Restore Mail from backup >>> now mail isn't indexed by Vista?

Hi all,

My understaning is that we can simply copy the contents of the Windows
Live Mail folder to back up our email. (ie, so I might later simply
copy that data back into the Windows Live Mail folder if I want to
restore it)

But it seems doing so borks the Vista indexer -- for example, if I:

1) back up my Windows Live Mail folder to a network share

2) load a "clean" Vista image back onto the PC (one with a plain
"vanilla" Windows Live Mail install)

3) delete the contents of the "vanilla" Windows Live Mail folder, and
copy the backup in from the network share

When I do this, the contents of the Windows Live Mail folder are no
longer included in the Vista index. It seems the folders and files
aren't retaining the "index this" flag through the round trip.

Am I doing something wrong? Shouldn't the restored copy have the same
Vista indexer behavior? Do others here also just copy the store for
backups?

Thanks! -Scott

Is it possible that Vista hasn't reindexed the contents..

My prefrerred back up method for WLM when restoring a vanilla Vista/WLM
image is slightly different.
1. File/Export/Accounts
- export each email account to a *.iaf file
2. File/Export/Messages/Windows Live Mail/Next
- Use the Browse button to navigate to a blank folder(required, create
one if not already done using the Make Folder option), select the folder
- Click OK/Next/<select>All Folders
- Click Next to Export the entire folder structure and messages(Mail and
News)
- Click Finish

To restore post a vanillla replacement image
1. WLM/Tools/Accounts/Import for email accounts(repeat for each saved *.iaf
file)
2. File/Import/Messages/Windows Live Mail/Next
-Browse to the saved folder, select it to import,
- Click OK/Next/select 'All Folders'
- Cllick Next to Import
- Click Finish if prompted.

Vista's Index will eventually catch-up as long as the import location(the
replaced store) folder is configured by Vista to Index(e.g. Users default)

--
...winston
ms-mvp windows live mail


"turnstyle" <turnstyle@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:45d71ac6-6712-4e36-ae88-eca6d0f2b0f6@xxxxxx
Hi all,

My understaning is that we can simply copy the contents of the Windows
Live Mail folder to back up our email. (ie, so I might later simply
copy that data back into the Windows Live Mail folder if I want to
restore it)

But it seems doing so borks the Vista indexer -- for example, if I:

1) back up my Windows Live Mail folder to a network share

2) load a "clean" Vista image back onto the PC (one with a plain
"vanilla" Windows Live Mail install)

3) delete the contents of the "vanilla" Windows Live Mail folder, and
copy the backup in from the network share

When I do this, the contents of the Windows Live Mail folder are no
longer included in the Vista index. It seems the folders and files
aren't retaining the "index this" flag through the round trip.

Am I doing something wrong? Shouldn't the restored copy have the same
Vista indexer behavior? Do others here also just copy the store for
backups?

Thanks! -Scott

> Is it possible that Vista hasn't reindexed the contents..

The problem seems to be that when I restore the backup (by copying the
WLM folder back to the fresh box) -- the restored files/folders don't
have the same "index this" flag set. (ie, right-click a file or
folder, and then Properties > Advanced -- and you'll see the "index
this" checkbox. Before the backup/restore, they are checked, and after
they are unchecked.

So, the Indexer now skips the unchecked items -- (ie, Indexer say
"completed" but at a much smaller number of files).

The advantage of backing up the WLM folder is that it can be automated
-- as opposed to manually having to back up from within WLM...

-Scott

Try the method I suggested
You will have to start clean(remove what you copied), let WLM do the work
with what it is familiar, then Vista will function as it should.

--
...winston
ms-mvp windows live mail


"turnstyle" <turnstyle@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:fecc0c30-d5cb-4263-91c7-6f2ec77d215b@xxxxxx The problem seems to be that when I restore the backup (by copying the
WLM folder back to the fresh box) -- the restored files/folders don't
have the same "index this" flag set. (ie, right-click a file or
folder, and then Properties > Advanced -- and you'll see the "index
this" checkbox. Before the backup/restore, they are checked, and after
they are unchecked.

So, the Indexer now skips the unchecked items -- (ie, Indexer say
"completed" but at a much smaller number of files).

The advantage of backing up the WLM folder is that it can be automated
-- as opposed to manually having to back up from within WLM...

-Scott

On Feb 5, 4:42*am, "...winston" <winston...@xxxxxx> wrote:
But then how do you automate the backup of your Windows Live Mail? Or
do you always manually back it up?

thanks, -Scott

Define automate?
Unattended
User deployed
Third Party
Windows Task Scheduler

--
...winston
ms-mvp windows live mail


"turnstyle" <turnstyle@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:f1768e97-589b-414e-ac53-343465146e3b@xxxxxx
On Feb 5, 4:42 am, "...winston" <winston...@xxxxxx> wrote:
But then how do you automate the backup of your Windows Live Mail? Or
do you always manually back it up?

thanks, -Scott

> Define automate?

I use an app called Second Copy -- it's somewhat like Microsoft's
SyncToy -- it simply saves a specified set of folders to another drive
or to a network share. So, this app backs up the contents of a few
folders on my PC, including the Windows Live Mail folder.

thanks, -Scott

Hi turnstyle.

It is quite acceptable and useful to backup the Message Store in its entirety. However, when restoring such a backup, be aware that a full recovery of the database could ensue if the Message Store replaced is from a version of WLMail that is older than your backup. Nevertheless, I regularly back up my Message Store and have restored it several times successfully and without any problems at all, including indexing.

Currently however, I prefer to use "Windows Live Mail Backup" by Static Software (http://www.staticbackup.com/windows-live-mail-backup), which seems to restore things to the same OS (or from XP to Vista) without any problems, including indexing, from my experiences. It has an option to backup/restore only the Message Store, or the relevant registry keys along with the Message Store.

As for your indexing problem, it could simply be that the backup software you are using is not keeping the indexing setting in the backup of the Message Store. If it is not compressed, go to a backup at the Message Store folder and check the indexing setting there.

You could try manually making a "copy" of your Message Store (copy/paste) and see how the indexing works out with that.

Otherwise, explore the Indexing Options in Control Panel for a possible solution.
--
Cheers,
Peter
(Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Live Mail 12.0.1606)
"There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Shakespeare
---------------

"turnstyle" <turnstyle@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:1856cdf8-ea79-44a1-b3b1-2196d6f47048@xxxxxx

Is there a way to copy and paste all emails in Windows Live Mail the same way
you could on Outlook Express? In OE, you went to local settings and
itenties and the dbx files were the ones you copied and pasted into some
backup file.

I looks like I am being forced to use Windows Live Mail.

Thanks



"Peter.R" wrote:

Unlike Outlook Express, messages in Windows Live Mail are stored as separate files in the Message Store*, but the file names are coded.

Messages can be dragged directly from the WLMail interface to a folder in Windows Explorer.

You can always use the export option (File->Export->Messages...) to back up your messages.

If you simply copy the entire Message Store as a backup, messages can be dragged from the old Message Store to your WLMail interface as a method of importing them, or you can import messages directly from your old Messages Store through File->Import->Messages...->Windows Live Mail->Browse... [button] to your old Windows Live Mail Message Store folder.

*To find the location of your message store, go Tools->Options...->Advanced [tab]->Maintenance->Store Folder (the default location is a hidden folder).

The default location of Windows Live Mail's Message Store is:

Vista: %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail
(C:\Users\<Windows user account>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail)

XP: %userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail
(C:\Documents and Settings\<windows user account>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail)

--
Cheers,
Peter
(Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 with Windows Live Mail 12.0.1606)
"There are more things in Heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Shakespeare
---------------

"RICHARD BORNING" <RICHARD BORNING@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:CCFCE223-15AB-4570-9F95-B09AAD211C21@xxxxxx