Backup Outlook Express Email Messages

Import or restore Outlook Express messages

The first thing you need to do if you copied the files to a CDR or CDRW is open Windows Explorer and create a new folder on your hard disk and then copy all the files from CD to this folder. Next close Windows Explorer.

Open Outlook Express, File - Import - Messages . Select Microsoft Outlook Express Version 5 or 6. Click Next.

Then select "import mail from a (OE5 or OE6, depends on your version) Store Directory". Click OK,

then browse to the folder you created earlier, click next, select which folders you wish to import.

Not selecting a Store Directory will result in an error something like this. "No messages can be found in this folder or another application is running that has the required files open".
There are three main reasons why you can get this message:-
1. You have not turned off 'Read Only' on the .dbx files.
2. Your folder does not contain a file called Folders.dbx or the file is corrupt.
3. You have Windows Explorer running

Import email messages into Windows Live Mail

Importing messages into Vista Windows Live is slightly different but if you follow the steps below you should not have any problems.

OE dbx files cannot be individually imported into Windows Mail, you can only import dbx files from a folder created by doing a complete OE backup as described above where the Folders.dbx file is not corrupt.

To import from the Outlook Express into the Windows Mail do the following:

• 1. Make a new folder under the current user's Documents, such as
• Documents\Oldmail. This directory needs to be within the user's space so as not to prevent possible access permissions problems.
• 2. Copy all the dbx files that you have backed-up into this folder, making sure that folders.dbx is included.
• 3. Make sure none of these files are 'Read only' otherwise the import will fail. To do this Go to 'Edit / Select' all in Windows Explorer and select all the dbx files. Then right click on the selection and choose Properties and ensure that the read only attribute of the files is unchecked.
• 4. In Windows Mail go to 'File / Import Messages' and choose 'Outlook Express 6' format and choose to import from a directory.
• 5. Use the 'Browse' button to go to the directory of dbx files. Make sure that when you set the directory that the path is correct (NOTE: Vista can put the wrong path in here sometimes, so instead of c:\Documents\Oldmail it may put c:\Documents\Oldmail\Documents\Oldmail, so just make sure this is right, if not, change it.
• 6. Finally select the files from which you wish to import messages and click 'Import' and everything should work ok.

Copy files from CD to hard disk

If you saved your database backup to a CD, then you must copy all the files to a folder on your HD, once you have done this.
1. Open Windows Explorer, open the folder where you copied the files, select all files.
2. On the 'Menu Bar' click 'File', 'Properties'.
3. In the box that opens, make sure 'Read Only' has no check mark in it, (there may be a greyed out tick in it, just click the box).
4. Click 'OK', open Outlook Express and import your messages.

Compact Folders

When you delete an email message, it is not really deleted, even when you empty the 'Deleted Items' folder.

Open Outlook Express.

Make sure you have set OE to work offline, this will prevent OE from receiving any emails while you are compacting your folders.

From the top Menu click FILE - Folder - Compact all Folders to compact all your email folders, this may prevent problems when you come to import your messages later.

Backup Email accounts

Saving your email accounts in case you are having problems sending or receiving, or you need to quickly install them onto a new pc.

Open Outlook Express.
Go to Tools / Accounts.
Select the account you wish to save and then click the 'export' button on the right hand side and pick where you wish to save it.
The file will be saved as *.iaf do the same with any others you have and save them to a Cd or floppy.

To import your email accounts, go to Tools - Accounts and this time click the 'Import' button, browse to where you have them, click the file, the click 'Open' and all your account details have been restored.

Address book

Open Outlook Express
In 'File Menu' click 'Export' then click 'Address Book'
Click Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Export
Click the 'Browse' button and select where you want to save your Book
Type in a name for your Address Book and click 'Save'
Click 'Next' and check the boxes to select the fields you want to export
Click 'Finish'
You have backed up your Address Book

Import or restore outlook express address book

In 'File Menu' click 'Import' then click 'Other Address Book'
Click "Text File (Comma Separated Values)" and then click Import
Click 'Browse' to go to the location where you saved your book
Click the file name you typed in earlier
Click 'Open' and then Next
Check boxes to select the fields you want to import in the "Map the fields you wish to import" box and then click 'Finish'
If you receive a message "Would you like to replace the existing entry with the import entry?," click Yes To All to replace all duplicate entries
Close Outlook Express to finish.

Note:  Better than just copying the address book *.wab file and more reliable.

Instructions complete

All the above instructions work perfectly provided you follow each step as written down. You should now be able to Backup Outlook Express Email Messages

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