Outlook Assistance

When you upgrade a computer running Windows XP to Windows Vista, Windows automatically imports any messages and contacts you have in Outlook Express to Windows Mail. (Outlook Express has been replaced in Windows Vista by Windows Mail.)
If you are not upgrading but want to transfer your Outlook Express messages to a computer running Windows Vista, then you need to transfer the messages manually or use Windows Easy Transfer.

If you are just transferring Outlook Express messages (and not all your other files and settings) from a computer running Windows XP, you may find it easier to use the manual method described here.

On the computer running Windows XP, do the following:

1.The folder that contains the Outlook Express messages is marked as a hidden folder in Windows. To view this hidden folder, click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Appearance and Themes, and then click Folder Options. Click the View tab, and under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
2.Locate the folder named Outlook Express. In Windows XP, this folder is located here by default: C:\Documents and Settings\your user name\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{your Windows user identity number}\Microsoft\Outlook Express.
3.Copy the Outlook Express folder and all its contents to the Documents folder on the computer running Windows Vista. (You can store this copy of the Outlook Express folder in a location other than the Documents folder, as long as you remember where to find it.) For information about how to copy a folder, see Copy files to another computer.

On the computer running Windows Vista, do the following:

1.Open Windows Mail by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking All Programs, and then clicking Windows Mail.
2.Click the File menu, point to Import, and then click Messages.
3.Click Microsoft Outlook Express 6, and then click Next.
4.Make sure Import mail from an OE6 store directory is selected, and then click OK.
5.Click Browse, find the Outlook Express folder you copied to this computer, and then click the folder once to select it. (Do not open the folder when you select it.)
6.Click Select Folder, and then click Next.
7.Click All folders to import all the folders, or click Selected folders and select which message folders you want to import, and then click Next.
8.Click Finish.