Hi,

I've done a search and can't find anything in this forum, so I hope I'm not asking something that's already been dealt with elsewhere. Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere.

I have just changed PCs. My old one had Windows XP. My new machine has Windows 7.

On XP, I was using Outlook Express. I realise W7 doesn't have OE. My question is: how do I transfer all my emails/address book to my new PC?

I don't have an Easy Transfer cable, though I do have an external hard drive. (If that helps.)

In an attempt to transfer everything, I exported files to Thunderbird, thinking Mozbackup would help. (Ie that I could transfer to Thunderbird on my new machine.) But this didn't work. (I still have everything on OE as well.)

Can anyone advise me - as simply as possible - of the best way to transfer everything. I'm guessing that if the easiest way is to transfer OE to Windows Live on the new machine, that I could then transfer to a new email program i(eg Thunderbird) f I wanted to, by exporting files etc.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

James

Outlook Express & Windows Live Mail

I hope this helps.

Hi

Thanks for your help. This looks as if it will work, but there was something I wasn't sure about.

At one point, I click on Tools in OE, and eventually get to Maintenance then Store Folder. Is it safe for me to click the button that allows me to change the location? I'm assuming that if I can move it to, say, my external hard drive, I can then move it to my new PC and import it to the new email program. But I thought I'd ask first in case I've misunderstood anything. It seems straightforward - but I thought I'd best check.

Thanks again.

James

A quick update to my previous email. I finally located the relevant folder and was able to copy it to my external hard drive. I then transferred it to my new machine. I then downloaded/installed Windows Live and tried to import the settings. However, there was no option to import messages - so I'm assuming I've done something wrong. Can't say I like the look of Windows Live - though at present I'd be grateful for anything that worked.

I'll keep trying, but if anyone has any suggestions, all will be gratefully received.

James

Originally Posted by Corinda

A quick update to my previous email. I finally located the relevant folder and was able to copy it to my external hard drive. I then transferred it to my new machine. I then downloaded/installed Windows Live and tried to import the settings. However, there was no option to import messages - so I'm assuming I've done something wrong. Can't say I like the look of Windows Live - though at present I'd be grateful for anything that worked.

I'll keep trying, but if anyone has any suggestions, all will be gratefully received.

James

Hi James

I think this explanation maybe the answer

Import messages into Windows Mail from Outlook Express

Make sure you look at the notes at the bottom of the link about identity numbers

Hope it helps

Jim

HI,

Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried everything - but nothing worked.

In the end, I went down the slow, manual road. I went through my Inbox/Sent (about 1500 emails) and forwarded the 80 or so I really needed to keep to a Hotmail account. I also copied/pasted all email addresses to a Word file. (Half the contacts in my address book were out of date/inactive - so it was a good tidying up job).

I then installed Thunderbird 3 on my new computer, forwarded the emails from Hotmail, and am now pasting in addresses as I need them.

A low tech approach - but it's worked.

For some reason Thunderbird 3 doesn't have a working spellchecker for the English language. However, I found a helpful soul on another site who had tinkered with the official - non-working dictionary - and found a way to get ti to work. So I installed that - and hey presto!

I have to say Windows 7 has been a real pain in the a**s!

Email accounts aside, my printer is not compatible, so I have to buy a new one, and I also used to download radio proggrammes with Audacity - but their latest version doesn't work on my machine (they admit to problems on their site), and I can't seem to find an alternative. Though I am about to post another question about that!

I'd have waited before upgrading - but my old PC had just about ground to a halt.

But I have to say - in 25 years of moving from one PC and one system to another, Windows 7 is the only one that has ever given me trouble. I understand Vista was even worse. Amazing!

Anyway, thanks again!

James

Hi corinda

Glad you got it sorted thanks for letting us know


Jim

Have you tried a vista driver for the printer? A lot of vista drivers work in 7, at least in my experience.