[SkylaneTC]

Hi, all:

Just found TSG and it looks like a great resource.

I'm running XP Home SP2. In the process of making changes to usenet folders in OE, something got broken and now OE won't open. I get:

"Outlook Express could not be started. The application was unable to open the outlook express message store" The error code is 0x800C0133.

Followed by "Outlook Express could not be started because MSOE.DLL could not be initialized."

My MSOE.DLL is ver. 6.0.2800.1106.

I've found this problem in TSG forums and the fix involves changing permissions on .dbx files or forcing OE to create a new folders.dbx.

Trouble is, I can't find folders.dbx or any .dbx files on my drive! What's the deal?

Thx,

Dan

[throoper]

Hi Dan,

The DBX files are hidden by default.
You need to have Hidden files and Folders showing.
At the top of any folder(My Documents for example) click Tools>Folder Options>View tab.
Scroll down the list and place a check next to "Show Hidden Files and Folders" then click Apply and OK.

To locate the Message Store folder that contains the DBX files, do one of the following:

1: Run a Search of your C: drive for *.dbx, being sure to search for Hidden Files and Folders.
If you have more than one Identity, you'll find a folder for each. You can figure out which one you want by noticing the names of the DBX's. They will be the same names as the folders in each OE Identity. For example, Your Folder in OE = Your Folder.dbx in the Message Store.

2: Navigate to the Message Store using Windows Explorer. The Address path is C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\Lots of numbers and letters\Microsoft\Outlook Express.

Once you locate the Message Store folder, make a quick backup by copying all the contents to a new folder on the Desktop.
To do that, in the Store folder click Edit>Select All
Then Edit>Copy.
Go to the Desktop and right click an empty area.
On the menu select New>Folder. Name it Mailbackup.
Open the Mailbackup folder and click Edit>Paste.
Also, create a temporary shortcut to the Message Store on your desktop. Right click the Message Store folder>Send to>Desktop(create shortcut).

Now delete the Folders.dbx in the Message Store folder and try opening OE.
If OE does not open and you have it set to open directly to the Inbox, go back in the Message Store and delete the Inbox.dbx and try opening OE again. I'm guessing this will be necessary and why you need the backup.

T.

[SkylaneTC]

Problem fixed.

Thanks!

[throoper]

Good to hear.
Just curious, but what was it? The info could help someone else.
T.

[SkylaneTC]

Renamed folders.dbx "folders.dbx.old" and then started OE.

Started up fine with all my folders intact.

Great!