Outlook Express database

[Brian Turner]

I find I tend to reformat my PC fairly regularly - about once every 3-6 months.

While it's easy enough to save most of your files to CD/DVD/USB stick, it's not so apparent where the Outlook Express database is.

And the last thing I want to do is lose my e-mail records.

For some reason it always takes me ages to find where the database is located, so for my own reference as much as anybody's, here's the file path on my machine:

C: drive
/Documents and Settings/
/(user-name)/
/Local Settings/
/Application Data/
/Identities/
/(number)/
/Microsoft/
/Outlook Express/

My own method is to simply close Outlook Express, then copy the entire Outlook Express folder to MyDocuments - then simply burn to DVD with the rest of my files.

Then once reformated, simply transfer the Outlook Express folder - containing the original e-mail files - back to its place.

Instant e-mail transfer.

[JamesSmith]

C:\Documents and Settings\James Smith\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{BIG LONG NUMBER}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Inbox.dbx

In Outlook Express, right click the folder name and click properties, it will show the path.

[Brian Turner]

Bumped for reference.

[Joff]

I've found issues in the past when migrating to a new OE install, where the index for the folders needs to be recreated.

If you've copied over your backed up mbx files to your new PC and can't see the folders, then:
Delete all the files you've just copied over leaving an empty folder (OE will create them all for you when it's first run).
Start OE and create new folders (ie, Work, Personal, Project1, etc).
Shut down OE.
Now refresh the folder and you should have all the .mbx files for the folders above. Copy across the files again from your backup, overwriting the ones OE just created.
Restart OE.

Or failing that, get Thunderbird