Vista - Backing up Windows Live Mail

I am running Vista Home Premium, currently using Windows Mail. Backing that
up to an external hard drive in a quick manner took me a week to discover a
workaround, via Outlook 2003. I have now downloaded and installed Windows
Live Mail, which very swiftly imported all my folders and contacts from
Windows Mail.

Now I am looking for a workaround to back up WLM messages, folders and
contacts on a daily basis. I like to drag folders over to my external hard
drive. Is there a simple way of doing that with WLM? I would be most grateful
if someone could enlighten me.

In Windows Mail: File, Export, Messages.
If it balks at exporting directly to an external drive, export to the local
hard drive first, then copy from there.
There is also an excellent third party backup product:
http://www.staticbackup.com/windows-live-mail-backup/

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP


"Tony UK" <tonyUK@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:9D5F0839-25DA-4EC9-A082-499AA4FC038E@xxxxxx

"Tony UK" <tonyUK@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:9D5F0839-25DA-4EC9-A082-499AA4FC038E@xxxxxxThis program isn't free, but still looks worth looking at:

http://www.staticbackup.com/windows-live-mail-backup/

Gary

Thank you for the prompt reply. Perhaps I didn't word my question clearly
enough.

I already have a method of backing up Windows Mail messages that I won't
bore you with, save to say that it involves transferring them to Outlook
2003, and then putting the PST file on to the external drive.

Long way round, but only takes 10 minutes at the most. I can drag the
Contacts folder separately to the external drive so no worries there.

I downloaded and installed Windows LIVE mail yesterday and it automatically
copied my message folders and contacts folder from Windows Mail. NOW I am
trying to find a way to drag the messages and contacts folder from Live Mail
in a simple fashion. Can it be done? One of the reasons I want to try Live
Mail is because you and others say that Norton Antivirus interferes with WM
and that Live Mail is a better program. But I don't want to switch from WM to
WLM if there is no simple and relatively quick back up system available. I
need the back up for business reasons.

I would be grateful for nything you could tell me on this point.


"Gary VanderMolen" wrote:

Thanks Robert

I'll try the free trial version and let you know how that goes.

"robertmiles@xxxxxx" wrote:

You're welcome.

"Tony UK" <tonyUK@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3EB01DA0-E6CE-45BD-9F35-71E98EEE37AC@xxxxxx

Sorry, my earlier response meant to say Windows live Mail
instead of Windows Mail.

I'm not aware of another backup method other than the third party
solution mentioned earlier.

As for WLM Contacts, I use the Live login option, which then keeps a
fully synchronized copy of your contacts accessible on the web. It has
already saved my bacon once before, when my laptop was stolen.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP


"Tony UK" <tonyUK@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:262BA205-E3B2-4183-A8F2-8F5A5B730D77@xxxxxx

Robert

I just downloaded and installed the back up program in trial format. It
gives you 20 days free. After the first few hesitant steps, I was able to
transfer all my WLM message folders and contacts into a preformed Folder in
my external drive. I then went into the drive and was able to see the .eml
files for everything I needed. So I think this is going to work.

Naturally, I won't finally know how good the program is until I need to wipe
my computer some day in the future. I usually find after 6 to 9 months of
using any computer that there are enough glitches in the system to warrant
wiping clean and starting over again. Good back up is essential.

Thanks again.

"robertmiles@xxxxxx" wrote:

You're welcome again.

"Tony UK" <tonyUK@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2E79836C-9D3C-43F7-95CA-82B672776C3F@xxxxxx

Gary

As you may have realized from the rest of this thread I have bought the
$24.99 (no tax added) program. As I have not yet used it to restore anything
(I hope I don't need it any time soon), I can confirm that it did back things
up to my external drive and the whole operation took less than 10 minutes. I
checked up as to what was there and all my contacts were in place, and .eml
files representing everything else were also there. The registry files also
were observable. This is a very complex back up, so I find that the small
expenditure was worth the money. The same company seems to have quite a
number of other similar programs which I don't need.

You might be interested to know that when WLM copied in all my folders from
WM, everything came across, but only up to June 10. Files I had put into
folders today, June 11, were not included. I got over that hurdle by setting
WLM as the default email program then opening WM and forwarding all today's
stuff to myself. It all landed successfully in WLM.

So I am now trusting that WLM is better than WM. You all seem to think so
and I am just a beginner in this area.

Thank you for your interest.