I really need help with Outlook Express...

Shiminay

Hi all.

I've put a new hard disk into my mate's PC, but because all the IDE slots are full, I can't run the 2 hard disks at the same time (so there's a hard disk, a zip drive, a DVD ROM and a CD-RW).

Anyway, I made a fresh windows installation on the new hard disk and it's all good. What I then needed to do was get his email brough over on to the new disk. I got the files from wherever (C:\Windows\Application Data\etc..) and zipped 'em, fired them on to the zip disk and swapped hard disks and coppied them into the new disk. I then went to Outlook Express and went to the import utility and chose the correct type of messages (OE 5) and source folder of the messages and it can't import them (and I'm flucked if I can remember the exact error message). I thought maybe they got corrupted in the zip, so I tried it again and still no joy.

So, my question is:

Can I import the messages to Outlook Express 5 from the folder files I copied from the old disk?

The error message suggested (to me) that because the registry didn't know the files were there, they weren't valid Outlook Express files.

Thanks in advance.

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All the best!
Dav
@B^)
So Bob Hoskins was about to roll a spliff when in walks Dana with her 3 foot Bong
[honey i] violated [the kids]
Tribes 2 Goodness
The Dawn of the Beefy King approaches...

Kali

c:/windows/application data/identities
contains all the outlook express mail folders. just copy and paste... OE will (did for me anyway) pick up anything with a .dbx extension. best not to bother with importing and exporting, except for the actual mail account settings (servers etc.)

Shiminay

Aye - I tried that too mate and no joy... Will try it again anyway.

Anyone else have any ideas?

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All the best!
Dav
@B^)
So Bob Hoskins was about to roll a spliff when in walks Dana with her 3 foot Bong
[honey i] violated [the kids]
Tribes 2 Goodness
The Dawn of the Beefy King approaches...

WhiteWashMan

i know flup all about express, but you should be ablet o copy the files over onto the hard disk and them add them in using services or sometihng.
theres always abut 5 different ways to do something, the correct way always being the longest.
maye sure the files can be read from the zip drive on the original first just to make sure they are not corrupted at that stage or anything

yankinlk

try inbox repair tool...if you don't already have it you can find it using google

im guessing the files are just in the wrong place...remove one of those cd's so that u can have both hd's on at same time and make sure you are copying the files into exactly the same directory on the new c drive.

just wondering, you didnt change os in the process did U? cuz the default directory would be totally different...ie my 2000 directory for OE is buried in :
C:\Documents and Settings\myname.BAYRIDGE\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{4567890-re86-4194-9AF0-AB81234567890}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Shiminay

Actually, I changed it from Win 98 to Win 98 SE, but I assumed since it was Outlook Express 5 in both cases that it wouldn't have an impact on proceedings.

I'll have a look for that Inbox repair tool and see if it can do the business - thanks yank (don't you hate it when the end of your sentences rhyme?)

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All the best!
Dav
@B^)
So Bob Hoskins was about to roll a spliff when in walks Dana with her 3 foot Bong
[honey i] violated [the kids]
Tribes 2 Goodness
The Dawn of the Beefy King approaches...

Victor

What if you do a complete mirror (admittedly you need a second PC to do this) and then installed Win98 (2 edition).

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Kharn:
Topic: I really need help with Outlook Express... </font>

Sorry, pardon the flippancy, but so do MS. I'm p****** off that they produce jack of all trades sofware that is master of none (we have Outlook at work and I hate it with a vengence).

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Too many freaks, not enough circuses.

[This message has been edited by Victor (edited 26-06-2001).]

yankinlk

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Kharn:
Actually, I changed it from Win 98 to Win 98 SE, but I assumed since it was Outlook Express 5 in both cases that it wouldn't have an impact on proceedings.

</font>

yeah, id definitely get both drives working at same time and make sure you place the files in exactly the same place if you can...otherwise it may have changed from 98 to se? (unlikely but u never know with MS)

yankinlk

try http://support.microsoft.com
as much as i hate them at times...if u havent tried searching knowledgebase then u havent tried anything...i just solved an annoying problem with being unable to import my work favorites into IE at home by searching KB. just select the product, then type in word for word the error message you are given... it worked for me

_CreeD_

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Kharn:
Actually, I changed it from Win 98 to Win 98 SE, but I assumed since it was Outlook Express 5 in both cases that it wouldn't have an impact on proceedings.
</font>

Just one question? Did you install IE 5 after installing 98? It's responsible for installing OutlookExpress 5 (4 is installed by default).

Shiminay

Yes, IE5 was installed after I did the 98 install and then I tried bringing the stuff across.

I'll take a look at the knowledge base and see what's what. Thanks guys.

---

All the best!
Dav
@B^)
So Bob Hoskins was about to roll a spliff when in walks Dana with her 3 foot Bong
[honey i] violated [the kids]
Tribes 2 Goodness
The Dawn of the Beefy King approaches...

Victor

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Kharn:
Yes, IE5 was installed after I did the 98 install and then I tried bringing the stuff across.</font>

In 'bringing stuff across' do you end up with registry errors and stuff? Try saving the old mails as Outlook documents and then copy them over - assuming that all you want to do is access old messages and addresses and stuff.

Shiminay

That's a pretty good idea (and one I hadn't thought of), but there's up on 3 - 4 hundred messages so it could be a little time consuming. However, if I get him to identify which ones he needs and make sure I get at least 1 from everyone I should have the addresses.

Thanks Victor.

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All the best!
Dav
@B^)
So Bob Hoskins was about to roll a spliff when in walks Dana with her 3 foot Bong
[honey i] violated [the kids]
Tribes 2 Goodness
The Dawn of the Beefy King approaches...

beaver

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Kharn:
Can I import the messages to Outlook Express 5 from the folder files I copied from the old disk?</font>

Kharn,

Have you tried just copying the old Inbox.dbx over the new one? Worked for me...

Later,
-Ross

Victor

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Kharn:
That's a pretty good idea (and one I hadn't thought of), but there's up on 3 - 4 hundred messages so it could be a little time consuming. However, if I get him to identify which ones he needs and make sure I get at least 1 from everyone I should have the addresses.

Thanks Victor.</font>

You are welcome.

(/me feel dead chuffed that a Mod said thanks - /me feels it may not happen for another while)

I posted this on Technology - you might suggest it to your mate with the PC.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well my policy is not to use MS address books (the single gratest target of virii). Keep address, by keeping all your messages in and out and then just respond to an old message if you don't want to re-type the address.

Then it's only the muppets at work that open attachments are your problem, not 50 p-ed off customers.

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Too many freaks, not enough circuses.

_CreeD_

The address book is the easiest to export though. If you don't trust the WAB format choose CSV, then just about anything can read it.

I'd go with Logic's suggestion, tis what I always do. You just have to make sure you get folder structure correct.