Outlook Express 6 Backup

Hey, all. A friend of mine is upgrading her PC to WinXP from Win2k, and wil probably do a clean install. However, she need to back up her Outlook Express mailboxes. The internal Export function seems only to be for connecting to an external database.

I found this program, but I've never used it before and this program needs to work right.

Anybody know of a good program to do this? Preferably a free one?

 

Actually it's more complex than I originally thought. She's going to use Outlook 2003, so she needs to be able to migrate to that, too. Hopefully, there's a single package that will let me do this, but somehow I find that doubtful.

 

Nm... think I found it....

http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/preview.aspx?AssetID=HA010943871033&CTT=98
http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/preview.aspx?AssetID=HA010919601033&CTT=98

 

I was just experimenting with Import & Export to make sure they worked, and they do.

You still have the problem of storing the files off the computer while you reformat. Rather than type out the long path, just do a search for *.wab on her C drive for the address book, and search for inbox.dbx for the folder where the messages are stored, assuming she has messages in OE that she doesn't want to lose. There will be a file there for inbox, and any other subfolders that she stores messages in. Copy those somewhere safe, and you can simply copy them back into the appropriate folders in the new installation to put them back into Outlook Express, then export them over to Outlook. (Works for my Outlook 2000, should work for the newer version too.)

 

Thanks G.T.

Hm. That's strange. On every machine I've used (granted, without Outlook installed) OE6 has refused to export messages with the complaint about IMAP servers.

As it turns out, she doesn't want me to do a clean install. Which, ultimately, is probably going to make my life easier. Assuming the update of Win2k --> WinXP and Office2k --> Office2k3 don't nuke the system. **crosses fingers and backs-up files**

 

Well, I'm not networked, and use Outlook only for POP mail, so the IMAP errors might still be a problem. If so, Outlook's import feature will import both addresses and mail from OE. My Outlook 2000 only gives options for OE4 & 5, but likely because it's old. I expect Outlook 2003 should import from OE6 just fine.

Good luck with the upgrades. Less work, IF everything goes well. A big "if".

 

D'oh!

It's not an IMAP error, it's a MAPI initialization error. Musta read it too fast. Have to google about it now.

 

Still, even if Outlook Express's Export function is a problem, Outlook 2003's import function should be able to grab what you need from OE.

 

Here's the problem. You need Windows Messenger turned on.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;191574

Hafta try it.

 

That wasn't it, but I just found this:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;179637

It's not for OE 6 on Win2k, but that's exactly what it's doiing. I think I actually need Outlook installed to be able to export messages.

 

Since you'll have Outlook on the machine anyway, why not try it's import function rather than OE's export? Does the same thing, just from the other end. If you're trying to save her files somewhere before the upgrade, just copy the .wab & .dbx files somewhere safe temporarily.

[edit] For a wipe & clean install, just save the files manaully, don't worry about exporting them. You should be able to import back into OE from disk or wherever you saved them, or at worst, can simply plug them back into the proper folders in the new installation. Outlook can also import from saved files, and you may be able to import them directly into Outlook without getting them back into OE.

 

Well, I know what I'm going to do... known since I've found those likes on the Office2k3 site. Pretty much what you've suggested here. I've just been figuring out why OE is dumb and not letting me Export.

Answer? Because they don't want OE to be useful!

 

(shrug) I can export to Outlook 2000 just fine, with both on my machine. If you're trying to export somewhere else, particularly on a network, maybe they figure crippleware will encourage more business users to shell out for Outlook/Office.

 

That's what I'm thinkin'.