SOS - Desktop Corrupt...Can't see what I'm doing - Arrgghhh!

[Chris Geroy]

I had XP Home set up for an Owner account and a guest account. Under the home account, I had made the MY DOCUMENTS folder private since we're on a 3 pc network at home.

Like a dummy, I installed DeskX last night to evaluate it and when I went to uninstall it, my screen is now black for the most part. I cannot access the Start Menu, navigating via explore My Computer is futile....I've been able to move most of my stuff I want to keep to a public folder and can access it from the user account.

However, I need to preserve my Outlook Express address book and emails. From the user account (with Administrator privileges) I cannot find the correct address book. Outlook Express opens as if its being run for the first time.

If I purchase a copy of XP Home (mine was OEM) and reinstall over the old, will this fix my desktop on the original account or keep it as is?

If I delete the original account from the User account, will all files in the private folder be deleted as well?

Can anybody help me overcome this obstacle?

I need help desparately....Thanks

[Roger Faucher]

Chris:

NORMALLY, you should be able to locate your mail folders (INBOX, OUTBOX, SENT ITEMS, etc.) by following this procedure:

On the Tools menu, click Options, click the Maintenance tab, and then click Store Folder.
Click Change, and then highlight and copy the path. Then open My Computer or Explorer and go to that folder. Then make copies of the files you want to recover (or copy the entire folder for safekeeping).

I understand that you may be unable to perform that procedure. FYI, here is the default path for user ROGER on my WINXP computer running Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106:
C:\Documents and Settings\Roger\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{ACEBBDFF-B534-40CD-A8B4-C273BB1B42A6}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Once you've found those files (DBX files), move them into the corresponding folder for the user you say is working. Once you've fixed your desktop/display bug, you can put things back as they were before.

Your address book data should be stored in a *.WAB file. Search the hard disk for files of this type and, I believe you'll find one per user. My computer does it differently because I share my address book, it is stored in the Outlook Contact Store.

I hope this helps you some!

Roger

[Chris Geroy]

Thanks, I'll try these tonight, but I doubt I'll be able to make it work as I tried dropping to the command prompt and using the cd command to navigate to the proper directory. I could not get access to that directory. I'm assuming its because I was log in as another user and trying to access a directory that did not belong to me. I cannot navigate that deep from the messed up account as I can't work in folders or the tree as I'm accustomed to.

Thanks, I'll let you know if it works.

Chris

[Roger Faucher]

Chris:

Have you tried booting up in Safe Mode?

Roger

[Chris Geroy]

I did try that. Nothing anyone suggested worked so I finally just went in and deleted the user. XP asked me if I wanted to copy the files under that user's "My Documents" and I did saving it to the desktop. The only thing I really lost was the emails and address book along with a few setting for programs, but I'll get by. Thanks for the trouble you took to help me find a solution.

Chris

[Roger Faucher]

Chris:

The e-mails and address book may still exist where I suggested, unless you created a new user with the old user's name.

Good luck!

Roger