Outlook Express Address Book Lost - Any software??

Rich · #1 06-13-2008, 11:45 AM

When I had to do a reinstall of everything last month due to a virus, somehow my OE Address Book was lost. It should have been backed up by the backup program but after everything was put back in, it was empty. That's around 13,000 contacts gone ;/

I have a much older version saved but it's only about 6000 strong.

Is there any software made for this situation, that can go through your inbox folder[s] and data mine up a new address book from all the saved emails?

**jemsite** · #2 06-13-2008, 11:49 AM

did you try to recover the addybook file(s) from disc? chances are it might still be recoverable unless you overwrote your entire hard drive to capacity a few times... glen

Rich · #3 06-13-2008, 11:55 AM

Remember, I'm not the genious here

My computer guy does all the work. He reformatted the drive I'd guess. How can I tell if the data can be recovered?

**jemsite** · #4 06-13-2008, 12:38 PM

email sent. worth a try or digging around more... glen

Rich · #5 06-13-2008, 02:28 PM

It's fixed. It was still in the backup file, it just wouldn't restore. We restored it into a temp folder and imported it, so it's back.

Now, I could still use a email address bot to go through all these folders of price quote requests, It would make a monster Ibanez email list

axemanrio · #6 06-13-2008, 02:37 PM

Rich, you might want to consider upgrading to Outlook - it is an upgrade in every sense, and it's way more robust than Outlook Express. Besides, it's also extremely easy to backup contacts and messages. The biggest advantage is having all your data in a single (or multiple) .PST file which can be stored on a file server or on a secondary partition so hard drive crashes don't affect anything. OE's storage system is a bit more complicated than that.

Rich · #7 06-13-2008, 02:46 PM

The only problem with making a change like that is, I know where all the folders are I need to backup for OE, I don't have a clue where there are for O, and I wouldn't know how to get everything changed over

axemanrio · #8 06-13-2008, 03:14 PM

That's the thing, Outlook is easier... YOU pick where you want to save your mail (PST file). If you store it on a secondary partition other than your primary (Windows), you wouldn't need to back it up in the event of Windows crashing.

Your computer guy should know how to import all emails/addresses from Outlook Express into Outlook and set it up for you to get you going. I would have been happy to set you up for free if I wasn't living a few 1000 miles away

CosmicDebris · #9 06-13-2008, 03:25 PM

I use web based mail thru my ISP Comast. I can't lose any of my contacts or saved mail if something happens to my PC. Since I stopped using OE I have not had any virus issues at all as all the mail that hits their servers is automatically scanned.

I also use a second hard drive to back all my important stuff like music etc. If my main drives gets wiped I still have all my stuff. Been running current install for three years with no probs at all.

Rich · #10 06-13-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by axemanrio

That's the thing, Outlook is easier... YOU pick where you want to save your mail (PST file). If you store it on a secondary partition other than your primary (Windows), you wouldn't need to back it up in the event of Windows crashing.

Your computer guy should know how to import all emails/addresses from Outlook Express into Outlook and set it up for you to get you going. I would have been happy to set you up for free if I wasn't living a few 1000 miles away

I might consider that next time something goes crazy, but right now I'm back to a comfortable status quo.

It wasn't an email that gave me the virus, as far as I can figure it was a link on ibanezregister that was sending me to somebodies my space or something page, and that's where I got it.

My system backup backs up onto my D drive so it's [mostly] all good.

IbanezFreak777 · #11 06-14-2008, 08:09 AM

Might I suggest buying a second Hardrive for the sole purpose of mirror imaging your hardrive. Each week or every day totally up to you, you make an exact mirror image of your HD, and when you system dies, or virus kills it or for whatever reason, you just switch HD's and in 30 secs or less your back to normal...

its the best system Hands down........ sometimes I prefer it to raid, as the backup HD is seperate from the system, so if the system is shocked or blows up its seperate from the computer...

axemanrio · #12 06-14-2008, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IbanezFreak777

its the best system Hands down........

Hardware-based RAID 1 is the best system, zero downtime

My desktop has been running on it for years.

Rich · #13 06-14-2008, 02:28 PM

I have a second drive that I backup everything to daily. As for RAID, I've heard of it of course, it kills bugs dead!

axemanrio · #14 06-14-2008, 02:35 PM

Hah, yeah it does that too

IbanezFreak777 · #15 06-14-2008, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by axemanrio

Hardware-based RAID 1 is the best system, zero downtime

My desktop has been running on it for years.

Yeah like I stated I said I sometimes prefer it to raid, and also if your computer is shocked or both drives go at once, and dont say it will never happen cause it can and has happened then your screwed.