Difficulty REimporting Windows Mail files

THIS CORRECTS MY EARLIER POST, WITH APOLOGIES FOR CONFUSING ANYONE.

I am running Vista Home Premium 32, and using Windows Mail version 6 that came pre-installed. No significant problems for the 4 years I've owned this setup.

But, to keep from taxing the mail program size limits, I've just exported some of my older mail folders using the Export command in the Mail program to a directory I created in My Documents. Then as a test and to re-read just one message, I tried to REimport one folder using the Import command. At that point I noted that the Mail program (labeled as Windows Mail 6 as I said above) invited me to import in the format of Windows Mail 7, without offering me the option of Windows Mail 6. The other options did not look helpful either - I don't use Outlook, for example. So Q1 is: do 6 and 7 have the same or at least compatible file formats such that this is actually not likely to be an issue?

Then I tried to import anyway using the Windows 7 choice, and was told that the folders had the wrong format. Perhaps that answers Q1. Regardless, my Q2 is: what went wrong here? Maybe it's got nothing to do with file type and something to do with saving to My Documents?

But Q3 is, of course, how can I recover those folders when I need them?

I'd appreciate guidance that does not suggest use of a different mail program. Windows Mail has worked well enough.for a long time.

Just in case it affects anything, I am using MSE for protection, and it's up to date.

Thanks!

I have made some progress on my problem. While it's true that I have been unable to IMPORT the files, I have been able to VIEW them one by one in their saved-to location. They are in eml format. A right-click lets me open them choosing my same Windows Mail program. This isn't a great solution, because I have around 10,000 messages and no sort capability. But it's a lot better than losing them altogether.

I'd still like to know how to Import these files in their individual saved Folders that contain hundreds of emails, and then select the emails I want to open by looking at their listing in the mail program - i.e., as if they had been imported in bulk.

Yes, for your first question. V6 and V7 are compatible, as the newer versions are always made to be compatible.

And to your second post, when you select the "open with" section, at the bottom left there should be a little check box saying "Open with every time" or "Default program".

Thank you Windows 8. That will indeed help . . . a little.

The problem remains that I've got 10,000 messages identified something like this
OBB3A6-0000106 [date-and-time] Windows Mail 6kB
In other words I'm lacking the information to open them intelligently, i.e., I'm lacking what I can see in a mail Inbox screen, such as a subject.

Ah yes, now its clearer to understand.

Are you able to import them one by one?

This way, just import a single mail file and see if the Subject and other items are still kept.

Unless you can see the subject when you open the file just by clicking on it.

It seems that just placing the cursor on each file reveals quite some info even without clicking. Then just clicking . .. oops, things are hanging. I am doing a carbonite backup that may not help. And I may have other computer problems such as caused me to export a lot of my Mail in the first place. I think I'm going to have to postpone this for a while.

2 am here in Florida, hurricane may be aimed here, going on a cruise, computer problems . . .

Thanks for your help. Later - could be a few days even.

Enjoy your cruise & stay safe!