backing up ICQ and Outlook Express - urgent

[EmperorNero]

I'm gonna reformat this bloated computer and reinstall Win98SE and install W2k for the first time. firstly, I need to backup everything in ICQ 2000 and outlook express.

so how do I do it? I prefer using free (if not free, then I'll settle for shareware...and remember to provide links) programs. and just in case something goes wrong w/ the programs, what files should I back up? please hurry, I really want to reformat before school resumes or else I won't have time until spring break. :Q

thanks.

 

[Valhalla1]

as for icq - go to hotfiles.com and search for "icq" and you'll get tons of software to back it up, I'm sure theres freeware.

I dont use icq 2000, I use 99a, and what I've always done (it works great) is to just copy the whole /icq/ directory to a cd or something, then format, install icq 99a regular, launch it, re-register with your icq #, close icq and copy your backup folder over your new icq foler, over-writing everything.

but some people are too much of a wimp to do it like that, I've done it 20 times myself. *shrug*

 

[mpg]

OE is easy

goto tools -> options -> maintiance -> store folder. copy that whole directory. repeat after you format and replace with ur backup files in that directory.

if anyone has better ways to do this let me know. I do the same for icq as the guy above me.

 

[NoreagaCNN]

Uh for ICQ just save folder 2000b or some crap like that and when you format and install Win 98 or whatever replace the folder, no software needed. All it takes is a floppy or something, hehe.

Peace,
Nore

 

[Bluga]

So basically you chage the store location of your emails?

 

[Rakkis]

For ICQ:
Backup the \2000b sub-directory
And if you receive files (and haven't changed this in the settings) also save \Received Files

After you format reinstall ICQ, Import the account FIRST, close the program, THEN overwrite the 2000b and received files directories.

 

[RossMAN]

I ran into this same dilemma when I moved from my AMD Athlon 650 to my new Dell Dimension 4100/866.

Here's an archived thread I would suggest reading.

I would suggest copying your entire ICQ folder, which is probably located C:\Program Files\ICQ

The actual backing up part gets a little tricky I'm not sure which method is the safest and most comprehensive so I'll start off with ICQ's suggestion before suggesting what I did (which worked successfully).

You should have an application called DBCovert located in your C:\Program Files\ICQ folder. Quit ICQ, then launch this application. The rest should be easy to follow through.

I did exactly what Rakkis suggested. Well I found out the hard way actually. On the new PC I downloaded the newest version of ICQ and installed it. It asked my existing ICQ UIN # which I entered then asked my password which I forgot but it was e-mailed to me, whew! So my ICQ was up and running but my contact list was EMPTY with no ICQ history. So I replaced my newly installed C:\Program Files\ICQ\2000b folder with the existing folder I had saved.

I hope this makes sense if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask and best of luck!

 

[roc919]

For ICQ 2000b copying the entire ICQ folder would help, but if you only want to just copy the saved messages, then copying just the 2000b folder will suffice.

As for Outlook Express, theres an option to export your messages into a csv format. Then you can use it to import them back onto the new load. Same goes for the address book.