Great recovery almost done. Need help with one last step.

This Linux stuff is great! I use the bootable cd to save almost all of my files after a hard disk crash on my laptop and following a "nothing we can do" answer from the mfg support line. The only files not yet recovered are my Outlook Expreee messages and addresses. Can somewone tell me where they are in Windows and how to save/restore them once I install my new hard drive. Once again; LINUX IS GREAT!!! I think I'll switch over once I get everything going again. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
JF

C:\Documents and Settings\&THE USER&\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

You will find 3 files in there that you will need to backup and then replace in exactly the same place after you reinstall windows.

Hope this Helps

Thanks for your suggestion. I follow the chain down to the folder named "microsoft" but there is no folder named "outlook" in there. I looked for any folder that might contain it in the "microsoft" folder and find none. Anyplace else I shouold look?

If you aren't constrained by space, you might grab all of the contents of "C:\Documents and Settings\&The User&" and plan to sort through it later. It has all of your customization. If there are space problems eliminate the folder "C:\Documents and Settings\&The User&\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files". It is a history of all websites and graphics you have recently viewed, unless you use the Disk Cleanup, under the Hard drive properties.

I did copy all of the data in Docs+settings-user but don't think that gives me my outlook Express files containing several years of emails. I can't find them...

You might try a find and grep (command line) on the windows|winnt directory and subdirectories for some short textstriing (3 or 4 characters) which would be contained in your archived e-mails. Some of those e-mail files turn up in different places, especially if either the system or the application has been upgraded. There may be a more elegant search strategy, but that is a simple, obvious solution.

I haven't used a Outlook or outloo express mail client for several years, but I am assuming they store the data as clear text.

I stopped using outlook as well, but i believe the addressbook files have a *.pst ending. So i would do a search if you can for *.pst, and that will route you to the folder/that you need.

You did not say which windows version you are using, but under XP, look under C:\Documents and Settings\%UserName%\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{some-hex-looking-GUID}\Microsoft\Outlook Express. DBX is the extension you're interested in, PST is used by (Office) Outlook.

It is good to hear from someone who knows what is what! :)

i have done the same thing. im trying to recover outlook pst file. the corrupted disk is /dev/hdb1 and its ntfs. if i go to the directory:

/mnt/hdb1/Documents and Settings/USER/Local Settings/Application Data/Microsoft

i see the following file information:
root@ttyp0[Microsoft]# ls -lat
total 0
?--------- 1 knoppix knoppix 0 Nov 18 01:16 Outlook
?--------- 1 root root 0 Nov 18 01:15 Wallpaper1.bmp
?--------- 1 root root 0 Nov 18 00:55 FORMS
?--------- 1 root root 0 Nov 18 00:54 Internet Explorer
drwx------ 1 knoppix knoppix 4096 Nov 2 20:10 .
drwx------ 1 knoppix knoppix 0 Apr 23 2004 Media Player
drwx------ 1 knoppix knoppix 0 Jan 4 2004 HelpCtr
drwx------ 1 knoppix knoppix 4096 Sep 8 2003 ..
drwx------ 1 knoppix knoppix 0 Aug 18 2003 Windows Media
drwx------ 1 knoppix knoppix 0 Jun 7 2003 CD Burning
drwx------ 1 knoppix knoppix 0 Jun 7 2003 Credentials
drwx------ 1 knoppix knoppix 0 Jun 7 2003 Windows
root@ttyp0[Microsoft]# pwd


Something weird id going on with outlook folder. why is it not readable and what does the "?" mean? Is there a way to recover that folder? I see the same weird thing on the Outlook dir if i look at:

/mnt/hdb1/Documents and Settings/USER/Application Data/Microsoft


-paul

You didn't have your profile folders encrypted, did you?
If you did, anything in Documents and Settings will be unrecoverable unless you reinstall over the existing Windows installation using the same name and password.

i didnt specifically change anything from the default. i believe the default for .pst file is "Compressible Encryption". however, that is just the .pst file and not the whole folder. any ideas how i can get into the folder?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by johnfila

This Linux stuff is great! I use the bootable cd to save almost all of my files after a hard disk crash on my laptop and following a "nothing we can do" answer from the mfg support line. The only files not yet recovered are my Outlook Expreee messages and addresses. Can somewone tell me where they are in Windows and how to save/restore them once I install my new hard drive. Once again; LINUX IS GREAT!!! I think I'll switch over once I get everything going again. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
JF

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