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Windows Mail - Messages

How to Backup and Restore Messages in Windows Mail
Published by Brink
09-07-2007

How to Backup and Restore Messages in Windows Mail
Information
  To Backup your messages, you will use the Export option. To Restore your messages that you have already backed up, you will use the Import option. This will save a copy of your messages to a empty folder outside of Windows Mail that you can use for a backup. Windows Mail email messages have the .eml file extension.
NOTE
  The default hidden system folder location where Windows Mail store the messages at is:

C:\users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\Local Folders


Tip
  To backup everything (Accounts, Message Rules, and All Settings) in Windows Mail, then see the How to Backup and Reset Windows Mail section here: How to Fix Most Problems with Vista's "Windows Mail"
RELATED LINKS:
OPTION ONE:
How to Export (Backup) Messages
1. Create a new empty folder at the location you want to backup your Windows Mail messages to.
NOTE: For example, create a new empty folder named Messages at C:\Users\(user name)\Documents.

2. Open Windows Mail.

3. Click on File and then Export and Messages. (See screenshot below)
file_export.jpg
4. Click on Microsoft Windows Mail and click Next. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you want to export messages from Windows Mail to Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Exchange, then click Microsoft Exchange instead. If Outlook is not open, select the profile that you want to receive the messages, and then click Ok. See: Microsoft Help and Support: KB196347
export_as_format.jpg
5. Click on Browse. (See screenshot below)
WARNING: You will only be able to Export into a selected empty folder.
export_location.jpg
6. Navigate to the location of your empty new folder (step 1) and highlight the new folder, then click on Select Folder. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: For example, go to C:\Users\(user name)\Documents and highlight the Messages folder.
export_to_browse.jpg
7. Make sure the Export To location is correct and click on Next. (See screenshot below)
export_to_location.jpg
8. Select (dot) All folders and click on Next. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you only want to back up a individual folder, then dot Selected folders and click on the folder you want to export.
select_to_export.jpg
9. Click on Finish. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Your messages have been Exported to the selected location from step 1 and 6 above. You can save this exported folder to something like a DVD or USB key to backup or use to transfer to another computer. If you cannot copy the exported folder for some reason, then place the exported folder in a ZIP file first and try again.
export_complete.jpg
OPTION TWO:
How to Import (Restore) Messages
1. Open Windows Mail.

2. Click on File, Import, and Messages. (See screenshot below)
file_import.jpg
3. Click on Microsoft Windows Mail 7 and click on Next. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you are importing from another format, then select the program that the messages are from instead. See: www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#oe2wm
import_from_format.jpg
4. Click on Browse. (See screenshot below)
import_location.jpg
5. Navigate to the location of your backed up exported messages folder and only highlight the exported folder, then click on Select Folder. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: For example, from OPTION ONE go to C:\Users\(user name)\Documents and highlight the Messages folder.
import_from_browse.jpg
6. Make sure the Import From location is correct and click on Next. (See screenshot below)
import_from_location.jpg
7. Select (dot) All folders and click on Next. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you only want to import a individual folder, then dot Selected folders and click on the folder you want to import.
import_select.jpg
8. Click on Finish. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Your messages have been Imported from the selected location from step 5 above.
import_complete.jpg
9. Now just move the email messages from the Imported Folders to the mailbox folder you want them in. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: For example, you can Drag and Drop or highlight the email messages and click Move to Folder. The folders can only be moved one at a time.

10. When done, you can delete these Imported Folders.
NOTE: To delete, just right click on the imported folder and click Delete. If the imported folder(s) will not delete, then see the FIRST and SECOND section instructions here:How to Fix Most Problems with Vista's "Windows Mail"
imported_folders.jpg
That's it,
Shawn

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Applies to
All Vista Versions
64 Bit & 32 Bit

Old 09-10-2007  
Tuellz
Member


Join Date: Jun 2007
Vista/Xp
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

When I did an import of messages saved in this manner (after a clean install of Ultimate), I noted that the messages in top level folders did not import; i.e. messages in the INBOX did not import but messages in sub-folders to INBOX did import. Drag-&-Drop time. BTW, since we no longer use a .DBX file to store messages, D&D is an easy, effective way to archive _individual_ messages or groups of messages without archiving the entire folder. I also noted that INBOX would readily rebuild its index while other folders did not. This led me to D&D to INBOX and use email rules to put the messages away.

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 09-10-2007  
Brink
Administrator


Join Date: Apr 2007
Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

Hi Tuellz,

Welcome to the forum.

That is strange. It should have imported them. Did you try to import just that one single folder (Inbox)?

Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 09-11-2007  
Tuellz
Member


Join Date: Jun 2007
Vista/Xp
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

I exported "Local Folders" in one fell swoop and imported the same. Of course, all imported folders were placed in an "Imported" folder.At any rate, I'm fully restored now. Thanks
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 09-11-2007  
Brink
Administrator


Join Date: Apr 2007
Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

Your welcome Tuellz,

Welcome to the forum.

Yeah, It would be nice if it would just import them straight into the folder instead of a separate "Imported Folder". I suppose they designed that way so the user could pick and choose from there if they did not want all of them.

Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 11-15-2007  
turnstyle
Newbie


Join Date: Nov 2007
Vista Business 32bit
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

Hey Brink, thanks for all this!

Your backup method here seems to export the mail to a new file -- however, you also point to backup which, instead, discusses backing up the C:\Users\{USER}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail\ folder.

I used to back up Outlook Express by backing up the correspoding folder -- but Windows Mail now stores each email as a separate file, and I have almost 100,000 -- is there a good way to manage this?

Thanks! -Scott
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Old 11-15-2007  
Brink
Administrator


Join Date: Apr 2007
Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

Hi Scott,

It is not a good ideal to store so many messages on Windows Mail. You can lose them if something happens to corrupt Windows Mail. Which is east to do. Plus, it can slow Windows Mail down.

I would recommend that you create a new sub-folder under Local Folders (Right click and click New Folder), and put the messages that you want to store in it. You can then Export that folder (See NOTE under step 7) for storage or as a backup. Delete the contents of that folder in Windows Mail to save space. When you want the messages back, just Import them from that exported folder in storage or backup.

Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 12-21-2007  
cragon
Newbie


Join Date: Sep 2007
Vista
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

I've been reading about backup/reset/restore. I'm not sure I know why I should do this. Is it a regular maintenance function one should perform, or is it for a specific problem?

Bill
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Old 12-21-2007  
Brink
Administrator


Join Date: Apr 2007
Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

Hi Bill,

This is good to do if you save alot of messagesl. It is best to store (Export) the saved messages to be saved in different location instead of leaving it in Windows Mail. If Windows Mail got corrupted you could lose all the save messages. This way you can Restore them if it that happens. The Reset is to repair Windows Mail back to the default blank state if it got corrupted. If you are like me and do not save any messages, then this is not something you need to worry about it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 12-21-2007  
cragon
Newbie


Join Date: Sep 2007
Vista
 
 

Re: Windows Mail - Messages

Thanks, makes sense. What would be considered "alot of messages" ?

Dinner calls. I'll look for the answer later.
Also, what about "Fix Vista" links listed on this forum? Should I?

Thanks for your help.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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