[speedball1]

Hey Guys,

I have a question about saving information in a folder in E-Mail.
As I installed applications, Nortons, Zone Alarm etc. I made a folder in my E-mail and stored all the access codes in there. If my computer craps out and I have to format will that also wipe out the folders or is everything in the E-Mail section stored outside the computer. I know the E-mails are stored outside but how about the folders. I think the folders would be wiped out if I had to format but I thought I'd ask the experts. Thanks tom

[StuMegu]

It all depends on how you connect to your emails, if you use something like hotmail, the subfolders are still on the website and you will not lose them as long as you re-connect within the timeout period (if it's a free service like hotmail). If you download your emails to something like outlook or outlook express, you may well lose the emails and subfolders if not backed up.

The best way to tell easily, is try to connect to your emails from another computer and see if the folders are there or not.

[NeedKarma]

Another good thing to know is which email program you are using. Some have simple exporting features. Is it your internet provider's email address mail or a webmail address?

[speedball1]

I have Hotmail. Thanks guys! Cheers, Tom

[NeedKarma]

Hi Tom,

If you were using Outlook Express or Outlook you could save a copy of the folders or individual emails because they are files on your machine. For webmail like Hotmail or Yahoo the folders and all the emails live on their servers. If you formatted your machine you would NOT lose those mails. In fact you can access your Hotmail account from any internet connected machine.

If all you are concerned about are access codes then you can open the emails and copy/paste them all into a Word doc that you can save on your commputer AND print out.

Hope this helps.

NK

[fredg]

Hi, speedball,
I second NeedKarma's suggestion about putting your codes, registration numbers, license numbers, etc, in My Documents.
If you have a floppy drive, you could put them on it, for safekeeping. Or, if you have a CD burner, put the file on a CD, for safekeeping.
I keep mine in a "program file", with the .exe files for programs I have. I use Notepad (Start/Programs/Accessories/Notepad), typing in the info, then doing a "save as" into the Program Files/Folder as a .txt file. Then, I can burn all this folder to a CD for safe keeping.
Best wishes.

[ScottGem]

I have Hotmail. Thanks guys! Cheers, Tom

Hi Tom,
If you are using Hotmail as your exclusive e-mail, the question becomes whether you only use it through the WEB or whether you use another e-mail client (like Outlook) to download your mails to your hard drive. Depending on the answer to that depends on how you would backup your e-mail.

One thing I would NOT recommend is keeping that stuff solely on Hotmail's servers. First, there is a possibility it will be purged and, if your e-mail account is ever compromised, someone could get all that info.