trouble backing up emails,O.E 6, help please!

hey everybody, i am in the middle of a transfer of files within outlook express 6. (i think it is 6, it comes fresh with xp pro.) from a windows xp pro machine to a win 98 machine.
I can back up my address book from the winxp machine no probs ( using the export to CSV function) , but my problem lies in the backing up of the e-mails, some 500 of them, to a file. As far as i can see, there is no function to back up e-mails to a file, only a way to export them to M$ outlook. Since i will not be running outlook on the 'new' 98 machine, this funtion is useless to me.
i have tried to manually locate the folder where OE keeps the e-mails, and have been unsuccesful, if anyone can tell me how to back up the emails to a file (or several it doesnt matter) so as i can send them across the network, it would be greatly apprieciated.
-- thanks for tuning in!

m1.f3

Hello and welcome to techzonez.

I don't have the answer but I can steer you in the right direction until someone can help you.

You can locate the outlook pst files here,
C:\Documents and Settings\ Whatever your account name is \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

or try here,

C:\Documents and Settings\ Whatever your account name is \Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

make sure that you have your file system set to unhide system files and folders.

Good luck for now!

I will ask for forgiveness instead of Egghead. He was probably kind of sleepy when he posted and gave you the default location for Outlook instead of Outlook Express.
To know the location is actually quite easy. Inside Outlook Express go to Tools and open Options.
There go to the Maintenance tab. There is a button in the middle f the windows that will say Store Folder. That is the folder that you want. Click the button and a small window with the location will appear. Select the whole location (Which will be something like windir%\Document and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{2985-h2408-d39085-49e098-90f854}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\)
Have in mind that the winddir% is replaced by the drive where your Windows is located and the Windows folder (usually Windows, or Winnt) After the Identity also, is it going to be a unique number. In Windows 98, all profiles will be inside the identities folder, but with different number since they are unique.
OK, once you located the folder, copy the location and paste it in the address bar of windows explorer (or Internet Explorer will do too)
That should open the location, where you are going to have a file for each folder that appears in Outlook Express. If it doesn't appear, remember that Local Settings folder is a hidden folder, so you have to enable "Show hidden files and Folders" from the Folder options menu of an Windows Explorer window.
Now, I guess that you might want to know also how to move it to the other computer, right? It is not as easy as to just put the folder in the new computer.
First you will have to create the account in the new computer. You can do this a lot faster if you export the account settings (from tools>Accounts) and then import them back into the new computer (or destination computer)
Once you did that, you will have to locate the store folder in the destination computer. Remember that I say that identities IDs are unique? Well, Outlook Express created another one, which is different even if the settings are the same. Once you located the folder (same rules as before, just that I think you mention Windows 98, which doesn't have Document and Settings. It should be inside the profiles or Users folder. I can't remember now) open the folder that Outlook created and copy the files from the other computer there.
Please make sure you haven't actually downloaded new email with the new account because you will overwrite them.
If you already have email, that is OK, just go to File>Import, this will open the Outlook Express Import wizard. Depending on the Outlook version that you have in the destination folder you have to chose Microsoft Outlook Express 6 or 5, then click next. In this part select the second radio button, which says "Import email from OE6 Store directory" point to the location where you copied the files and from there it will ask you where you want the mails to be stored. Default selections should be fine from here.
Quick note, I had noticed when using Multiple identities in Outlook Express under Windows 98 that sometimes the address book get mixed. Just to let you know

This is what I did, highlight 1 e-mail, click on File, Save As, then choose the location on any folder where you want to save the e-mail. The downside is you have to do this for each e-mail.

Conan, I am surprised. You should keep my instructions handy. The seem long, but actually are quite easy once you understand them. If necesary I could even make a guide with screenshots ;)
I must have move my OE store folder at least 7 times

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dehcbad25

Conan, I am surprised. You should keep my instructions handy. The seem long, but actually are quite easy once you understand them. If necesary I could even make a guide with screenshots ;)
I must have move my OE store folder at least 7 times

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When I did that I was still using Windows 98 and a Celeron HP computer. Now I just delete everything in Outlook Express. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dehcbad25

I will ask for forgiveness instead of Egghead.

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:eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek:
:confused: :confused: :eek: :confused: :confused:



lol

My Microsoft Outlook 2000 SR1 stores them here,
C:\Documents and Settings\ Whatever your account name is \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

My Outlook Express 6 stores them here,
C:\Documents and Settings\ Whatever your account name is \Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{32E9C217-Egg-head-9A48-CAD0EE527380}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\

hmm.....

I use outlook 2000 for my main spam filled inbox messages and I use Outlook Express for only office staff emails.

What is the difference of the 2?

Which one is better and which one is installed by default with XP

Thank you for making me more curious of this thing.

I am lucky to have staff handle my email backups.


cheers
egghead

I think Outlook is a lot more powerfull, but I wouldn't buy the program to handle email.
Outlook Express is a stripped down version of Outlook.
Differences are
Outlook Express handles a lot better Hotmail accout, whereas Outlook only downloads header information making it slow for Hotmail. Outlook Express downloads all emails, meking it an excelent client for dial up users, so they can download email and be offline when reading them.
Outlook has support for imap (OE too, but it is more difficult to set up)
Outlook also has support for Junl Mail filter, adult filter, calendar, reminders, Filter rules
Also, Outlook provides support to read and write email using Word (which I prefer)
I use both at work, Outlook to read the email from Exchange, and Outlook Express to read the email from hotmail :D

got it!

so outlook 2000 comes with office and has more powerful features and outlook express comes with Windows and is the stripped down version.

That is why I use express for staff office emails cause I don't need the features.

Cheers

Im not sure of the versions, but I definitely from OutlookXP -> 2003, you can export to pst backup file. Just run the wizard and it asks for storage location and encryption and compression etc. Also, it has a tree that you choose which folders to include, simply select the root, then check include sub-folders. DONE :D

Then to restore, simply import->pst and all done. :d

Outlook is a part of the office package (any, Standar, professional, SBE, etc), but it can also be bought separately, just like any M$ Office product.
Outlook Express comes bundled with Microsoft Internet Explorer, not with Windows. Windows comes bundled with Internet Explorer, which comes bundled with OE.
Clear?? :p (it is kind of messy)
OE doesn't have an export utility to export to a file. It can only export to another program, either Outlook or Exchange. That is why you have to manually move the store folder

Quote:

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OE doesn't have an export utility to export to a file. It can only export to another program, either Outlook or Exchange. That is why you have to manually move the store folder

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Oh ok, that explains the complexity in backup in OE then.

I guess it would be easier to export from OE to Outlook, then use backup wizard. Only works if you are using OE as main email, and actually have Outlook too :p

For those who want a graphical representation of this process:

http://email.about.com/cs/oetipstricks/qt/et102502.htm


specifically this link:

http://email.about.com/library/daily...et102502_1.htm

Boogs, that is a great article. In fact I just used it to walk someone thru a mail backup...Thanks for the help :)