How to Move Outlook Express to a New Computer

When getting a new computer, you may want to import files and account settings from the old computer to the new one. If you want to save your address book and emails with Outlook Express you will have to look at moving these files and settings from the older computer to the new machine in a process that's called importing and exporting. It's a simple process that can be achieved with Outlook Express running on both computers.

Instructions

Back Up Emails

1. Open up Outlook Express on the old computer.

2. Find the email storage folder by clicking "Tools."

3. Click "Options" and then "Maintenance."

4. Click "Store Folder," which will show you the path to the email directory. Copy this directory by highlighting the directory and copying with "Ctrl" and "C."

5. Click the "Start" button and then "Run" to open up a new window.

6. In the address bar press "Ctrl" and "V" to paste the folder you copied the directory of earlier and press "Enter."

7. Highlight all the subfolders in this folder and press "Ctrl" and "C" to copy.

8. Right click on the desktop and select "New" and then "New Folder." Click on the text "New Folder" once and change the text to "Outlook Backup."

9. Double click to open the "Outlook Backup" folder and press "Ctrl" and "V" to copy the contents into it.

Export the Address Book

1. Go back to Outlook Express and press "Ctrl" and "Shift" and "B" to open the "Address Book."

2. Click "File," "Export" and then "Address Book (WAB)."

3. When prompted, save the file to the "Outlook Backup" folder that you created on the desktop.

Import Emails

1. Copy the contents of the "Outlook Backup" folder on the desktop onto a recordable CD, a floppy disk or a thumb drive or USB drive; or you can network the computers together via a home network.

2. Bring the media used to the new computer and copy the contents of the "Outlook Backup" folder to the desktop.

3. Open Outlook Express and click "File," "Import" and "Messages."

4. Select the option "Microsoft Outlook Express 6" and press "Next." Select "Import Mail from an OE6 Store Directory" and press "Next."

5. Choose the directory "Outlook Backup" that you copied onto the desktop and click "Import" to bring the emails to your new computer.

Import the Address Book

1. Click "File," "Import" and then "Address Book."

2. Choose the "Address Book" file in the "Outlook Backup" folder.

3. Click "Import" to bring the "Address Book" to the new computer. Both the "Address Book" and your emails should now be on your new computer.

Tips & Warnings

• If using recordable media such as a CD or DVD to copy the files, you will want to take an extra step to ensure that the email files open correctly on the new computer. Once the files are in the new folder on the desktop, you will need to right click the new folder, select "Properties" and then uncheck where it says "Read Only." Click "OK" to proceed.

References

• Microsoft: Outlook Express
• Microsoft: How to back up and to restore Outlook Express data