Importing mail files from Outlook Express - HELP!!

I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express 6.0) to
my new desktop (Outlook). I followed the directions and created my .dbx
files. The only change I made while exporting the files was to change the
destination folder. I copied the .dbx files to the desktop and tried to
import. When I tried the import function in outlook (after pointing to the
files in a random directory), I get an error message stating "The mail folder
cannot be opened. If another application is using this file, please close it
and try again." Any ideas?

What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files into
Outlook. What made you think you could?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:722CE8FA-C80B-4851-B414-7AFC4FDDEF88@microsoft.com...
>I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express 6.0) to
> my new desktop (Outlook). I followed the directions and created my .dbx
> files. The only change I made while exporting the files was to change the
> destination folder. I copied the .dbx files to the desktop and tried to
> import. When I tried the import function in outlook (after pointing to
> the
> files in a random directory), I get an error message stating "The mail
> folder
> cannot be opened. If another application is using this file, please close
> it
> and try again." Any ideas?

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/a...0943871033.aspx

that's what made me think I could.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

> What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files into
> Outlook. What made you think you could?
> --
> Russ Valentine
> [MVP-Outlook]
> "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:722CE8FA-C80B-4851-B414-7AFC4FDDEF88@microsoft.com...
> >I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express 6.0) to
> > my new desktop (Outlook). I followed the directions and created my .dbx
> > files. The only change I made while exporting the files was to change the
> > destination folder. I copied the .dbx files to the desktop and tried to
> > import. When I tried the import function in outlook (after pointing to
> > the
> > files in a random directory), I get an error message stating "The mail
> > folder
> > cannot be opened. If another application is using this file, please close
> > it
> > and try again." Any ideas?
>
>
>

Why Not? I imported my files from OE 6 into Outlook 2003 by clicking the
file > import & export dropdown form the Outlook program. I didn't follow
any instructions, it was very intuitive...

Rina

--
Please respond to the newsgroup, mail from this account is left on my server
unread.



"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:%23XwRDx$3EHA.3000@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files into
> Outlook. What made you think you could?

> "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message

>>I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express 6.0)
>>to
>> my new desktop (Outlook).

Yes, I agree that it should be intuitive. I cannot figure out why I am
getting an error message during the import process. The import files are in
an accessible directory... (not being used by any other program/files)

"Rina" wrote:

> Why Not? I imported my files from OE 6 into Outlook 2003 by clicking the
> file > import & export dropdown form the Outlook program. I didn't follow
> any instructions, it was very intuitive...
>
> Rina
>
> --
> Please respond to the newsgroup, mail from this account is left on my server
> unread.
>
>
>
> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:%23XwRDx$3EHA.3000@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> > What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files into
> > Outlook. What made you think you could?
>
> > "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> > message
>
> >>I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express 6.0)
> >>to
> >> my new desktop (Outlook).
>
>
>

As that article explains, you that you can only import OE files into OE when
programs are on different computers. That's why this has nothing to do with
Outlook. And this group has nothing to do with OE. This is a group to
support Outlook from the Office group of programs. Outlook Express is a part
of Internet Explorer and is a quite different program despite its similar
name..
You will probably get a faster and more expert answer if you post this to an
outlook express news group.
Try posting in one of these newsgroups:
microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie5.outlookexpress for OE 5.x
microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie55.outlookexpress for OE 5.5x
microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress for OE 6.x

A good website for information on OE is:
http://www.tomsterdam.com/
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:463AB96F-EC14-4143-9DDD-937F49179D6B@microsoft.com...
> Yes, I agree that it should be intuitive. I cannot figure out why I am
> getting an error message during the import process. The import files are
> in
> an accessible directory... (not being used by any other program/files)
>
> "Rina" wrote:
>
>> Why Not? I imported my files from OE 6 into Outlook 2003 by clicking
>> the
>> file > import & export dropdown form the Outlook program. I didn't follow
>> any instructions, it was very intuitive...
>>
>> Rina
>>
>> --
>> Please respond to the newsgroup, mail from this account is left on my
>> server
>> unread.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
>> news:%23XwRDx$3EHA.3000@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> > What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files into
>> > Outlook. What made you think you could?
>>
>> > "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> > message
>>
>> >>I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express
>> >>6.0)
>> >>to
>> >> my new desktop (Outlook).
>>
>>
>>

I guess you didn't read the article very well. The article specifically
states that you can import OE files into Outlook (from 2 different computers,
in fact) So this has EVERYTHING to do with Outlook. I finally figured out
what I was doing wrong - so I now have all of my OE files residing in
Outlook. Yea!

p.s. Thanks for the OE newsgroups anyway. But I don't use OE anymore.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

> As that article explains, you that you can only import OE files into OE when
> programs are on different computers. That's why this has nothing to do with
> Outlook. And this group has nothing to do with OE. This is a group to
> support Outlook from the Office group of programs. Outlook Express is a part
> of Internet Explorer and is a quite different program despite its similar
> name..
> You will probably get a faster and more expert answer if you post this to an
> outlook express news group.
> Try posting in one of these newsgroups:
> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie5.outlookexpress for OE 5.x
> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie55.outlookexpress for OE 5.5x
> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress for OE 6.x
>
> A good website for information on OE is:
> http://www.tomsterdam.com/
> --
> Russ Valentine
> [MVP-Outlook]
> "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:463AB96F-EC14-4143-9DDD-937F49179D6B@microsoft.com...
> > Yes, I agree that it should be intuitive. I cannot figure out why I am
> > getting an error message during the import process. The import files are
> > in
> > an accessible directory... (not being used by any other program/files)
> >
> > "Rina" wrote:
> >
> >> Why Not? I imported my files from OE 6 into Outlook 2003 by clicking
> >> the
> >> file > import & export dropdown form the Outlook program. I didn't follow
> >> any instructions, it was very intuitive...
> >>
> >> Rina
> >>
> >> --
> >> Please respond to the newsgroup, mail from this account is left on my
> >> server
> >> unread.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
> >> news:%23XwRDx$3EHA.3000@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> >> > What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files into
> >> > Outlook. What made you think you could?
> >>
> >> > "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> >> > message
> >>
> >> >>I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express
> >> >>6.0)
> >> >>to
> >> >> my new desktop (Outlook).
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

I know what the article says. What was not clear in the least is what steps
in that article you were actually using. The error you described was most
likely the result of transferring information into OE incorrectly, but you
posted so few details that we could only guess. We still don't know, though,
since you still have not explained what found that you did wrong. It would
be informative to know and would help others who might run into the same
problem.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:10251641-5FE9-4F17-80ED-DBCE30054BB4@microsoft.com...
>I guess you didn't read the article very well. The article specifically
> states that you can import OE files into Outlook (from 2 different
> computers,
> in fact) So this has EVERYTHING to do with Outlook. I finally figured
> out
> what I was doing wrong - so I now have all of my OE files residing in
> Outlook. Yea!
>
> p.s. Thanks for the OE newsgroups anyway. But I don't use OE anymore.
>
> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
>
>> As that article explains, you that you can only import OE files into OE
>> when
>> programs are on different computers. That's why this has nothing to do
>> with
>> Outlook. And this group has nothing to do with OE. This is a group to
>> support Outlook from the Office group of programs. Outlook Express is a
>> part
>> of Internet Explorer and is a quite different program despite its similar
>> name..
>> You will probably get a faster and more expert answer if you post this to
>> an
>> outlook express news group.
>> Try posting in one of these newsgroups:
>> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie5.outlookexpress for OE 5.x
>> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie55.outlookexpress for OE 5.5x
>> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress for OE 6.x
>>
>> A good website for information on OE is:
>> http://www.tomsterdam.com/
>> --
>> Russ Valentine
>> [MVP-Outlook]
>> "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message
>> news:463AB96F-EC14-4143-9DDD-937F49179D6B@microsoft.com...
>> > Yes, I agree that it should be intuitive. I cannot figure out why I am
>> > getting an error message during the import process. The import files
>> > are
>> > in
>> > an accessible directory... (not being used by any other program/files)
>> >
>> > "Rina" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Why Not? I imported my files from OE 6 into Outlook 2003 by clicking
>> >> the
>> >> file > import & export dropdown form the Outlook program. I didn't
>> >> follow
>> >> any instructions, it was very intuitive...
>> >>
>> >> Rina
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Please respond to the newsgroup, mail from this account is left on my
>> >> server
>> >> unread.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
>> >> news:%23XwRDx$3EHA.3000@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> >> > What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files
>> >> > into
>> >> > Outlook. What made you think you could?
>> >>
>> >> > "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> >> > message
>> >>
>> >> >>I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express
>> >> >>6.0)
>> >> >>to
>> >> >> my new desktop (Outlook).
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>

I never was importing data into OE. I was importing data into Outlook. But
good point, I will share what I found out. When you export your data files
OUT of OE, you have to use the same directory that OE is in. I was putting
the data into an empty directory. This caused the import into Outlook to
fail. You have to have some other files in the OE directory besides the
actual data files in order to import, but the article doesn't state what they
are. HTH.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

> I know what the article says. What was not clear in the least is what steps
> in that article you were actually using. The error you described was most
> likely the result of transferring information into OE incorrectly, but you
> posted so few details that we could only guess. We still don't know, though,
> since you still have not explained what found that you did wrong. It would
> be informative to know and would help others who might run into the same
> problem.
> --
> Russ Valentine
> [MVP-Outlook]
> "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:10251641-5FE9-4F17-80ED-DBCE30054BB4@microsoft.com...
> >I guess you didn't read the article very well. The article specifically
> > states that you can import OE files into Outlook (from 2 different
> > computers,
> > in fact) So this has EVERYTHING to do with Outlook. I finally figured
> > out
> > what I was doing wrong - so I now have all of my OE files residing in
> > Outlook. Yea!
> >
> > p.s. Thanks for the OE newsgroups anyway. But I don't use OE anymore.
> >
> > "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
> >
> >> As that article explains, you that you can only import OE files into OE
> >> when
> >> programs are on different computers. That's why this has nothing to do
> >> with
> >> Outlook. And this group has nothing to do with OE. This is a group to
> >> support Outlook from the Office group of programs. Outlook Express is a
> >> part
> >> of Internet Explorer and is a quite different program despite its similar
> >> name..
> >> You will probably get a faster and more expert answer if you post this to
> >> an
> >> outlook express news group.
> >> Try posting in one of these newsgroups:
> >> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie5.outlookexpress for OE 5.x
> >> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie55.outlookexpress for OE 5.5x
> >> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress for OE 6.x
> >>
> >> A good website for information on OE is:
> >> http://www.tomsterdam.com/
> >> --
> >> Russ Valentine
> >> [MVP-Outlook]
> >> "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> >> message
> >> news:463AB96F-EC14-4143-9DDD-937F49179D6B@microsoft.com...
> >> > Yes, I agree that it should be intuitive. I cannot figure out why I am
> >> > getting an error message during the import process. The import files
> >> > are
> >> > in
> >> > an accessible directory... (not being used by any other program/files)
> >> >
> >> > "Rina" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Why Not? I imported my files from OE 6 into Outlook 2003 by clicking
> >> >> the
> >> >> file > import & export dropdown form the Outlook program. I didn't
> >> >> follow
> >> >> any instructions, it was very intuitive...
> >> >>
> >> >> Rina
> >> >>
> >> >> --
> >> >> Please respond to the newsgroup, mail from this account is left on my
> >> >> server
> >> >> unread.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
> >> >> news:%23XwRDx$3EHA.3000@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> >> >> > What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files
> >> >> > into
> >> >> > Outlook. What made you think you could?
> >> >>
> >> >> > "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> >> >> > message
> >> >>
> >> >> >>I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook Express
> >> >> >>6.0)
> >> >> >>to
> >> >> >> my new desktop (Outlook).
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

That clarifies the issue. Thanks. In fact, you were importing into OE first.
The article just wasn't making that clear to you. Outlook can only import
from an intact OE installation on the same partition. It cannot import OE
files directly. So the problem arose, as I suspected, because you had not
yet completed a successful import into OE on your other partition.
Transfers from OE to OE are not in the purview of this group. None of us
uses OE.
The instructions we give users who want to do this is to find the
instructions on how to import from one OE installation to another here:
http://www.tomsterdam.com/
It probably provides better instructions than that KB article from what you
describe. Once they do that, it is a simple process to import from OE into
Outlook. But OE and Outlook must be on the same partition to do it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:111E0574-8308-4B28-9502-D3A382811334@microsoft.com...
>I never was importing data into OE. I was importing data into Outlook.
>But
> good point, I will share what I found out. When you export your data
> files
> OUT of OE, you have to use the same directory that OE is in. I was
> putting
> the data into an empty directory. This caused the import into Outlook to
> fail. You have to have some other files in the OE directory besides the
> actual data files in order to import, but the article doesn't state what
> they
> are. HTH.
>
> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
>
>> I know what the article says. What was not clear in the least is what
>> steps
>> in that article you were actually using. The error you described was most
>> likely the result of transferring information into OE incorrectly, but
>> you
>> posted so few details that we could only guess. We still don't know,
>> though,
>> since you still have not explained what found that you did wrong. It
>> would
>> be informative to know and would help others who might run into the same
>> problem.
>> --
>> Russ Valentine
>> [MVP-Outlook]
>> "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message
>> news:10251641-5FE9-4F17-80ED-DBCE30054BB4@microsoft.com...
>> >I guess you didn't read the article very well. The article specifically
>> > states that you can import OE files into Outlook (from 2 different
>> > computers,
>> > in fact) So this has EVERYTHING to do with Outlook. I finally figured
>> > out
>> > what I was doing wrong - so I now have all of my OE files residing in
>> > Outlook. Yea!
>> >
>> > p.s. Thanks for the OE newsgroups anyway. But I don't use OE anymore.
>> >
>> > "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
>> >
>> >> As that article explains, you that you can only import OE files into
>> >> OE
>> >> when
>> >> programs are on different computers. That's why this has nothing to do
>> >> with
>> >> Outlook. And this group has nothing to do with OE. This is a group to
>> >> support Outlook from the Office group of programs. Outlook Express is
>> >> a
>> >> part
>> >> of Internet Explorer and is a quite different program despite its
>> >> similar
>> >> name..
>> >> You will probably get a faster and more expert answer if you post this
>> >> to
>> >> an
>> >> outlook express news group.
>> >> Try posting in one of these newsgroups:
>> >> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie5.outlookexpress for OE 5.x
>> >> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie55.outlookexpress for OE 5.5x
>> >> microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6_outlookexpress for OE 6.x
>> >>
>> >> A good website for information on OE is:
>> >> http://www.tomsterdam.com/
>> >> --
>> >> Russ Valentine
>> >> [MVP-Outlook]
>> >> "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> >> message
>> >> news:463AB96F-EC14-4143-9DDD-937F49179D6B@microsoft.com...
>> >> > Yes, I agree that it should be intuitive. I cannot figure out why I
>> >> > am
>> >> > getting an error message during the import process. The import
>> >> > files
>> >> > are
>> >> > in
>> >> > an accessible directory... (not being used by any other
>> >> > program/files)
>> >> >
>> >> > "Rina" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> Why Not? I imported my files from OE 6 into Outlook 2003 by
>> >> >> clicking
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> file > import & export dropdown form the Outlook program. I didn't
>> >> >> follow
>> >> >> any instructions, it was very intuitive...
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Rina
>> >> >>
>> >> >> --
>> >> >> Please respond to the newsgroup, mail from this account is left on
>> >> >> my
>> >> >> server
>> >> >> unread.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
>> >> >> news:%23XwRDx$3EHA.3000@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> >> >> > What does this have to do with Outlook? You can't import OE files
>> >> >> > into
>> >> >> > Outlook. What made you think you could?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> > "SpecialPumpkin" <SpecialPumpkin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
>> >> >> > in
>> >> >> > message
>> >> >>
>> >> >> >>I am trying to import my mail files from my laptop (Outlook
>> >> >> >>Express
>> >> >> >>6.0)
>> >> >> >>to
>> >> >> >> my new desktop (Outlook).
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>