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Extract message from *.dbx file

December 20th, 2015, 8:00

Outlook Express 5 store messages in a *.dbx data file. Could you show me the way how to get message insize a *.dbx file. Is there any special program take this function?

Re: Extract message from *.dbx file

December 20th, 2015, 8:54

Why not import it into a mail program. If you don't want to ruin existing installations of outlook or whatever, just make a VM, get the messages and blow it away.

not sure if thunderbird imports them, but it is a pretty useful mail app for messing around with.

Re: Extract message from *.dbx file

December 20th, 2015, 10:49

most all the email will import the whole email list. if you have it in express and can see it you can drag the message acrooss programs into a program such as Outlook and import only that message.

Re: Extract message from *.dbx file

December 20th, 2015, 12:21

I use the free dbxconv to convert dbx files to mbox files, which I import into other mail programs. Works a charm.

Here's how I convert for import into Thunderbird:
1. Convert the DBX files to MBX using "DbxConv *.dbx" (or "DbxConv -eml *.dbx" to get eml output) from a command prompt.
2. Delete the "MBX" extension leaving just the filename.
3. Move the files to the Thunderbird profile located at...
"C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<whatever>.default\Mail\Local Folders"
4. Open Thunderbird and you should find that folder and its e-mails in Local Folders

Re: Extract message from *.dbx file

December 20th, 2015, 12:37

For Thunderbird:

It only imports emails from an active installed Outlook Express.
That limits the usage only for those cases, where one is still able
to install Thunderbird into the active Windows XP - and then either
copy the whole thunderbird structure into the new system = to
replace the thunderbird structure of a fresh installation i.e. in Win7.

This not only copies all emails, but also creates an instant working
environment with all accounts and settings - same as before....

but - the drawback - it works only if you can still access Windows XP.

***

At least Windows Life Mail is able to read/import all emails of OE
out of any named folder - so one can copy the OE folder to a flash
stick or external drive and then import it into any active Life Mail
installation. One only has to reinstall the accounts if thats needed
at all....

I bet this works with any of the new Mail clients of Win 8.x or 10.x
awell as with MS Outlook.

***
@LarrySabo
Thank you for info - didnt know the dbxconv yet - seems to be very
usefull !

+++

Re: Extract message from *.dbx file

December 20th, 2015, 14:27

had a client here wanted recovery of emails saved to CD from 10+ years ago.
We tried numerous converters and importers, including Thunderbird tricks, to no effect and went with a program from kerneldatarecovery (lepide software) with some success. Free trial version limits you to grabbing 10 mails per folder. (no affiliation here, just sayin)
Similarly to falthers comment, even then you had to use it in a system with a working version of outlook/express.

props @Larry , bookmarked that dude.
Comes round again, i'll try the method outlined, cheers.
FOSS ftw :)

K

Re: Extract message from *.dbx file

January 8th, 2022, 8:17

You can also drag and drop emails into a new folder that will give you EML files for Thunderbird and others.

Re: Extract message from *.dbx file

January 9th, 2022, 1:26

You can convert email from .dbx database into .eml files with 7-Zip + eDecoder plugin. When you open dbx file in 7-Zip you will see something like this:
Attachments
Untitled.jpg

Re: Extract message from *.dbx file

January 10th, 2022, 5:51

Thanks for sharing this information. Please let me know the manual process in offline mode.
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