Someone...please...help...

Let me start at the beginning...
On July 10th, we had a major harddrive failure. Lost a lot of important email, but was able to recover it and put it on a DVD recently.
Got new hard drive, Upgraded to Windows XP.
Started collecting new email.

Today was the first time we were able to access the DVD with the old email on it. I went to check to verify that it was indeed the most recent "pre crash" email, and indeed it was.
I was going to do an import from those folders, to import to the new storage folder. When I went back to the new storage folder (started July 11th), it had been WIPED OUT and COVERED UP with a very oollld storage folder, from 2003. Something I hadn't even messed with.
Using Outlook express.

Tried to use System Restore, but it won't let me roll back to tomorrow...or any day other than today.

Is there any way to "un-wipe" or "uncover" the files that were written over? How can Outlook Express arbitrarily wipe out mail storage folders and cover them up with something else?
It's very important.

 

The best piece of advice I can give you is to stop using Outlook Express; it is a 'Buggy POS'. Thunderbird from Mozilla.org is an excellent email client.

As far as recovering the emails that have been mysteriously over written try using PC Inspector File Recovery to recover the lost emails.