Everywhere I look I see the answer is no - I cannot do the above... but there's GOT to be a way... doesn't there? :o
Any suggestions for a workaround to this?
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Everywhere I look I see the answer is no - I cannot do the above... but there's GOT to be a way... doesn't there? :o
Any suggestions for a workaround to this?
... any of you who have gone from XP to Vista... were you able to somehow get your email folders imported into Windows Mail?
Rick,
I had the same issue. I found the answer and got mine imported. Follow the following steps:
1. Create a directory under the current user's Documents, such as Documents\OEMail. This directory needs to be within the user's space, such as under Documents, in order to prevent possible access permissions problems.
2. Copy all the dbx files from one Outlook Express Identity into this directory, ensuring that folders.dbx is included.
3. Go to Edit | Select all in Windows Explorer and select all the dbx files. Then right click on the selection and choose Properties and ensure that the read only attribute of the files is unchecked.
4. In Windows Mail go to File | Import Messages and choose Outlook Express 6 format and choose to import from a directory.
5. Then use the Browse button to browse to the directory of dbx files. Make sure that when you set the directory that what is listed in the path is correct (NOTE: Vista can put the wrong path in here sometimes, so instead of c:\mypath it puts c:\mypath\mypath, so check the path to verify that it is correct, and if it is not correct then fix it by clicking the Browse button a second time and then leave the selection blank and clicking Okay.).
6. Then select the files from which you wish to import messages and click Import.
This procedure worked for me. If you have difficulties, go to backup for clarification. That is where I found this procedure that worked for me.
:) smart answer...
For me, I had to make sure the Read Only box was CHECKED before it would import the messages.
Ingrid
I am setting up my new Vista Business computer and could NOT get my Outlook Express imported until I read this answer!! Importing as we speak:)
Thanks, after getting C:\Documents\OEMail\OEMail (why, I ask? ), I had to do as you said and click the browse button a second time to fix the folder address to get C:\Documents\OEMail - I couldn't edit the path in the normal by simply backspacing and retyping. Vista is just plain nuts. Unbelievable. :mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by JAF
Jaf
Thanks for the info that was great and easy to follow even for a basic user like me !
I had the same prob with vista doubling up the path/path thing but once that sorted as you advised , job done
Many thanks again
George
If you are doing a vista/office upgrade this procedure should be done automatically, but if I am wrong correct me...
Rick,
With your advice everything seemed to work fine - the program counted down the importing of all my emails. But - in Windows Mail now three new catalogs have appeared, all of them empty!
What did I do wrong?
Don't know of a solution as the above didn't work for me lol
But found a work around program to view dbx files which helped me out
OE Reader download and review - view Outlook Express .dbx files from SnapFiles
It work! JAF is my hero...
Very Helpful, thanks. I did not believe it would have worked for me but actually it did. Thanks!
Hi JAF I followed your directions regarding this matter and it doesn't show any files in the folder I created. So now how do I do it or is there a box that is not checked somewhere.
Regards
Bruce
My problem is that the folder under Identities where the .dbx files should be is said to be empty. I believe I'm going to the right destination, but there are no files there. Any suggestions?Quote:
Originally Posted by JAF
I used Microsoft Outlook to import the Outlook Express email into a PST file. I then imported the PST file into Windows Mail.
At least the Outlook PST files are readable by both programs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jnjmitch
Hi, I have the same problem... I created the folder under my user and I've copied all dbx files in there. But when I try to import them using windows mail the folder is empty... :( Can someone please help us? Thks
SOLUTION: for those that cannot see the dbx files in the folder... that's because you are not supposed to select the dbx files themeselves but the folder which contains them
So simply choose to import the folder which includes the dbx files.
Personally, I created my own folder on a secondary drive for security and performance reasons. I didn't know about all this when I made the move to Vista.
JAF's answer worked perfectly for me.
All I had to do was select the folder where I actually STORED my mail files, and there were no issues.
I knew there HAD to be a way to import from OE to Windows mail.
Thanks to JAF and Alpurl for their comments! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by alpurl
Ditto - JAF's solution worked for me with one twist: the import wizard kept stalling when it tried to import the "deleted items.dbx" file. I ended up with an empty "Imported Folder" in my new Windows Mail program.
My work around solution: Instead of clicking the "All folders" option in the "Select Folders" prompt, I clicked on the "Selected folders" option, and individually selected all the folders that I wanted to import, making sure that I did NOT select the " option, and individually selected all the folders that I wanted to import, making sure that I did NOT select the ". Worked like a charm.
Note: Everything was imported into a new folder which the wizard named ". Worked like a charm.
Note: Everything was imported into a new folder which the wizard named ". In there, I found all my imported OE messages and OE folders perfectly organized as they were in the OE program on my old computer.
I used a flash drive/memory stick for my OE messages, and did NOT have to move them to my "Documents" folder.
This did help me. When I navigated to find the .dbx files I put in (C:\Users\XXX\Documents\OEMail), Windows Mail could not see them to import, even though there were several and included folders.dbx BUT READ THE ADVICE ABOVE CAREFULLY. SELECT THE FOLDER AND DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE THE FILES!
The issue for me appears to be related totally to the bug in the double folder name as someone above mentioned. And you can't directly edit it. But if you quit the import, do it again and DELETE the folder name of the last entry, it'll work. At least it worked for me without copying files to another location or making them read only.
Thanks
I had 2 identities with OE in XP. Vista only imported one of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by benn11
Rick's suggestion worked for the identity that vista did not import but I have a deeper situation. I archived on CDR older mail files (***.DBX). Using the method listed above did not work for the archived files because I assume the file names were not in the data in the folders.dbx file.
Any suggestions for this one?
Thanks
Rick and aries94404,
The solution was good for me in part. Unfortunately, no matter what I tried, "deleted items" remained in the field and blocked the transfer by the "All Folders" option. I had to choose "Selected Folders" and import folders in batches.
I attempted to import 8 years of records in about 200 folders or about 2 GB. After a day's work I managed to transfer about half. The process stalled often, always giving the same message,
"Not all of the messages from the folder, ' ... ' could be imported. An error has occurred." The error folder ended up imported but was always empty. Many other folders did get imported. There was a need to move the imported folders into one called, "Imported Folder" from scores of "Imported Folders" each numbered e.g. 1 2 3 4 etc..
I have most of what I want in the new system. The rest have to stay on another drive in OE6.
It had to be done. So, many thanks again. IanMus
The official Microsoft How To:
Import messages into Windows Mail from Outlook Express - Windows Vista Help
For those of you that could not import the messages, when you click on the poperties for the message uncheck both read only and archive. If archive is checked it will report that there are no messages in the directory.
JAF, this may helpme - I have exactly the same problem as Rick - but how do I create a new directory (your para 1)? Many thanks Robe165
The answer by "okcomputer" did the trick for me but, please note, only after I put the folder containing the .dbx files in my Documents. It would not import from a file on the desktop, a memory stick, nor an external hard drive. Also the double folder name seems to be a bug in the routine but OK's method got around that, as well.
Each import will create a new mail folder named "Imported Folder(1,2..)." This will contain the folder you selected. You can later drag and drop these imported folders where you want them in the usual manner.
Many thanks to "OKcomputer" for the solution to this one.
Thx for reply. However, I now have 2 frustrating problems. I've got all my email folders from old crashed laptop (XP) in a folder ("old emails") under My Docs on new laptop (Vista HP). When I try to import, I get to final stage where I get message"No messages can be found in this folder or another application is running that has the required files open". Both statements are untrue - I know the files are there, because I can open them with Notepad (although there is a lot of Notepad gobbledygook in amongst the words). HELP! What am I doing wrong?
Secondly, when I try to open the files in the "old emails" folder using Windows Mail, I simply get taken straight to the current inbox on Windows Mail.
I would be extremely grateful for any assistance - this is driving me nuts!
Many thanks - robe165
Hi,
I had the same problem as many of you are. I copied my DBX files and pasted them into a folder on the desktop of my new Vista machine. When I tried to import the messages I got a message that said "no files found".
Nest, I put the Files in a folder on the C:\ (root drive) and I got the same results.
Here's how I fixed it. I pasted the DBX files directly to the C:\ drive (did not put them in a folder). I then chose the C:\ drive to import the messages from and it did so flawlessly, 880 megs worth.
I spent hours researching this and I wanted to share this. There seems to be a problem with Vista and the import program where it sees double directories. Should be C:\ old emails and instead it sees C:\ old emails\old emails.
rsrandy
I need a recent outlook, is possible to have one without spend money? Work with emails.
There are something new good too?
I have windows XP
Thank you
I've tried putting the dbx files in multiple directories. I tried the root c:\, I tried in the documents directory, I tried in documents\OEemail, I tried several directories on a flash drive, I made sure they were not read only, I tried making it read only. I made sure the path was correct and still I get "No messages can be found in this folder or another application is running that has the required files open". Any ideas would be much appreciated.
I tried doing it this way but it wasn't working, it couldn't "locate" the folder.
But I made a backup disc and made that my original source and it worked flawlessly.
So I guess just burning a cd with the dbx files and choosing the cd folder will work.
malobarr, I had the same issue. Try burning a cd with all the dbx files, then click on "browse", and select the DVD/CD drive. It automatically read the files and it also allowed me to select the folders I wanted to import.
I just want to say that not only did this work for Vista, but it restored my corrupted OE files on my XP machine that nothing else could restore! Virtual drinks on me!
Many thanks!
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