No Real Solutions On Then Yet Either
Problem #1
When Outlook Express starts the first time, it creates an Identity by the name of Main Identity. For some reason I am not for certain of as to why, this Identity seems to get corrupt in some form and seems to loose passwords and message stores (dbx files).
I have tried to find out why this seems to happen and the only conclusion I have come up with is the accounts are kept out of the {GUID} when it is first run. MVP Tom Koch has pointed out to me that this is a hold over from the Outlook Express 4 days. When a new Identity is created in Outlook Express 5.0 and up, that information is stored in the {GUID}. This seems to help OE retain the passwords and other information.
The original location is:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager
and when a new Identity is created, it is then stored in the {GUID} key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{GUID}\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager
This seems to solve some of the problems but unfortunately, not all. When using a Hotmail account, apparently the Main Identity is not one you wish to have it set to use.
So apparently it is best when starting Outlook Express for the first time, let it create the Main Identity, then when it is finished, create a new Identity and once set up, delete the Main Identity and very hopefully, delete some problems that might occur later on.
Problem #2
When upgrading to a higher version of Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, some users have reported that when they start Outlook Express for the first time, they have lost their messages.
Well, for most users, the messages are still there, they are just not where they should be. It seems that Outlook Express can not for some odd reason, utilize the Identity's {GUID} so it creates a new one and of course a new message store to go along with it. What they will have to do is import the messages from the old message stores t the new one.
First, look in Tools | Options | Maintenance tab sheet and press the Store Folders button. This will show where the current message stores are located. Make a note of this location.
Now, open Find | Files or Folders and search for *.dbx
You should see a location in the results that does not match what you saw in the Store Folders dialog box. These will be the old message stores. Make a note of this location and from Outlook Express, use File | Import | Messages
Select Microsoft Outlook Express 5 (or 6 if you are using it) and press the NEXT button.
On the next dialog box, you will find the option to select "Import mail from an OE 5 store directory". Again if using Outlook Express 6, OE6 will show instead. OE 5.01, OE 5.5 and OE 6 are the same message store and Address Book format. Only Outlook Express 5.0 is just a little different but that case is only when importing the higher versions into OE 5.0. Importing a 5.0 into a higher version poses no problems.
Press the OK button to continue.
Now, on the next dialog, press the Browse button and navigate to the folder that contained the old dbx files. Select it and press OK. Here you will have to expand the tree view to get to the folder. In other words, let's say the dbx files are stored in an Outlook Express folder in the following path.
C:\Windows\Application Data\Identities\Microsoft\Outlook Express.
Press the + signs all the way to Outlook Express, the OK button will then be available.
Press Next and you are at the option to either select all folders or just particular ones you want. To select particular ones, select Selected Folders then click on the first folder you wish to import. Hold the Control (CTRL) key down and select another. Do this for each addition folder you wish to select.
Press the Next button. The import will begin and when it finishes, press the Finish button and you are done.
If you had additional Identities set up that also did not get set up, do the same things as above for each Identity's messages.
Problem #3
As in Problem #2 above, sometimes the dbx files no longer exist. Apparently they have been overwritten.
In this type of case, unless you wish to use a disk editor to examine the hard drive itself, it is doubtful that you will get the messages back.
As a safeguard, it would have been best to back up the folder that contains the dbx files and the Address Book's wab file before installing. Yes it may be a bit late advice here, but it is advice that has been out in the wild for years when installing any new software or upgrading. As a professor once told me in college, "Data can just disappear to the cosmos, these are computers made by humans."
More to come..............