How do I back uo my Outlook Express email?

I am backing up my Dell Windows ME PC in preparation for getting a new PC. How do I back up my email at Outlook Express so that my new account will retain my current emails, folders, etc. I think I have located the files in C:\Windows\Application Data\Identities... but I don't know what to do with these files after I have saved them to a portable hard drive. I understand that undeleted emails reside on my Cox.net website, but this site does not have all the information I wish to keep.

This question was answered on April 27, 2007. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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How to back up Outlook Express items

Step 1: Copy message files to a backup folder

Step A: Locate the Store folder

1 Start Outlook Express

2 Click Tools, and then click Options

3 On the Maintenance tab, click Store Folder

4 In the Store Location dialog box, copy the store location To do this, follow these steps:a Put the mouse pointer at one end of the box under the Your personal message store is located in the following folder box

b Press and hold the left mouse button, and then drag the mouse pointer across the Your personal message store is located in the following folder box

c Press CTRL C to copy the location

5 Click Cancel, and then click Cancel again to close the dialog box

Step B: Copy the contents of the Store folder

1 Click Start, click Run, press CTRL V, and then click OK

2 On the Edit menu, click Select All

3 On the Edit menu, click Copy, and then close the window

Step C: Create a backup folder1 Right-click any empty area on your desktop, click New, and then click Folder

2 Type Mail Backup for the folder name, and then press ENTER

Step D: Paste the contents of the Store folder into the backup folder 1 Double-click the Mail Backup folder to open it

2 Right-click inside the Mail Backup folder window, and then click Paste

Step 2: Export the Address Book to a .csv file

Important Make sure that you follow this step if you use multiple identities in Outlook Express

Microsoft Outlook Express 5.x and Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 use a Windows Address Book (.wab) file to store Address Book data The individual data for each identity is stored in a folder by user name within the .wab file that is used.

The only way to separate the Address Book data for different identities is to export the data to a .csv file while you are logged in as a specific identity If the .wab file becomes dissociated from the user identities, the data can be exported only as one total In this case, the data cannot be exported folder by folder.

There is another reason to export the .wab file to a .csv file If the .wab file not exported to a .csv file, but the .wab file is shared with Microsoft Outlook, the addresses are stored in the personal folders (.pst) file in Outlook When you export the file to a .csv file by using the File menu in Outlook Express, the correct contacts are exported However, if the Address Book is shared with Outlook, you cannot use the File menu option to export from the Address Book This option is unavailable.

To export the Address Book to a .csv file, follow these steps:

1 On the File menu, click Export, and then click Address Book

2 Click Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Export

3 Click Browse

4 Select the Mail Backup folder that you created

5 In the File Name box, type address book backup, and then click Save

6 Click Next

7 Click to select the check boxes for the fields that you want to export, and then click Finish

8 Click OK, and then click Close

Step 3: Export the mail account to a file

1 On the Tools menu, click Accounts

2 On the Mail tab, click the mail account that you want to export, and then click Export

3 In the Save In box, select the Mail Backup folder, and then click Save

4 Repeat these steps for each mail account that you want to export

5 Click Close

Step 4: Export the newsgroup account to a file

1 On the Tools menu, click Accounts

2 On the News tab, click the news account that you want to export, and then click Export

3 In the Save In box, select the Mail Backup folder, and then click Save

4 Repeat these steps for each news account that you want to export

5 Click Close

How to restore Outlook Express items:

Step 1: Import messages from the backup folder

1 On the File menu, point to Import, and then click Messages

2 In the Select an e-mail program to import from box, click Microsoft Outlook Express 5 or Microsoft Outlook Express 6, and then click Next

3 Click Import mail from an OE5 store directory or Import mail from an OE6 store directory, and then click OK

4 Click Browse, and then click the Mail Backup folder

5 Click OK, and then click Next

6 Click All folders, click Next, and then click Finish

Step 2: Import the Address Book file

1 On the File menu, click Import, and then click Other Address Book

2 Click Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Import

3 Click Browse

4 Select the Mail Backup folder, click the address book backup.csv file, and then click Open

5 Click Next, and then click Finish

6 Click OK, and then click Close

Step 3: Import the mail account file

1 On the Tools menu, click Accounts

2 On the Mail tab, click Import

3 In the Look In box, select the Mail Backup folder

4 Click the mail account that you want to import, and then click Open

5 Repeat these steps for each mail account that you want to import

6 Click Close

Step 4: Import the newsgroup account file

1 On the Tools menu, click Accounts

2 On the News tab, click Import

3 In the Look In box, select the Mail Backup folder

4 Click the news account that you want to import, and then click Open

5 Repeat these steps for each news account that you want to import

6 Click Close

About the author

Posted by Ryan of Chandler-Gilbert Community College on April 27, 2007

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