Much of your response was already known or figured out but I know others will learn from it. What I did not know was that the restore process would create a new identity rather than restore to the existing, but so far unused, Main Identity. Also didn't know about the Identities key. I think the restore did something to "hide" the new identity since those folders are usually not seen. The first thing I do on a new install is set the View to show everything, In desperation, I double checked all those setting and found one set to hide instead of show. Once I figured out what had happened everything was a piece of cake. I searched for dbx files again. Found them. And the rest is history. I am doing a third slipstreamed XP install build (see earlier wierd message). Once I install it on drive C: I will have a Main Identity. I will use OE Backup to backup from the laptop and tell it to back up only the one identity now code named Main Identity 1. I will then go to the new install and rename the exisiting Main Identity to some other name so when the restore is done, I will be able to tell which Main Identity is the REAL Main Identity. Once that is identified I will move the message store to the portable harddrive and I should be back in business. Once I am certain everything is working right I will get rid of the extra Main Identity. Don ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gman" <gman.pctt@xxxxxxxxx> To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2008 7:44 PM Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Outlook Express Backup 6.5 > Ah, NOW we're talkin'! > > Every installation of Windows will create a unique (random) > alphanumeric > string for use by OE's "Main Identity". Even if you use the same > installation source CD on the same exact system with no hardware > changes in > between, this string will change from one install to the next. > > In XP, open up Windows Explorer or My Computer and go to > "C:\Documents and > Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities" and > you'll > see at least one such string as the name of a subfolder. If you > find two > such strings, you're looking at one that was created during the > actual > installation of Windows and one from a previous Windows install that > was > 'restored' from your backups. > > To figure out which one is the Main Identity that's actually used by > OE in > this Windows installation, open up Regedit and look inside the > "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities" key. Note that this only shows you > the > identity in use by the current user. If you have more than one user > on your > system, there will be more of these found under the other user's > Documents > and Settings folder area as well as other parts of the registry. > Once you > see which of the alphanumeric strings are the real one, you'll know > where > all of your 'in use' DBX files reside and can take steps to add any > others > that you want to be able to access from within OE. > > > > Restoring unused DBX files: > Note: Do NOT skip any steps. They are ALL important > > To restore messages currently contained inside an unused DBX file > (one you > found somewhere other than the main DBX store folder), open OE, > create a new > folder and give it a unique name. If the DBX file you wish to > restore is > called "Inbox.dbx", name the new OE folder something like "Inbox1". > Once > the new folder is created, select it to force the creation of a new > "Inbox1.dbx" file in your hard drive's DBX store folder. Then, > click on ANY > other folder to release that one from use. > > Go back to Explorer and change the name of the unused DBX file to > Inbox1.dbx. Next, Move it to the hard drive's DBX store folder and > answer > Yes when asked if you wish to overwrite the one already there. The > one > already there will only be about 59k, which shows you that it > contains no > messages. > > Go back into OE and click on that new folder again and you'll see > all of > those messages appear. > > Rinse and repeat as necessary. > > Peace, > Gman > > "The only dumb questions are the ones we fail to ask" > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Don101" <don101@xxxxxxxxxx> > To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2008 6:48 PM > Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Outlook Express Backup 6.5 > > >> Hi Wally, >> >> The problem was... I restored to my laptop. and everything worked, >> but no dbx files to be found. It now turns out that what it did >> was >> to create a second identity when it did the backup and then >> restored >> it to a second identity but also put two copies of the dbx files in >> two different locations on the computer AND as it turns out, put >> them >> in a second identity in a second identities store folder. No >> wonder I >> couldn't find anything. >> >> It named the second identity Main Identity. I'm surprised that did >> not conflict with the Main Identity which is/was also called Main >> Identity. And they made the second Main Identity the Main Identity >> and didn't tell me they had switched identities. Once I figured >> out >> which Main Identity was the Main Identity I was able to find the >> dbx >> files. >> >> Now I need to figure out how to move everything back in ONE >> identity. >> >> Don > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > Please remember to trim your replies (including this sentence and > everything below it) and adjust the subject line as necessary. > > To unsubscribe or change your email settings: > //www.freelists.org/webpage/pctechtalk > > To access our Archives: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PCTechTalk/messages/ > //www.freelists.org/archives/pctechtalk/ > > To contact only the PCTT Mod Squad, write to: > pctechtalk-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > To join the PCTableTalk off-topic group, send a blank email to: > pctabletalk+subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > --------------------------------------------------------------- > --------------------------------------------------------------- Please remember to trim your replies (including this sentence and everything below it) and adjust the subject line as necessary. 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