Transfer Outlook Express settings to new computer

[Neo_Geo]

Hello,

I am building a new computer and am not sure how to transfer all of my Outlook Express data (mail, news servers, and all of my messages) to my new computer.

What files and/or directories do I need to copy??

Thanks

 

[FOBSIDE]

when youre in outlook express, you should be able to right click on the folders you want and you should be able to see the properties and see the path of the directory.

 

[ojai00]

You can also just Export all your messages and address book contacts.

 

[Maetryx]

If you are coming from Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\[yourlogonname]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{reallylongaplphanumericstring}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\*.dbx

[yourlogonname] = whatever you call yourself on your PC when you logon

Copy all those *.dbx files to your new computer. This path will be slightly different if you're coming from a Windows 2000 or Windows 98 machine. Do a search for *.dbx and find those files.
Folder.dbx
Inbox.dbx
Outbox.dbx
Sent Items.dbx
and others

 

[Neo_Geo]

Actually, I did copy all those .dbx files BUT...

Now, when I start OE, it only reads in all of the old messages from my "Local Folders."

It did not import any of my account information. (No accounts listed in Tools\Accounts)

It did not import the dowloaded messages from my hotmail account (not a big deal, I can just log on and download everything from the hotmail server)

It did not import any of my newgroup folders or accounts. (Again, I can just sign up again, but why spend the time to download all those messages when I can just copy them from my old computer??)

Thanks.

 

[Maetryx]

Maetryx here,
I wouldn't be too surprised if you have to sign up for those accounts again. But then, if you copy those *.dbx files to your computer AFTER you have made the accounts, maybe then it would handle them properly. Also, maybe make sure that you are coming from the same version of OE as the one you're headed to (if possible). Maybe upgrade the old machine's OE to whatever is on the new machine, and then copy the *.dbx files.

1) upgrade old machine's OE (if necessary)
2) make all your email and usenet accounts on the new machine
3) copy all the *.dbx files to the new machine

If that doesn't work, maybe it isn't going to work.

 

[Ben]

Neo_Geo, I've had experience with what your trying to do since I use Outlook Express also. I've found that there are many versions of OE depending upon your OS and the version if IE your using. For the most part, the files that your emails are stored in are not interchangeable between versions.

For example, my computer is setup to dual boot between WinNT and Win2K. The OE programs for each of those OS's, even though I'm using IE5.5 on both, seems to be a different version and they can't read each others files. In some cases you can get lucky. Im most cases, it won't work.

You might try looking around over at the Microsoft site under support. I have found information there that has helped with these kind of things in the past.

 

[NetworkDad]

One thing too, if you copied those files to a CD-rom, it attributed the files as 'read-only'. You will need to remove the read-only attribute from them, and make them archive only. I'm speaking from experience, and a big headache...