Lost my OE6 emails during a virus scan last eve....

I'm using Outlook Express 6 with Windows XP Pro. Last eve when my usual 11PM virus scan(AVG-Anti Virus scan) kicked in, I wanted to check my email. The scan slows down opening of the folder and I reclicked it a few times to eventually discover some 13,000 emails were lost.
I use OE for business and have my email associated with my dot com web address....so a bit frustrating. I did locate the file using SEARCH FOLDERS by typing in "Inbox.dbx" and it shows 693,319 KB for that particular file. I also zero'd in on it, at this location on my hard drive:

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{EAD79112-9B41-4DEC-9596-00B1E8A28992}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

And wonder how to actually get this folder back into my regular IN BOX in OE6.

BTW: I can send emails as I normally could in the past, receive them etc. It's simply that during that virs scan, all of those important messages were lost and want to retrieve them in the simplest of ways. Thanks!

AND: WHAT ABOUT clicking TOOLS>OPTIONS>MAINTENANCE and that CLEAN UP NOW BUTTON?