Outlook-Express Folder empty files missing Problem & Solution

Note: IE = Internet Explorer; OE = Outlook Express; Chrome = Google Chrome; PC = personal computer.

I attempted to work with IE, Chrome, and OE draft .eml format emails all at same time. My PC suddenly turned off. I restarted. On restart, the OE drafts folder I had been working with, containing 50 draft .eml files in OE was empty! The drafts folder or its contents were not in the recycle bin. I right-clicked on the drafts folder in OE, found it was now stored in C:\Documents and Settings\account 2\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\...\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Drafts (1).dbx.

OE had shifted to storing the draft emails, in \Outlook Express\Drafts (1).dbx, a new empty .dbx file it created; it no longer stored draft emails in \Outlook Express\Drafts.dbx, the file it stores draft emails in by default. This due to confusion created by my attempt to use OE, IE, & Chrome simult. But the old \Outlook Express\Drafts.dbx still existed.

My successful solution (learned knowledge used when investigating how to re-introduce or restore backed up .dbx files into Outlook Express):

1) in OE create new folder, named olddrafts;

2) in OE, highlight this new folder;

Note: 1) & 2) result in creation of new olddrafts.dbx file in C:\Documents and Settings\account 2\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\...\Microsoft\Outlook Express\;

3) close OE;

4) remove the drafts.dbx file containing the 50 missing emls from C:\Documents and Settings\account 2\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{8D34CE3B-CD23-43FC-98BF-8C48CF87B754}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\;

5) change name of removed drafts.dbx file to olddrafts.dbx;

6) replace empty olddrafts.dbx in C:\Documents and Settings\account 2\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\...\Microsoft\Outlook Express\, with olddrafts.dbx file containing original missing 50 draft emails.

Now in OE, I can access all the draft emails that had become lost, via the olddrafts folder.