Outlook Express: Which files to "backup" for OS reinstall?

[pepar]

I am using Windows XP Pro with Outlook Express 6.0 as an email client. I am about to make some equipment changes and reinstall the OS. Which files do I need to backup so that I do not lose my messages and address book? When I tried to "export" the files, it told me that it could not be done. Further investigation revealed that I needed Windows Messenger or Outlook installed for this function to work. Sure enough, installing Outlook 2000 enabled me to export the files from Outlook Express. But there was one problem: I could not import them back into Outlook Express (I tested it on a second computer) and had to use Outlook 2000. I *guess* I could use Outlook 2000 as my email client in the new configuration, but I'd rather not. So, which files do I need to backup in order to save my messages and address book to use in Outlook Express? Would the "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard" do it?

 

[corkyg]

Something is screwed up. You do not need Outlook or Messenger to import/export a .WAB file. I just did that - built a new system and created a WAB file using export in my old system. I "exported" it to removable media (a pen drive.) Then I popped that into the new system and imported that file from the pen drive. Result? The same address book in both systems.

I think your problem is that you may not have tried to export to appropriate media (depends on the size of your address book.)

Mail is easier - in OE6, go to Tools/Options/Maintenance and look to see where your STORE FOLDER is. Then simply use Explorer to copy that folder onto any suitable removable media - and reverse the process in your new setup overwriting the Store Folder that is installed.

What I don't understand is why you have to reinstall the OS just to add or change hardware?

 

[SaigonK]

Go to this path:


C:\Documents and Settings\USER NAME HERE\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{FC0517EA-459D-4CA7-8273-777645E30AFF}\Microsoft\Outlook Express
Copy all of the files in this folder to a cdrom or a network share and then use the import feature under OE6 to bring them back into the new OS. These are your mail files.


C:\Documents and Settings\USER NAME HERE\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book
This is where you address book is.

The long hexadecimal number you see in the path will be different than what mine is.

 

[wyvrn]

Outlook Express uses *.dbx files. Do a search for those, and copy to secondary media. If you put them on cdr, the "read only" attribute will be set. Outlook cannot import files with "read only" attribute set. So if you use cdr, then you must copy files off of cdr to the hard drive and remove the "read only" attribute to import them back again. Don't bother using the wizard, doing it manually is actually easier in the long run.