The inbox.dbx file used by Outlook Express is over 2 GB (maximum limit) and I cannot open it neither read messages.I renamed it and made OE create a new one. If I try to open my old .dbx file I get a message saying that another appication is using it.I see from Google that lots of freeware or shareware or business tools are supposed to let recovering damaged .dbx files.Before using third party tools is there any Microsoft tool I can use to attempt recovering my corrupt .dbx file or at least extract messages?Season's greetings and regardsMarius 1 person needs an answerI do too

MariusNo but wait and see if Bruce Hagen responds to your post. His advice is currently the best available in these forums for your type of problem.http://social.answers.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/user/threads/?user=Bruce+Hagen&page=1From page 3 from the previous link this thread looks promising. Second and fourth posts refer:http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/xpprograms/thread/12dfdd4d-ebe4-4e2b-8c3b-a0ca9b7497f2Bruce's advice on recovery is what stands a good chance of working. I have used DbXtract, an earlier utility devised by Steve Cochran, which led him to develop the more sophisticated DbXpress.Hope this helps, Gerry Cornell

No. Microsoft has no such program, which is why I wrote DBXpress and DBXtract. DBXpress (www.oehelp.com/DBXpress/) is very fast on such a large file and will get all the messages in it. DBXtract will be too slow and inaccurate. In the future its best to keep the dbx file size down to below a few hundred megabytes. Otherwise the system gets sluggish and the dbx files get very susceptible to corruption and message loss. steve <Marius - Roma> wrote in message news:Email removed for privacy...The inbox.dbx file used by Outlook Express is over 2 GB (maximum limit) and I cannot open it neither read messages.I renamed it and made OE create a new one. If I try to open my old .dbx file I get a message saying that another appication is using it.I see from Google that lots of freeware or shareware or business tools are supposed to let recovering damaged .dbx files.Before using third party tools is there any Microsoft tool I can use to attempt recovering my corrupt .dbx file or at least extract messages?Season's greetings and regardsMarius