Exporting Messages (and/or backup) Issue(s)

[Dave Lee]

I recently moved to a new computer and Vista (using Windows Mail). My backup
system is a USB attached external harddrive. My habits are to do this
manually as I mostly keep all my data in a single directory structure and I
just manually move the other stuff that I care about.

I tried to do a direct export of my messages (in Windows Mail format) to a
backup folder on my USB attached harddrive. I got a failure that the export
wizard thought was either a corrupted file or not enough space at the target
(definitely not the latter). I finally just exported all the messages to a
local folder on my system harddrive. That seemed to work fine.

My mail database is pretty big (280 MB roughly - there are a number of
large attached files in there). When I tried to just use Vista to copy the
recently created folder (with all my mail messages in it), it tells me that
this is going to take 1 day, 21 hours! From what I can tell that is the
case, so I've cancelled the transfer. I've tried this a couple of times.

I transferred my 6+G data folder structure in no time at all (10 minutes
maybe). So it isn't a quantity of data problem. I'm guessing that the issue
is that each message comes out as its own file and that is really slowing
things down. Is that what is happening here? Is there a single folder
(probably hidden) somewhere that I can get my mits on and just copy that
over to my backup harddrive?

Thanks.

dave

 

[Guest]

I recently moved to a new computer and Vista (using Windows Mail). My
backup system is a USB attached external harddrive. My habits are to do
this manually as I mostly keep all my data in a single directory structure
and I just manually move the other stuff that I care about.

I tried to do a direct export of my messages (in Windows Mail format) to a
backup folder on my USB attached harddrive. I got a failure that the
export wizard thought was either a corrupted file or not enough space at
the target (definitely not the latter). I finally just exported all the
messages to a local folder on my system harddrive. That seemed to work
fine.

My mail database is pretty big (280 MB roughly - there are a number of
large attached files in there). When I tried to just use Vista to copy the
recently created folder (with all my mail messages in it), it tells me
that this is going to take 1 day, 21 hours! From what I can tell that is
the case, so I've cancelled the transfer. I've tried this a couple of
times.

I transferred my 6+G data folder structure in no time at all (10 minutes
maybe). So it isn't a quantity of data problem. I'm guessing that the
issue is that each message comes out as its own file and that is really
slowing things down. Is that what is happening here? Is there a single
folder (probably hidden) somewhere that I can get my mits on and just copy
that over to my backup harddrive?

Thanks.

dave

To find the folder you would need to copy for this, click on Tools, then
Options, then Advanced, then Maintenance, then Store Folder. This
gives you the folder used for this user. Click on Cancel, then Close,
then Cancel again after you record it. Repeat for any other Vista user
on that machine. To bring these messages back, don't just copy the
folder back. Ask here for details.

 

[Dave Lee]

Re: Below

Well, that was disgustingly simple - thanks

dave

 

[Guest]

You're welcome.

Re: Below

Well, that was disgustingly simple - thanks

dave

 

[Marc]

I followed all the steps and I got the following error message when I copied
my messages to my external hard disk: "Are you sure you want to copy this
file without its properties? The file XXX has properties that cannot be
copied to the new location."

I imported all my OE6 messages into Windows Mail and now I am trying to find
the proper backup procedure for my Windows Mail messages (I tried the
Export/Import option without success...).

 

[Guest]

If you want to export them back to Outlook Express, Windows Mail
doesn't support that. However, I've seen a program recommended to
do it; I haven't tried it, though.

http://www.staticbackup.com/windows-mail-backup/

 

[Marc]

No, my intent is to create a backup for my Windows Mail messages. If
required, I will import them back to Windows Mail. So I need to know what is
the proper procedure to create my backup messages (with the Export option???)
and to import them back if required.

 

[Guest]

For the Export option, you need to choose an export type that can be handled
by the Import option.

 

[Marc]

I have tried two ways to copy my Windows Mail messages to my external disk
without success.

Option 1: I used the Export option
File/Export/Messages/Microsoft Windows Mail format selected/Location on my
external disk selected/All folders selected
I got the following error message: “The message export has failed. An error
has occurred. Windows Mail was unable to export all your messages. Your disk
may not have enough space for all of the exported messages, or some of the
messages you’re exporting may be corrupted. Run Disk Cleanup or delete some
files, then try to export your messages again.†My messages are 359 MB and
the disk space available is 232 GB.

Option 2: I found the location of the Windows Mail folder
Tool/Options/Advanced/Maintenance/Store folder
I copied this folder and pasted it onto my external disk. I got the
following error message: “Are you sure you want to copy this file without its
properties? The file XXX has properties that cannot be copied to the new
location.†The error message was attached to all my files.

How can I create a copy of my Windows Mail messages onto my external disk?

 

[Guest]

Windows Mail has problems accessing some external disks. Try exporting
them to some directory on your main hard drive, then copying that whole
directory and all of its contents to the external drive.

If that doesn't work, check if you can convert that whole directory and
all of its contents to a .zip file, and copy the .zip file to the external
drive.

You can even buy a program to help with this if it looks too difficult to
do it yourself:

http://www.staticbackup.com/windows-mail-backup/

 

[Marc]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, it finally worked with the .zip file.

 

[Guest]

You're welcome.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, it finally worked with the .zip file.