Outlook Express Backup how to

[georgia_e]

I want to reinstall Windows Xp soon, as I got a virus and after cleaning the computer doesn't work as smooth as before. I gives some strange erros and sometimes it justs hangs up... I want to backup Outlook Express emails and settings before reinstall, and restore afterwards. Any help?

[Sylvander]

SMALL
1. The emails for OE are held in ".dbx" files. [search for those files]
There will be a different folder [each holding a set of dbx files] for each identity [if you have identities in use].
As a minimum there will be your own folder and the default folder.
You should be able to recognise which is which from the names of the dbx files.
My default folder hasn't been moved from "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Identities\{long code}\Microsoft\Outlook Express".
2. The Windows Address Book is held in 2 files = [username].wab [the main file] & [username].wa~ [the backup file].
3. For each identity...
Go to "OE->Tools->Accounts->Export..." and save the ".iaf" file to a location of your choice.
OR...

Thinking BIG'er
4. Move ALL personal data files off C: to a small [say 1 GB D:] dedicated partition [I'm using 500 MB of mine].
5. Use a program like [the FREE version of] "SyncBack" to synchronise [or backup] all your personal data files [contents of the D: partition] to a safe location.
[I do it to a 1 GB USB "Flash Drive" = H:]
6. That means that at all times there are 2 [identical when just synchronised] copies of all your data files, one of which is on a removeable USB Flash drive.
7. After you reinstall XP...
You could run Windows Explorer [or "SyncBack"] to copy the files back to D:
Then tell your various programs where to look for their files [on D: rather than the default location on C:].
These programs would then ignore the [few default] files on C: but you could leave those defaults there if you like just in case the configuration settings changed back and the programs began looking there for their files.

8. Here are some of the ways to move the home locations...
a. My Documents. [Use “TweakUI” to move their home]
b. E-mails for all identities. [use the email client to move their home]
c. Internet Explorer Favourites. [Use “TweakUI” to move their home]
d. Temporary Internet Files. [use the browser (Internet Explorer) to move them]
e. Re-home the Windows Address Book as shown here http://tinyurl.com/24q6l . Use the key “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\Wab FileName” to specify its new address. [Its normal home address is C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\(the name of your user profile).WAB]

9.
Image 1 below = the data files moved to D:
Image 2 below = the synchronised copy of D: on [Flash Drive] H:

[Sylvander]

You could even switch to running/using Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition (http://portableapps.com/news/2007-03-05_-_thunderbird_portable_1.5.0.10) from the "Flash Drive" and telling it to use the copy of its files stored on the Flash Drive, and synchronising those to D: as a backup.

Or even have an ordinary copy of Thunderbird installed on C: and another portable copy on the Flash Drive, and tell the copy on C: to use the data files on D: and the copy on the Flash drive to use the data files on the Flash Drive [both sets of data files being synchronised].
That way [I think] you could take the Flash Drive to any PC running a suitable OS and access your emails there, and save them to the Flash drive not that PC.
You'd synchronise the files on the Flash Drive to D: when you returned to your home PC.

I haven't done that yet myself, but I'd like to if I can figure out the details of how to do it all.

[georgia_e]

Thanks for your help!I found a very good solution:
http://www.bodrag.com/outlook-express-backup.html

[Paul Komski]

How did you find your very good solution? $20 mightn't be that much but it is an unnecessary expense for most. Can you confirm that you didn't have the solution before you posted your request for help? Swapping to Thunderbird seems a much better solution and then just backup its single profile folder.