Transferring email

[tboat4]

Okay, my wife got me a wonderful new notebook computer for my birthday and now I'm trying to figure out how to transfer all of my email from my old computer to the new one. The system I use is Windows XP Pro and the application is Microsoft Outlook. I've looked in their "help" section, and couldn't find any "help" that is in a manner that a layman, or at least I, could understand.

Since the members of AK have shown themselves to be a treasure trove of information, I'm hoping that one or more of our members will be able to assist me in solving this dilemma.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

How about forwarding the e-mail to yourself and downloading it on the new computer?

 

[kcollins4]

Just did that a few months back, but the specifics escape me. I just googled about it. Basically, your mail is in a specific data file that you copy and then install on your new computer. Someone with a real answer will be along. Same with address book I believe. Probably many ways to do it.

Edit: Find a folder called "identities".

 

[treserious]

are you using outlook, or outlook express?

I do these kinds of data migrations at work EVERY day, and I can handhold you through this quite easily.

 

[tboat4]

Thanks, Outlook 2003.

 

[hypertone]

You need to import the .pst file from the old Outlook account to the new one. It's under C:\documents and settings\username\local settings\application data\microsoft\outlook

When you create the new Outlook account, go to file>import and import the pst file.

 

[treserious]

1)
open outlook, right click the default icon at the top of the directory tree on the left, its the icon with a little house on it.

select properties. click the advanced button on the new window that opens up.

this will give you a new window with some useful info on it.

what you are looking for is the explorer path beside the word "file name"

that filename should end with ".pst"

2)
open up explorer, click tools uo on the top menu, and select "folder options"

in the new window, ensure that " show hidden files and folders" is selected.
uncheck the "hide extentions for known file types"
click OK

now navigate to the path location in step one, and copy the ".pst" file to your external drive/cd whatever.


3)
once you have outlook configured on the new machine you can import the PST file.



**EDIT**

lookit that, my 600th post, to help an AKer, lol.

 

[Hyperion]

If there is no *.PST file then you have been working in 'online mode' and thus all mail is stored on the e-mail server at your service provider. OR you may have a *.OST file which is a replicated local copy of online mail held on the e-mail server.

If this is the case then you simply need to set up Outlook on the new computer exactly that same as on the old one and all your e-mail will be there.

You can use also *.PST files as a means of archiving old mail OR as treserious has already described - use it as a means of transferring mail folders in Outlook format from computer to computer.

John

 

[whoaru99]

Generally, I just copy the .pst file(s).

There is always the option to use "Import and Export..." in the File menu as well.

 

[tboat4]

Once again the wonderful people of AK have come through. Many thanks to all of you who offered help and advice, but special kudos go to treserious for his detailed, step by step instructions. This evening I had to opportunity to try his directions and everything worked perfectly. Thank you, thank you, thank you.