Windows Mail Backup

[Guest]

Is there a way to import a Windows Mail backup into Outlook Express?

I tried importing the OE backup I did before upgrading to Vista but now it's
giving me an error when I try to import.

I did a backup from Windows Mail but can't import it into OE.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Jim Pickering]

The only way that would work is to copy all of the *.EML files in the Vista
Message Store folder to a Folder you create. I use a small memory stick to
do that. Then when on the machine with Outlook Express, open the Folder(s)
you created and open the local folder in Outlook Express you wish to have
them in and just "drag/drop" from the Explorer windows into the Preview Pane
of the local folder in Outlook Express.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Jim....

The only way that would work is to copy all of the *.EML files in the Vista
Message Store folder to a Folder you create. I use a small memory stick to
do that. Then when on the machine with Outlook Express, open the Folder(s)
you created and open the local folder in Outlook Express you wish to have
them in and just "drag/drop" from the Explorer windows into the Preview Pane
of the local folder in Outlook Express.

 

[Guest]

Jim,

I exported my email to a "WindowsMail.MSMessageStore" file before formating
and doing a clean install. Now that I want to import them Microsoft Mail
doesn't recognize the file. The file size is 22MB which sounds correct since
I'm a graphic designer so I tend to send and receive pretty large emails.

There's nothing too critical in the archive, but I would like to get back
the correspondences in case I need them for reference later.

Any help is appreciated.

Frank Olivio <><
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Jim Pickering]

When you open that "MessageStore" file, what is in it? I'm not familiar
with exporting Mail to any such file. Are you talking about using some 3rd
party software that was used to backup your files?

And, you're confusing me. You want to import them into Outlook Express?
But you state "Microsoft Mail" does not recognize the file. I'm not
surprised since the name Microsoft Mail has not been used since IE3 days and
I would not expect Outlook Express to recognize anything not created by it.

I guess what's needed is some clarity on what you did to create this
MSMessageStore file (i.e., how did you create it) and what its contents are.
Maybe we can go on from there. Good luck.

 

[Steve Cochran]

The WindowsMail.MSMessageStore file is the database file for WinMail.

steve

 

[Steve Cochran]

You aren't going to be able to backup and restore that easily. You have to
backup the registry keys and the entire message store and not just the
database file. The WindowsMail.MSMessageStore file is only the database and
does not contain the messages. The messages are in the same directory but
under the directories that match the message folders in WinMail.

If you want the messages from WinMail in OE, then you have to drag the eml
files from Explorer and drop them into OE folders.

steve

 

[Jim Pickering]

Agreed, and if that's what he "backed up," the question is how did he back
it up and did he also backup the "Local Folders" in the Mail Store folder,
because without access to them and the EML files in them, he's out of luck
as far as I can tell. And to further compound the question, was a 3rd party
proprietary backup system used, since most of those will only restore to the
operating system they came from. Just curious.

My copy of WindowsMail.MSMessageStore is only 20 MB, while the Local Folders
is larger than 112 MB. But without some advice from the poster, we're left
in the dark. <G>

Best.