Outlook Express question: where does it store messages?

[gravel5839]

What is the file that has all of my e-mails?

[gravel5839]

please respond quick, im in a hurry

[MxxCon]

if you need priority access 24/7 tech support, i'm available on hourly fee. pm me for details.

it's either .dbx or .pst

[gravel5839]

i know how to export them to outlook, i just can't do that right now. can't you just tell me the name of the file?

[BadGopher]

In win2k & XP - C:Documents and Settings<>Local SettingsApplication DataIdentities<>MicrosoftOutlook Express

Should be able to copy the *.dbx files no problems.

-Bad Gopher

[gravel5839]

whats guid?

[The Burning Rom]

Outlook Express

Tools -> Options -> Maitenance -> Store Folder

It will tell you where it stores mail.

[gravel5839]

this is the part i dont think i can do because my comp got messed up and i need to get the mail from my hd on another comp :(

[BadGopher]

  Quote

Originally posted by stuckwithme247

whats guid?

GUID = Globally Unique Identifier - Basically a long random number windows assigns to everything so it can tell the difference between things. It usually looks something like:

{C59BBE33-3C30-458E-A53B-C28532C26B5C}

so, the directory would be something like:

C:Documents and SettingsBadGopherLocal SettingsApplication DataIdentities{C59BBE33-3C30-458E-A53B-C28532C26B5C}MicrosoftOutlook Express

-Bad Gopher

[gravel5839]

can i find mine for outlook express without opening oe up?

[BadGopher]

If you can bring up a command prompt, type

dir *.dbx /s

it should find a inbox.dbx, sent items.dbx, etc... and it should show you the directory it's in.

or set windows to show hidden and system files...

-Bad Gopher

[BadGopher]

Ideally if possible, he wants to get past the identities folder, since if he has to re-install windows, a new GUID will be assigned, and even if he just copies the identities foder back, he might not be able to easily get the e-mails back (windows won't know where to look).

-Bad GOpher

[gravel5839]

worked!! thank you so much badgopher!!

[BadGopher]

No prob. I've run into the same damn thing several times on my machine.

-Bad Gopher

[besiboyz]

err get a backup utility http://www.outlook-express-backup.com/

[Ekimus]

If you made any mail folders other than the default Inbox, Outbox, Sent, etc. folders then they will show up as individual .dbx files, one .dbx file for each . Look through the GIUD directories until you find the one that corresponds to your OE setup. Then copy all the files in that GIUD directory and paste them into the GIUD directory you are assigned on the other computer. When you start up OE on the new computer, all your mail should be there in the folders you put them.

If you're copying these .dbx files onto a friend's computer, you should first make a new account and copy the .dbx files into that new account. Otherwise you will be copying over (overwriting) your friend's mail.

This is part of the reason why I switched to Eudora. A lot less hassle and it handles mail better in so many ways.

[Daybreak]

Insofar as I know, it is entirely possible to change the directory Outlook Express uses for storing mail...

Under Tools/Options/Maintenance, there is a command "Store Folder" that allows you to change your mail store directory. I always move it to another partition in case my primary gets hosed. Also, the Troubleshooting logs are pretty useful when you run into problems connecting with your mail servers...

Outlook I'm not too sure though.

[gravel5839]

yea, i changed it and made a folder for it in my documents so its not hard to backup

[gravel5839]

  Quote

Originally posted by besiboyz

err get a backup utility http://www.outlook-express-backup.com/

thanks a lot for that, its really good