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can't import old email folders into Windows Mail

Discussion in 'Microsoft Mail (Outlook / OE / Windows Mail)' started by sparga, 2008/08/15.

  1. 2008/08/15
    sparga

    sparga Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi,

    Our hard drive died last week and we had a new one put in, together with a new OS (Vista, we were on XP). Luckily all my files were saved (or so i'm hoping)!. I was previously using Outlook Express (6, i think) and have successfully set up Windows Mail and imported my old address book.
    I am having trouble importing my old email folders, though, which have several years worth of saved important emails in them. I have located where they are on the computer and entered this location into the "Location of Messages" promt on the Windows Mail importing "wizard" but a message then comes up saying "No messages can be found or another application is running that has the required folders open....... "
    The location of the email folders is someting like backup\Documents and Settings\ "user "\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\227........\Microsoft\Outlook Express. I know this from searching for dbx files and they come up and this is their location. The problem is, when I actually follow this path through on the computer I get as far as the 227.....etc subfolder, double click on this and 'm told this folder is empty.

    I have a sneaking suspicion that they have been lost forever but would love it if one of you computer gurus out there could prove me wrong!

    (I know this email begs for a sermon on doing backups, but I assure you I've learnt my lesson!).

    Thanks in advance,
    Susan.
     
  2. 2008/08/16
    BurrWalnut

    BurrWalnut Well-Known Member Alumni

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    You may have to show 'hidden' files in Folder Options to see the files, then navigate to inbox.dbx, right-click it > Properties and remove any "˜Read only’ attribute.

    In Windows Mail go to File > Import > Messages > OE6 > Next > Import Mail and follow the wizard to import your mail boxes from the folder above.

    Once these are imported, a sub-folder named Imported Folder is created for each one imported. Go to it and drag the messages to the proper boxes.
     

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  4. 2008/08/16
    sparga

    sparga Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks for your response.
    Unfortunately, (and I only checked a couple of the folders but they already have the "read only" and "hidden files" boxes" unchecked).
     

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