If you have a brand new computer, or are reasoning about buying one in the near future, one of the things that you will need to reconsider is how to change your emails from the old theory to the new system.
At least once a week in my job as a help desk analyst, I am helping a buyer set up Outlook Express or Outlook (there are other email clients that are used, but these two are the most popular) on their new computer. Once we are terminated with the setup and they open it up to the Inbox the ask is asked "where are my old emails?" The uncomplicated answer; "on your old computer". Then of policy the follow up ask is; "how do I get them to the new computer?"
Computer Mouse Features
Easy or Hard
The easiest way to do this is to back them up to an external hard drive or a compact disc before you make the switch to the new computer and then copy them over to the new computer in the exact same directory. The harder way is in the case of a crashed computer or the inability to access the files normally. I cover a bit of that in other article called 'Got Backups?' which you can find at my website.
Outlook Express
With Outlook Express your emails/email folders are stored on your hard drive in a directory that is buried way down deep in the Operating System. Instead of me giving you the full path to get there, it's easiest if you have Outlook Express open, click on Tools then Options.
Copy/Paste
Once you are here, click on the Maintenance tab and then click on the Store portfolio button. This will pop other window with the location of your emails. Using your mouse, highlight the path and then right click and copy it.
You will then click on the Start button, then click Run, and then right click in the Open box and Paste the path. Click Ok.
This will open other window with your email files. Unless you have added other folders to your Outlook Express, the default folders will be here with a .dbx postponement (Folders, Inbox, Sent Items, Deleted Items, and Drafts).
Backup
If you are going to write these files to a Cd, you can burn them at this time by using your favorite burning software (providing that you have a Cd burner installed in your computer).
To copy them to an external hard drive, you must now associate that expedient to your computer, originate a portfolio on that drive (I usually call it Email Backups), copy the files from the old computer then paste the files into the Email Backups folder.
Import
Once you have the files copied to the Cd or external drive, then you will go to the new installation of Outlook Express and import the messages. It would be nice if you could just copy them to the new Oe and be done, but Microsoft doesn't like you to do it that way.
Open up Oe and then click on File, Import, Messages. This will open a new window called Outlook Express Import. Select Microsoft Outlook Express 6 then click Next. Click in the circle that says 'Import mail from an Oe6 store directory'. Click Ok. Then click 'Browse' and navigate to and elect the directory you have saved them to. Click Ok. The next window will give you a list of all of the email folders you have previously saved. Keep 'All folders' superior and click Next.
This will begin the process of importing all of your 'old' emails into your 'new' Outlook Express. Once it has terminated you will have all of your old emails back! Cool, huh?
Outlook
The policy to save and then import your emails in Outlook is similar, but different.
To start with, Outlook uses a file postponement called pst, or Personal portfolio File. Don't ask me why it's called that. Call Bill Gates and ask him.
Export
You will start on the old computer and with Outlook open, click on File, then 'Import and Export'. This opens the Import and Export Wizard. Select 'Export to a file' then click Next. Select 'Personal portfolio File' here and then click Next. In the Export Personal Folders dialogue box you have your option of what you want to do. The easiest is to keep the default option of just the inbox, but if you want your sent items and all the other folders, Select the top item (Personal Folders) and then Select the 'Include subfolders' option and then click Next.
The next window will have a default location listed
(usually C:Documents and Settings'your computer name'Local SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftOutlookbackup.pst). I would suggest following the same policy as for Oe (see above). Then click 'Finish' and let it do it's thing.
Once you have your pst files backed up, move to the new computer and the import process will again be similar to Oe.
Connect your external hard drive to your computer or insert the Cd into the drive.
Import
Open Outlook, click on File, then Import and Export. In the Import and Export Wizard, this time Select 'Import from other schedule or file' then click Next. In the 'Import a File' window, scroll down and elect Personal portfolio File (.pst) and then click Next.
In the 'Import Personal Folders' window, click the Browse button and navigate out to the location of your backed up pst file, Select it and then click Next. Click 'Finish' and it will import all of your messages.
New Computer - Old Email, or How to Back up and exchange Your Email