Outlook Express Files

[tgxiii]

How do I save my mail messages on Outlook Express on my computer? I plan on formatting my hard drive and I want to import my messages after I re-install Windows. I am running Windows XP Pro SP1.

[Beemer]

X:\Documents and Settings\(your Name)\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{(Long # String)}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Copy all the folders you find in here to a CD or another drive you have already partitioned off.

Do the reverse when you get re-installed.

Cheers!

[tgxiii]

Wow... super-fast response, and on a Sunday, too. Thanks!

[Beemer]

If you have a multiple partioned machine, you can move them to another drive and leave them there. The maintenance tab in Outlook Express allows you to move the files to any directory of your choosing. Just make the directory first.

You can modify values in the Registry to reflect the new location of your addressbook if you want to move it as well to a safe place on another drive.

Having certain files placed on a drive without an O/S has lots of advantages. The main one is not loosing your important data to a catastrophic, unrecoverable O/S system crash.

The addressbook registry hack is:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name

Edit the Value Data of the (default) "String" to the new location. I made a few new folders to house my addressbook file:

X:\Outlook Express\Addressbook's\Gene's Addressbook\Gene.wab

Do a search in your root drive for *.wab and manually move it to your new location.

I have 3 O/S's all accessing the same addressbook so when I make changes to the addressbook from one O/S's Outlook Express, it is refected in the Outlook Express of the other O/S's.

This is also true with my Outlook Express Store folder. All O/S's have outlook Express accessing the same store. Any changes of Outlook Express, folder wise is reflected in the other O/S's Outlook Express.

It sounds more complicated than it is.

Cheers!

[tgxiii]

Aah... this one might work better for me. Thanks!

[SPEEDO]

Or you can try DBXtract.....................

[dr_roberts49]

Why not do the Macintosh approach? Highlight the emails you wish to copy (select all) and then drag them over to a folder on your backup. Works for me. Don't forget to do the same with your addresses.

Robert