How do I backup my mail??

Hi all,
Don't think this is too difficult of a question, just don't know where it is. I want to include my inbox, sent folder, drafts...etc, in my backup routine. I have some important emails that I would like to put on tape. Where are these stored on my hard disk? I am running Win98 and IE 5.5.
Thanks

RPC

 

The path is, C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Identities\{F5E8C6ED-
5C9D-42F8-B75D-74BA69886CF0}\Microsoft\Outlook Express


Under Tools>Options>Maintenance Tab there is a button that will allow you to change the storage location to something more friendly. I placed mine in a folder at C:\mymail. That's just too simple isn't it.

 

Hey, thanks! That sounds so simple, I think I will use it...lol
RPC

 

A further word of advice, these files are stored in a format that only OE will recognize and cannot to my knowledge be merged with other mail saved earlier, etc. What that means is, you'll have to move the contents to a subfolder if you want to archive them so that restoring a backup wouldn't overwrite them. Otherwise, this folders first level will be active and reflect any deletions you make in your mailbox.

Obviously, to view them you would have to do some copying/exchanging the two folders so you fool the mailbox in to thinking it is seeing the current files. You'll get the hang of that quickly.

 

Yes, I understand that and that is fine. As long as I have the days that I need backed up, it will be okay. Thanks for taking the time and posting!!
RPC

 

There is also a import and export tool under the file menu.

 

You might also want to have a look here:

Outlook Express Backup and Restore

 

you can simply copy that folder to another location and if you reinstall windows just copy it back.works with me fine.

fastmare

 

Just the topic I was looking for!

I wanted to move my OE storage folders into My Documents, since that’s the folder I back up very most frequently. Is there a reason that Microsoft, by default, buries the storage so deeply in files with those arcane names {AF2CCD..........}

Each of my several accounts/identities has it's own uniquely named folder in the default Identities folder, however when you move the folder via the option found in the maintenance tab, it just plops into C:\my documents\..... and all the mystery folder naming is gone.

Has some level of protection from hackers or other threats been lost by doing this or does it just not matter. The old arcane folder gets left behind, empty, in the OE default identities folder after the move.

Thanks for any insight or advice on this

 

I think I'm in trouble--After reading these posts I thought it would also be a good idea to transfer them to "My Documents" as I always back that up.
When I went to the "Maintenance TAB" under Tools > Options in OE it said my folders where located under
C:\Documents & Settings\Paul\Local Settings\Application Data\ID
I then changed them to "My Documents "--when I looked at the Maintenance tab it said they where now located in-
Cocuments & Settings\Paul\My Documents\My Documents--when I opened My Documents the folder where scattered all through My Documents and when I opened one of them up they where in computer TALK--not what I could read.
And when I went to OE all the folders that I created (alot) where know longer there--the only thing there was the standard Inbox, Delete, Sent etc.
I went to the system restore from yesterday and it changed the Maintenance Tab setting back to--
C:\Documents & Settings\Paul\Local Settings \Application Data\ID--the way it was before I changed it but when I opened OE the folders did not return.
Anyone got any ideas on what I should do now.
Help, Paul

 

hi paul43 You should have created a folder for the mail files before performing the move. The way you did it they were commingled with all the other files in the "My Documents" folder.

That would still work but it's not desirable. In view of the actions you have taken to change things back and the likelyhood that you have caused OE to lost track of these files and therefore create a new default set, you must now retrieve them manually.

Go into "My Documents" and find all the dbx files and move them to the present location of the message stores folder. Then find any folders that you had created and move those to that same folder also. That will keep them all separate and intact. I actually doubt that you'll find any folders, I think the tree structure gets condensed into a file called folders.dbx and also a separate .dbx file is created for the folder, so you'll get them automatically. Confirm any overwrite messages you may get when moving them. The move is easiest done by holding down the ctrl key while single clicking each one until you get them all. Then right click any one of the highlighted files and select CUT. That places them on your Clipboard. Then navigate to the present message stores folder, right click it and select Paste.

If after you get it sorted back you still want to move those files, and I think it's a good idea, then first create a new folder in "My Documents" and name it to your liking. Then do as you did before, moving the Stored folder but this time browse it to the new folder you just created. It will work just fine that way.

Oh yes, by the way, you can never double click those files and expect to see anything intelligible since as you noticed, they are in code form. OE is the program that recognizes them so don't worry about using them outside it.

Good luck.

 

Zepher - A thought...If paul43 had multiple identities in his OE setup, are they not now all co-mingled. How would you resort them back by identity now?

 

If that were the case and he moved both identities to the same folder, then he will have overwritten the first identity set and end up with the last identity set only. I hope this is not the case since the lost files aren't recoverable using standard measures. Normally the Windows warning about overwriting scares most people off and prevents them from hurting themselves. At least it gives them cause for considering what they are doing.

Then you must also consider that he possibly set up the other account under a different log in identity. In that case the files would not be commingled since they would have been sent to a different "My Documents" folder. That seems more likely but only he can tell us for sure how it was set up.

Thanks for your input.

 

Thanks guys--the separate folders that "I created" are in "MY Documents" Also in there are the ones normally installed by MS
(Inbox, Outbox, Deleted Items, Sent, & Drafts)
When I click on any on these they open under Notepad.

The strange thing is after I got done with my messing around is when I go to OE and open it the default folders (Inbox, Outbox, Deleted Items, Sent, & Drafts) are there but not the one I created.
I awaiting the next step from you guys before I mess anything else up--the wordt part is that I had a lot of info on those folders.
Thank you, Paul

 

Zephyr, I not sure what you are trying to tell me to do in your one post where you say—(Go into "My Documents" and find all the dbx files and move them to the present location of the message stores folder)
It looks like all the folders—even the default ones have "“ dbx ext—and they are all there.— like I said before they all open in NOTEPAD—I can read the stuff in there but it’s still jumbled up.

I went into Windows explorer and was able to copy one of the files to 3 different folders
A- 2C7A8 CDO-78 FA 427F-BF86
B- Microsoft ( which opens with a Outlook Express folder in it)
C- and the Outlook Express folder that opened

When I go back and open Outlook Express—only the default folders show up

 

Paul, You're making this harder than it really is. First, don't refer to these items as folders, it tends to confuse others. The various items with the .dbx extension are FILES.

Second, don't double click on them and try to make sense out of what Notepad shows. These are files that are compiled in program specific language and cannot be opened by Notepad. They are readable by the Outlook Express program.

Furthermore, do not copy them to various different locations. They all belong in the same directory. That directory is the one you have currently selected for the Outlook Express message stores location. You said you had changed it back to the original location. That's where ALL these .dbx files need to be placed. Placing them there one at a time and then trying to test for results will not be rewarding. They ALL need to be there before you will see them properly.

There will be empty replacement versions of all these files in the directory so when you put these files in there it will copy over those empties and bring back all your old messages.

------Let's try the easy way first-----------

Now, here's another way to get them back that might be easier for you. Use the Import feature of Outlook Express. Click on FILE > IMPORT > MESSAGES > highlight Microsoft OutlookExpress 6 > NEXT > tag the box that says "Import Mail from an OE6 store directory." > click OK > click BROWSE > highlight "My Documents" > click OK > NEXT > and see all the files that you need to move. Go ahead and let them be imported into OE and you should then see them as before you messed them up. It that all works as planned, you can then go back and delete all those dbx files that are in the My Documents folder since they are no longer being actively used.

I'll be out for about an hour, give this a shot and I'll check when I return.

Good luck.

 

GOOD NEWS GUYS
I got them all back.
I went to OE > File>Import >messages>slected MS Outlook Express 6>then clicked Main Identity>then BROWSED to My Documents>then either Next or OK
and SHAZZAAM they all showed back up where they where supposed to be.

NOWW--slowly--what is the correct procedure for backing them up to MY DOCUMENTS in one folder and is anybody sure they won't disappear from my mail program again.
Thanks for all the help guys
Paul

 

Good for you. I never doubted for a moment...

Now, let's take it slow and easy so we don't bottom out on any speed bumps.

First, go to the My Documents folder and delete all the .dbx files you see there. Get them ALL sent to the Recycle Bin.

Second, while in the My Documents folder, right click the open field area and select NEW > FOLDER. Then name that folder PaulMail.

Third, close the My Documents screen and open Outlook Express. Click on TOOLS > OPTIONS > MAINTENANCE > STORE FOLDER > CHANGE > then browse the screen to highlight the PaulMail folder you created in the My Documents folder. Click OK > OK and you'll be good to go.

Cheers.

 

Thank you Zephyr, worked exactly as advertised. I have 2 more questions for you.

A-Whenever I add something to one of the files I have listed in OE, will it go automatically to the same file I now have in My Documents or will I have to periodically upated them.

B-In the new Paul's Mail folder I created in My Documents I have 3 files listed there that do not show under the Local Folders inOE.

Offline.dbx
Pop 3 uidl.dbx
Cleanup.log-text document 64kb

Any idea why they show there and not in OE.

Again thanks a lot for your help. There is not a day goes by I don't learn something from this board, hope someday I'll be in the position to pass on what I know to someone who needs help
Paul

 

It will all work automatically. You have nothing to do with the process. That is your one and only mail message store folder now. You do not need to periodically update it!

Those are dynamically created files that OE uses when needed. Do not worry about them. Leave everything in there alone.

Since you recently recreated the OE message store folder, it has not had the need to create those files. They were in the old folder due to some activities you engaged in that caused them to be needed.

Cheers.