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Konstantinos Tsoukalas

Konstantinos is the founder and administrator of Wintips.org. Since 1995 he works and provides IT support as a computer and network expert to individuals and large companies. He is specialized in solving problems related to Windows or other Microsoft products (Windows Server, Office, Microsoft 365, etc.).

14 Comments

  1. Asad Ali
    May 21, 2016 @ 6:53 pm

    Tried couple of times whole instructions process but no mail is retrieved. There are recovery tools which you need to purchase online they show your complete emails but you cannot save them. Can somebody help on 2gb file issue

    Reply

    • lakonst
      May 22, 2016 @ 12:30 pm

      @Asad Ali: Have you tried to organize your emails as mentioned on the post?
      For example: If the over-sized folder is the “INBOX” folder:
      1. Create new subfolder(s) (under inbox) for every past year (e.g. 2015, 2014, etc.) and MOVE there the emails of the respective years.
      2. When done, close Outlook Express and backup (copy-paste) the whole Outlook Express folder to another location. (e.g. to your 'Desktop\Outlook Express\")
      3. From the original Outlook Express folder, delete only the INBOX.dbx (& INBOX.bak) files.
      4. Now open Outlook Express. You will see a new created empty Inbox folder and all the subfolders you have created (plus the emails you have moved into subfolders) at step 1.
      5. Then run the import command and import – only – the INBOX folder from “Desktop\Outlook Express\”
      – When the import process is completed, you should have a ‘healthy’ INBOX folder (with all the emails that you haven't moved at step 1.
      Note 1 : If you cannot import (retrieve) emails (Step 5), it means that the corresponding folder is damaged (e.g. the "Inbox" folder in this example). In that case try to move all the "Inbox" emails to subfolders (Step 1) and then perform the rest steps but SKIP the Import process (Step 5).
      Note 2: If you cannot move all the emails to subfolders, it means that some emails are damaged (corrupted). In that case you must locate and exclude the corrupted emails from moving. ( The corrupted emails will be deleted when you delete the the INBOX.dbx (& INBOX.bak) files (Step 3)).

      Reply

      • mem
        November 5, 2016 @ 4:43 pm

        Dear Lakonst
        I did all of above, and still can not retrieve my email messages from inbox

        Reply

        • lakonst
          November 6, 2016 @ 1:33 pm

          @mem: Have you organized the mails into sub folders before applying the steps on this tutorial?

          Reply

  2. Pasky
    October 7, 2015 @ 1:11 pm

    If dbx is corrupted and it's not possible view messages, then can't import messages. This only work when dbx is full but not corrupted.

    Reply

  3. Povilas
    March 13, 2015 @ 10:54 am

    It's works perfectly.

    Reply

  4. Mahesh Tapase
    January 4, 2015 @ 9:54 am

    If I have import my inbox mail's (inbox.dbx) from my backup location. So, can you please tell me after restore mail's (inbox.dbx) what is my inbox.dbx file size in original (C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{AB4D….) location ??

    Reply

    • lakonst
      January 5, 2015 @ 1:19 pm

      @Mahesh Tapase: You have a point…but: Outlook Express doesn't decrease the mail folder size after you have deleted all unwanted mails. So ((I have updated my article for that) before you apply this solution:
      1. Delete all unwanted e-mails and 2. Organize your e-mails. For example: under the oversized folder (e.g.: Inbox) create a separate folder and move the old mails (e.g. past year's) there.

      Reply

  5. Jose
    May 8, 2014 @ 9:03 pm

    Import-process no working for me

    Reply

    • lakonst
      May 12, 2014 @ 9:38 am

      Probably Outlook Express installation or OE file is damaged.

      Reply

      • liner
        August 13, 2014 @ 12:59 pm

        I believe it is not damaged. You just doesn't seem to realize the fact, that this solution wouldn't work in most cases, where file size limit is exeeded. File size limit of 2 GiB is official info, present even in MS knowledge base -> https://support.microsoft.com/kb/903095

        Reply

  6. Greg
    October 11, 2013 @ 8:40 am

    I just tried it but it didn' work, nothing happened after trying to import the messages.

    Reply

  7. John
    September 10, 2013 @ 9:30 pm

    If you have an oversize folder your instructions are to copy it then delete it then import it back, but the file was too big in the begining and it does not import a 2+gb file.
    jayem1@msn.com

    Reply

    • lakonst
      September 12, 2013 @ 8:47 am

      It's not true. I have try this solution many times and it work's great!

      Reply

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