Home / Tools / Zmeil / Using a text editor

Using a text editor

	Using a text editor to read a plain text email database
	It is possible to open an email storage with a text editor. This may be useful when you need to recover just one message, either if it was deleted, or if the email storage is broken to the point where typical troubleshooting methods have no effect. You can use the search function of the text editor to locate the message of interest by whatever keywords you expect to be in the message. The little problem is that the email message files tend to grow big, but there is lack of text editors capable of handling with large files efficiently. We have tested many of the editors available, and recommend that you use EditPad Lite, provided at no charge at http://www.editpadpro.com/editpadlite.html.

	Thunderbird
	Thunderbird email folder contents are stored in a plain text file, one folder per one text file. If all else fails, it is possible to open that file with a text editor and salvage at least some email contents. Where are the emails stored in Thunderbird? Start your favorite text editor. Open required mail file in edit mode. Start searching the specific text When you have navigated to the desired text fragment, you should select the full message. Every message in Thunderbird mail file begins with a line starting with "From - " and having time and date (something like From - Tue Aug 14 19:37:24 2007) ; therefore, by determining the nearest starting line above and below the fragment, you find out the message boundaries. Once you have selected the message, copy it to the clipboard. Quit from the current mail file (If you are offered to save changes to the mail file, always select NO) Create a new file to save the message to. Make sure to add a .EML extension to the file name; since almost any mail clients enable to work with .EML files.  Keep in mind that by adding a .EML extension to the name, you will be able to open them in almost any mail clients. Paste the data from the clipboard Save the .EML file Start Thunderbird Under menu File select Open saved messages... Open the required message Note: Normally, any mail program can handle .EML files; for doing so, you should find menu File and select something like Open command.

	Outlook Express (DBX format)
	Outlook Express stores email data in DBX files (where are the DBX files stored?). Non-encrypted email data is split into segments 528 bytes long; therefore, if total message size is less than 528 bytes in length, it will be kept within the individual segment. However, if the message is larger, it will occupy several segments, thus making the task of message reconstruction difficult - you need to locate all the individual fragments and assemble them back to form a valid message. But anyway, you can attempt to use a text editor for opening and searching in Outlook Express mail files. If you need to extract more than a minimal amount of email data, it's barely worth the effort it takes to recover email messages in such a way; we suggest that you use Zmeil instead.

	Microsoft Outlook (PST format)
	It is not really practical to analyze a PST file using a text editor. A PST file is mostly in a binary format, not easily readable. By default, a PST file is encrypted, making any kind of text search impossible.

<<

Outlook PST files

Zmeil

Backup email databases

>>

ZAR: It reads your lips, it reads your mind, it reads your crashed hard drives.

There are currently 106 visitors browsing the site.