How can I transfer the contents of my Outlook Express Inbox onto another PC?

[Impret-Sir]

Its easy to transfer email messages between programs on the same PC, but I want to put the messages from the inbox on my old computer into the inbox of outlook express on my new one. Cant seem to find a way to do it! I can back up the old inbox onto a floppy, but then I cant seem to find a way to import that into the new PC, anyone know what to do??

[Buenchico]

This alway works for me:

On the old PC, search for Inbox.dbx and copy the file to a CD (or a floppy, if it will fit).

On the new PC, search for Inbox.dbx. Right click on the file in the results pane. Select 'open containing folder'. Now copy the file from the CD/floppy into that folder. (When you're asked if you want to over-write the existing file, click 'Yes').

Chris

[Hammer]

You can just drag and drop them from your inbox in outlook express to a floppy or USB drive or burn them to CD, then drag and drop them from there into your new PC's inbox.

You don't need to mess about with export or import options or finding files. This worked for me and is dead easy.

[puzzlesRus]

The two posts already made, assume that there are no messages that you wish to keep, that may already be in your new PC. If this is the case, then fine. If, however, you wish to merge old with new, then a proper import is necessary.

In all probability, a floppy disk will not have enough space to perform a proper import, since you will need the file named folders.dbx in addition to the file named inbox.dbx

If you have a usb pen drive or card reader, you can create a folder named Outlook Express on the media, then copy from your old pc the files named folders.dbx and inbox.dbx to the folder you have just created. Then from Outlook Express on your new PC, select file>import>messages and from the next dialog screen select Outlook Express 6, click NEXT and check the box named 'Import mail from an OE6 store directory' and follow the instructions from there.

[Impret-Sir]

Thanks a lot for the really prompt answers guys. The inbox on my new PC is empty so I will try the first two ideas first as they seem the simplest. Except, Hammer, how exactly do I drag and drop the file from the floppy into my new inbox? Does OE have to be open then I drag the file from the desktop or... what?!

[Buenchico]

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Your question to Hammer is actually answered in my post but I'll just try to make it a bit clearer.

I'll assume that you've managed to copy your old Inbox.dbx file to a CD. Now follow the instructions in the last paragraph of my post, above, so that you've got a window open displaying the contents of the folder, on your new PC, that includes the file Inbox.dbx. (If this window is full screen, drag the edges to make it smaller).

Put the CD into the drive. Go to 'My Computer' and double-click the icon for your CD drive. This will open a window showing the contents of the CD. (Once again, if it opens full screen, drag the sides of the window so that it's smaller).

You'll now have two windows open simultaneously. In the window displaying the CD's contents, click on inbox.dbx. Keep the left mouse button held down while you drag the file icon across to the other open window, then release the button. When you see a dialogue box asking if you want to over-write the existing file, click 'Yes'.

Chris

[Impret-Sir]

Thanks again, but thats where my confusion has arisen, when I searched for Inbox.dbx on my new PC it couldnt find a file by that name.

[Impret-Sir]

Thanks again, but thats where my confusion has arisen, when I searched for Inbox.dbx on my new PC it couldnt find a file by that name. I have the file on a floppy from my old PC with that name, but not one on the new machine.

[Buenchico]

I assume that you're using Windows XP. (I'm not. I stick with Millennium). One of the things I hate about XP is that it turns the simple task of searching for files into a complex one!

Inbox.dbx is probably designated as a 'hidden' file or even as a 'system' file. You might need to check whether there's an option, buried somewhere in XP's search dialogue to 'show all files'. It must be there somewhere!

Just a hint: I've sometimes found it easier to find files like this one by simply searching for the extension. Try searching for *.dbx rather than inbox.dbx

Chris