How To Read Pfc Files

Is there a simple way to make pfc files readable?

 

You can use PFCEx.
http://mark0.net/soft-pfcex-e.html

 

Thanks for your reply.
On Marco Pontello's Home it looks like this program extracts specific information from pfc files like links rather than making the files visible? I did find a review of the software you mentioned which suggests it does more than extract links at this website. http://www.file-extensions.org/pfc-file-extension
I'll see if this works. Thanks.

 

Sorry for double post. Couldn't edit the previous one again.

I looked at the above link further and among the things it can do with pfc files, only "Other" is checkmarked. The rest have a line through them including read and view.

I found this software, but it only allows you to view the pfc file once if you get the free version and otherwise it's 49$, a bit pricey.
http://www.freeviewer.org/pfc/

One other thing I'm not sure about is what AOL Desktop Software refers to. I used aol back in the 90s and I don't think it was called desktop software back then, unless that means the software which allowed you to get your emails offline?

 

You probably need to say where the files you want to read originate from.
http://file.org/extension/pfc

 

Hi Max,
Could you expand on that a little? I'm not sure what you mean with originate? Do you mean I should go to the link you posted and look up where the files come from or do you mean I should explain here in this thread where the files come from? The latter I already did. They belong to files which housed my emails. They seem to be a file which correlates directly with folders I made myself, as the pfc file name has the same name as folders I created.

 

You didn't say specifically 'they are AOL mail files' or I didn't understand it that way. Now if they are files relating to AOL mail from the 1990s that you don't use, maybe forget about them. If they are that important you'll probably have to pay for the file viewer you mentioned.

 

Good point MaxTurner.

According to File-Extensions.org, a PCF file is a:

1. AOL Personal filling cabinet file.
2. Corel WordPerfect Perfect Fit filter file.
3. Pegasus Mail message cache file.
4. Presto! PageManager file.

 

I think mentioning AOL made it pretty clear I was referring to AOL files rather than Corel, Pegasus or Presto, however, it isn't clear to me from my various searches, whether all programs that use pfc files can also read them, regardless of what program they originated with. For instance, would it be possible to use Pegasus Mail to read AOL pfc files? Or Corel? I'm assuming if it were this easy, I would have found this in the internet somewhere.

I tried the pfc viewer by Systools and it didn't work. When I wrote to Systools to ask them why it wasn't working, they responded that I should download their teamviewer tool and begin a session so they could check my computer for whatever issue is causing the problem. Since Team viewing sounds like a request for remote access to my computer, I'm not so eager for this help.

I also wrote to AOL and asked them if I sign up for either a free account or a paid account, whether this would actually enable me to read these older emails or if I would have to sign in somehow as the original user. I haven't yet received an answer.

 

I'm guestimating no.
Another example is .dat files. Windows uses .dat files as system files, some are plain text files, and dat is also the file extension of VCD files.
Did you try PFCEx?

 

Hi Eldon,
PFCEx is useful for finding links and favorites in pfc files, but I don't think it allows you to read the contents of the emails.

Plodr,
I have the emails stored on diskettes and they appear as a variety of files with names probably assigned by me and the file ending pfc. When you manage to use some software to look inside of these, what you find are all kinds of pfc files with the names of other people, so the top name doesn't seem to be a folder. It seems quite odd.

I will post more as I find out more. Thanks for your input.

 

I suggets you at least try AOL Desktop. It's free.
https://discover.aol.com/products-and-services/aol-desktop-for-windows

Also look over here.
https://help.aol.com/articles/How-do-I-find-an-email-message-in-my-Per-USH450

 

Thanks Eldon, I will try the desktop application.

Still on this subject, I tried a product called pfc-viewer from Systools, which showed me the recipients and senders of my emails, but none of the contents. I wrote and asked them about this and they wrote and asked me to install software which would allow their Team Support to figure out why the program wasn't working correctly for me. I didn't respond, but everyday now I'm getting an email from them with the same ticket number. I thought this was a reputable company and wondered if anyone else has any experience with them?

 

Hi plodr,
I was thinking of Sysinternals. Systools has an office in Utah as well. They seem to specialize in data recovery. After I sent them a complaint about the overly ambitious support team, I got a response right away with an apology, and found it good to know that they could be contacted. More on this subject of pfc recovery as I uncover different possibilities.