Migrating e-mail

From TSG Library of Knowledge

1 Migrating e-mail
- 1.1 Moving from Windows XP to Windows Vista with Windows Mail

Migrating e-mail

Moving from Windows XP to Windows Vista with Windows Mail

Outlook 2003 to Outlook Express

Outlook 2003 uses Personal Folders (.pst files) as its container for messages, contacts, tasks, calendars, notes and journal entries.

Outlook Express versions 5 through 6 use .dbx files to contain its messages.

Windows Mail messages are now saved as .eml files.

Windows Mail can Import messages from Outlook 2003, if Outlook 2003 is not installed on the same computer as Windows Mail, the messages in Outlook 2003 will need to take a different format. Using Outlook Express to Import the messages from Outlook 2003, the Imported messages will then have the same format. The resulting .dbx files can be copied to the Windows Vista computer where the .dbx files can be Imported into Windows Mail.

Import Outlook 2003 messages into Outlook Express

Start Outlook Express:
File > Import > Messages

Start the Import using Outlook Express (Click image to enlarge)

Select: Microsoft Outlook
Click: Next > Next

Select: Microsoft Outlook

Click: Next

The Import will begin immediately.

Import in process (Click image to enlarge)

When the Import completes, click: Finish

Import complete

Locate the Outlook Express Message Store

The Message Store is simply the folder or directory that contains the .dbx files for the current Identity in Outlook Express.

In Outlook Express,
Tools > Options > Store Folder button

(Click image to enlarge)

Click: Store Folder

The directory for the Outlook Express Message Store appears in the Store Location window.
Tapping the Tab key will cycle the focus of the mouse and select the directory for you.
From there Right click > Copy or press ctrl + C to copy the directory location.

Paste the directory location into the Address Bar of Windows Explorer or My Computer, press Enter or click Go
Right click the Outlook Express folder containing the .dbx files and Copy the folder.
Paste the folder to the Desktop, save the folder to a flash drive, CD or DVD to transfer to the computer using Windows Mail.

(Click image to enlarge)

Import the Outlook Express Message Store into Windows Mail

Paste the folder containing the DBX files to the Desktop of the receiving computer.

Start Windows Mail

File > Import > Messages

Select/Highlight: Microsoft Outlook Express 6 > Next

Browse to the folder on the Desktop that contains the DBX files. Click/Select the folder.

Verify the directory path does not contain a duplicated folder name. If it has a duplicate folder name, click the Browse button again, then click the Select Folder button, again.