Changing Message Store Location

[JohnJ]

I know Windows Mail allows one to change the Message Store location, has
anyone done this with success, i.e., not screwing up the existing data in
one's folders? I think in an older Windows OS (95, or 98?) I did this and
got some corruption and data loss. Or maybe I'm just not remembering right.

A recent scare where I thought I'd lost the entire boot drive and all data
on it has me thinking that I should change the message store to my other
HDD.

If it works perfectly well to change the location, is there a best practice
to make the change, concerning keeping existing folders and messages?

I Googled for it and se posts of people who've had issues doing such a
change. I suppose as a last resort I could just periodically copy the data
to an optical disk for safety.

John

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I know Windows Mail allows one to change the Message Store location, has
anyone done this with success, i.e., not screwing up the existing data in
one's folders? I think in an older Windows OS (95, or 98?) I did this and
got some corruption and data loss. Or maybe I'm just not remembering
right.

Maybe not.

A recent scare where I thought I'd lost the entire boot drive and all data
on it has me thinking that I should change the message store to my other
HDD.

More appropriately, it might lead you to consider your backup strategy and
the state and currency of your backups.

If you aren't doing that now, this is the time to start. There are
excellent and reliable backup utilities available for not a lot of money.

If it works perfectly well to change the location, is there a best
practice to make the change, concerning keeping existing folders and
messages?

Yes. Back up first before making any such system changes.

I Googled for it and se posts of people who've had issues doing such a
change. I suppose as a last resort I could just periodically copy the
data to an optical disk for safety.

This isn't actually a "last resort". If you value your data, you should be
backing it up.

HTH
-pk

 

[Steve Cochran]

You don't need a backup utility. One can easily backup the store and
settings manually (www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx)

steve

 

[Steve Cochran]

I tested during the beta and it worked okay. You specify the new location,
close WinMail and then reopen it and when it reopens it moves the store
location.

You should backup first, but I think it will work okay
(www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx)

steve