My items in "sent folder" vanished

HP Computer, Windows XP, Outlook Express (I think 6) Machine compacts messages every so often I let it do it. I had many messages in sent folder. From internet found suggests to go to recycle, do restore item, change name and can get back that way. pak to dbx. (Anyway tried it with drafts which I hadn't lost -- and it worked). Did the exact same with "sent" I moved from recycle (did the restore item) change name. change to dbx. It shows that there are KB in there, but when I go to sent in outlook express it still doesn't show any items. How can I make it show up? I believe the show hidden files/folders in the maintenance is still checked. I don't know what to do next.