Getting to Outlook Express without booting...

[m0dm0]

got a pc which wont boot into xp and i want to get the outlook express emails and contacts off it before reformatting.

which files do i need to copy?

is this even possible?

Many Thanks

m0.

[ajbrun]

If it won't boot into XP, then how would you copy the files? I could probably tell you which files you'll need, but I don't see how you'll do it....

(you'll have to wait a few hours before I get home though )

EDIT - I think, but don't quote me, that the files are somewhere here:

C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data

Or maybe in here:

C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data

[0iD]

Pop the hdd into a working pc as slave & copy the .pst files off.

[BUFF]

Your received messages are Inbox.dbx
Sent items.dbx is your sent emails folder.
Contacts should be WAB iirc

If you can bung the hard drive into another working PC it shouldn't be hard to copy the files.

[ajbrun]

Ah - of course. I don't have outlook on the computer I'm using now, but I think the files are somewhere inside a folder called application data. If someone could confirm this, then problem sorted .

[Atomic]

Emails: C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{*random carp*}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Best to copy all the files out of here, they will be .dbx files. You need to copy folders.dbx as this is the master file and not much else works unless you have this.

Addressbook: C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book

You need all the files out of this folder. prob be something like .wab .wa~ or .wab~

=-----------=
edit:

Best way to copy them is by putting the drive in as a slave drive, then just copy the folders to the same places on the destination machine.

Im yet to find a way of copying the Emails Account settings, but its not hard to re enter them.

If you need more help just shout. I do this quite a lot at work if you havnt guessed!

[0iD]

Should look something like this:
C:\Documents and Settings\ian\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{D099A80A-0B5D-4DE3-960C-5BF2182987F1}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

*edit* Beaten to it

[m0dm0]

WOW, im shocked at the number of replies and how quick they came

Thanks everyone.

im thinking of putting the hard drive into a working pc, but
i just thought, could i use a network boot floppy disk to do this?
If yes, where would i get one from?

Thanks again

[BUFF]

Tip: it's far easier to find /back your emails up if you use tools>maintenance to move the store folder.
I just have mine as D:\OEMessagestore

It also means that I can reinstall Windows without my emails being touched.

[0iD]

I got to admit I use Outlook & not outlook express, and that has an auto archive feature which is done on a daily basis.

[ajbrun]

Also, if you find for some reason you can't get the emails off your HDD, won't they still be on the server on the internet, so you can download them again (unless you deleted them)?

[BUFF]

Also, if you find for some reason you can't get the emails off your HDD, won't they still be on the server on the internet, so you can download them again (unless you deleted them)?

Drepends if he has his email set up to leave a copy on the server or not (I do) & also if he has it set up to delete after a certain period of time or not (I only keep a month's worth on the server).

[outlook]

The repair pst and recovery outlook express email has prompted you a path of the Outlook Express files' storage. And now save the damaged dbx files in the safe folder, they can be useful.

[Splash]

Failing that it may be worth taking a look at http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - this will allow you to boot into a networked version of Windowes (ish) and backup stuff in the event you can't just stick the drive in another PC etc - has saved my ass many times!

[peterb]

When you do reformat, consider keeping windows, applications and data in separate partitions. That way the dat is always kep away from th eOS partition, and you can re-install windows as often as you need to without risking data loss (unless the hdd fails of course)