the folder is missing, create a folder with the *exact* same name as the bak file you want to restore but without the .bak. Eg: If the file is Saved.bak, the new folder should be named Saved. Open the new folder and then close OE. If the folder is there, but just empty, continue on to the next step.First, check if there is a bak file already in the message store. If there is, and you removed the dbx file, go ahead and rename it to dbx.If it isn't already in the message store, open the Recycle bin and right click on the bak file for the folder in question and click Restore. Open the message store back up and change the file extension from .bak to .dbx. Close the message store and open OE. The messages should now be back in the folder.If the messages are successfully restored, you can go ahead and delete the old dbx file that you moved to the Desktop. If you do not have bak copies of your dbx files in the Recycle Bin, then:DBXpress run in Extract From Disk Mode is the best chance to recover messages:http://www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/Default.aspxAnd see:http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#4______________________________Regardless on which option you choose, please heed these warnings to help prevent this in the future.Do not archive mail in default OE folders. They will eventually become corrupted. Create your own user defined folders for storing mail and move your mail to them. Empty Deleted Items folder regularly. Keep user created folders under 300MB, and Default folders as empty as is feasible.Turn off e-mail scanning in your anti-virus program. It is a redundant layer of protection that eats up CPUs, slows down sending and receiving, and causes a multitude of problems such as time-outs, account setting changes and has even been responsible for lose of messages. Your up-to-date A/V program will continue to protect you sufficiently. For more, see:http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3 And backup often.Outlook Express Quick Backup (OEQB Freeware)http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA

Sorry to be dense, but Tools >options >maintenance etc. Where do I go to get to Tools?

At the top of OE. File Edit View Tools etc.Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA

ok. i moved the .dbx file to my desktop. I then opened outlook express and the inbox started receiving messages from the server. i closed it and went back to the message store to rename the bak file as the instructions state. however, there is now a new dbx file. do I delete that one and proceed? it only has new messages from the server.

ok. i moved the .dbx file to my desktop. I then opened outlook express and the inbox started receiving messages from the server. i closed it and went back to the message store to rename the bak file as the instructions state. however, there is now a new dbx file. do I delete that one and proceed? it only has new messages from the server.If you're going with option 2, you did it incorrectly. Right now you have all the messages that were on the server, but no others. Please re-read the instructions.You must close OE and then move the Inbox.dbx file to the Desktop. Then, rename the Inbox.bak file, (now in the message store), to Inbox .dbx. Now open OE and you should an Inbox that has all your messages.You opened OE after moving the Inbox.dbx file, but before renaming the Inbox.bak file. So, essentially, you did what option 1 would have accomplished.Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA

Thank you. I was able to get the files restored, and will be immediately cleaning up my email. I appreciate your time very much.

You're very welcome. Glad you had good results and thanks for the feedback.Bruce HagenMS-MVP Oct. 1, 2004 ~ Sept. 30, 2010Imperial Beach, CA