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Transfer Outlook Express files to another computer

I have OE 5 addresses and messages on an old computer running Win95. I have found "dbx" files and have been able to transfer my addresses over to another machine running WinXP and OE 6.

However, it does not see any messages.

Are you using the files and settings transfer wizard?

Is that in OE?

Nope, its on the Windows XP CD, it can transfer a lot more then just outlook, (like my documents and the internet cache also) but outlook is one of the things it is best at. Just run it and have it only transfer the outlook settings. It will transfer the address book, and all the messages as well.

Why the hell have I never known about this? Outlook has given me two hours of hell every time I had to transfer messages and accounts, and it's only now that I've stopped using it that I find out about this.

You CAN use the "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard" provided by your Windows XP CD

How To Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard By Using the Windows XP CD-ROM
http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;306186

Here are some more Microsoft Knowledgebase (oxymoron) articles that may be of some help...

How to backup and recover Outlook Express data:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;270670

How to Back Up the Outlook Express Address Book and Mail Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;188854

How to Move Mail Folders Between Two Computers that Are Running Outlook Express 5
http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;257499

EDIT: The "Transfer Files and Settings Wizard" is actually very useful... BUT... it easily grabs too much and can cary over settings you do not want on a new system... so be cautious. I always use it's "custom" settings (never the default).

file : import/export

export to file

personal folder file (.pst)

Highlight Personal folder, check "include subfolders

Select detination

by default it will name it backup.pst

do a search of *.pab and Copy that and place it with your email backup


on other computer just use import and choose .pst

In orig. post "I have OE 5 addresses and messages on an old computer running Win95".

Can I use the XP CD on a Win95 machine?

i used to use a program that could extract all the individual messages from outlook's .dbx files as seperate .eml files that could then be dragged -enmass- into any other email program (incl outlook).

it was handy. but i can't find it.

it was something like this http://www.oemailrecovery.com/

thewolfe wrote:In orig. post "I have OE 5 addresses and messages on an old computer running Win95".

Can I use the XP CD on a Win95 machine?

Yes you can, put in the CD, auto run pops up, select the files and settings transfer wizard.

Since the old and new machines are not networked how do I use the CD?

I got it! Here's what I did.

I used the old HD as a slave, found all the ".dbx" files "Inbox", "Sent"..., "burned" them to a CD, found the ".dbx" files on the new computer and pasted the old files into that folder and the new OE recognized all the folders.

Thanks for the posts.

I've saved it to the hard drive of the source machine, then when it was done, took the hard drive out, put it in the destination machine and copied it that way.