Inbox and Sent box empty in console

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Guest

Where are the faxes in and out stored in Windows XP? That is, where is the
file and what name?
Reason I ask is: After many years of successfully using the XP faX program
I have recently had the problem of finding that none of my faxes (in and out)
are showing in the fax console. I panicked as I hadn't kept copies of them
apart from in the console. I was loathe to uninstall and reinstall this
windows component in case the faxes were just "hiding" and by doing so I
might lose them permanently. I could not find any "file" where they might be
stored so I could retrieve them if this happened.

I resorted to doing a "system restore" and lo and behold - there they all
were again so they were just hiding! Problem is that this is coninuing to
happen intermittently and I don't want to have to keep doing a "restore" to
recover them.

Has anyone experienced this problem and have you any permanent solutions?

I recently checked my "event viewer" log and find that on each boot up it
registers the following error.

"Fax Service failed to initialise activity logging because it did not
succeed in opening the activity logging files. Note: that the service willl
remain running without activity logging. Verify that the log directory is
valid and writable. Restart the Service. Win32 error Code 5"

Perhaps this is the source of my recent problems although the event viewer
indicates that this has been going on for a long time and yet only
occasionally do the in/out faxes not show in fax console. Also never had a
problem sending or receiving despite this error. Not sure what Win32 error
Code 5 is or what to do about it.

Can anyone help me please? Would appreciate any help I can get. I'm using
Windows XP SP1.
 
Samfrea said:
Where are the faxes in and out stored in Windows XP? That is, where is the
file and what name?
Reason I ask is: After many years of successfully using the XP faX program
I have recently had the problem of finding that none of my faxes (in and out)
are showing in the fax console. I panicked as I hadn't kept copies of them
apart from in the console. I was loathe to uninstall and reinstall this
windows component in case the faxes were just "hiding" and by doing so I
might lose them permanently. I could not find any "file" where they might be
stored so I could retrieve them if this happened.

I resorted to doing a "system restore" and lo and behold - there they all
were again so they were just hiding! Problem is that this is coninuing to
happen intermittently and I don't want to have to keep doing a "restore" to
recover them.

Has anyone experienced this problem and have you any permanent solutions?

I recently checked my "event viewer" log and find that on each boot up it
registers the following error.

"Fax Service failed to initialise activity logging because it did not
succeed in opening the activity logging files. Note: that the service willl
remain running without activity logging. Verify that the log directory is
valid and writable. Restart the Service. Win32 error Code 5"

Perhaps this is the source of my recent problems although the event viewer
indicates that this has been going on for a long time and yet only
occasionally do the in/out faxes not show in fax console. Also never had a
problem sending or receiving despite this error. Not sure what Win32 error
Code 5 is or what to do about it.

Can anyone help me please? Would appreciate any help I can get. I'm using
Windows XP SP1.
Click to expand...
I don't know what the cause of your problem is, but XP fax stores sent
and received faxes in:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\MSFax

That directory also includes a sub-directory named ActivityLog, which in
turn includes InboxLOG.txt, OutboxLOG.txt, and schema.ini (this includes
the configuration settings). You might consider checking the
permissions on those files. They should allow the group "Everyone" to
have full control, and this permission should be inherited from
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data (which is a hidden
folder) through the intervening "parent" folders.
 
Lem said:
I don't know what the cause of your problem is, but XP fax stores sent
and received faxes in:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\MSFax

That directory also includes a sub-directory named ActivityLog, which in
turn includes InboxLOG.txt, OutboxLOG.txt, and schema.ini (this includes
the configuration settings). You might consider checking the
permissions on those files. They should allow the group "Everyone" to
have full control, and this permission should be inherited from
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data (which is a hidden
folder) through the intervening "parent" folders.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
Click to expand...

Thankyou Lem - I'll try that and let you know. Would probably be simpler if
it happened every time but it is intermittent.
 
Lem, I've found where faxes are stored thankyou....and also the other files
you mentioned. How do I check permissions on files? The problem is still
with me and I just can't work out what's gone wrong. Very frustrating.
 
I re-read your original post. If this sort of thing is happening
repeatedly, you ought to thoroughly check your computer for malware. See
MVP Malke's comprehensive directions:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

After you're certain that your system is malware-free, you ought to
install SP2 and the subsequent security patches -- you're system is
seriously out-of-date with respect to security if you really only have SP1.

With respect to permissions, see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308418/en-us
Lem, I've found where faxes are stored thankyou....and also the other files
you mentioned. How do I check permissions on files? The problem is still
with me and I just can't work out what's gone wrong. Very frustrating.
Click to expand...

--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 4KB of RAM and 72KB of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm
 
Seems you're right - something seriously wrong with my system. Today I left
it on whilst I went out (no problems with it this morning) for a while and
when I came back it was making a terrible loud noise. Couldn't shut it down
normally so resorted to the power button. No reboot possible - only a
message saying "no operating system". An attempt to recover using the Sony
recovery disk produced nothing but message "couldn't find hard disk".

Looks like I've had a major crash of my hard drive (first time ever) and
lost everything (including my faxes which I was so concerned about). Not
really surprised as the computer is 5 years old and has been seriously worked
hard in the last few months. No symptoms at all though except for this fax
problem I've been seeking to solve. Also was in the process of finding out
how to upgrade to SP2 as you suggested.

Thanks for your help - looks like a new computer for me and heaps of
frustration getting everything set up again. I have a lot of files backed up
to a maxtor drive which is comforting - but, of course, not everything -
especially emails and faxes!!

So... you probably won't hear from me for a little while although I might
visit this site occasionally - even if just to hear your commiserations!.
I'm using my husbands computer at the moment but he hasn't got all my
favourites and programs on it. Took me a while to find my way back to this
site!
 
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