Windows Mail not able to use existing mail store?

[Guest]

I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy on my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to have to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Jim Pickering]

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

 

[Serge Fateeff]

I believe this is due to message storage changes
in Windows Mail. Finally it stores messages in separate
files!!! No more 2Gb limit for *.dbx in Outlook Express!
It was the most annoying thing in OE for years!!!

 

[Steve Cochran]

The other thing is that when the files get corrupted, all the messages
aren't lost this time, as they are in OE.

steve

 

[Serge Fateeff]

Yup!

I wonder why Windows Mail does not distributed with
IE7 for WinXP. I want to switch now!

 

[Jim Pickering]

There will be no mail updates associated with Internet Explorer 7. Internet
Explorer and Outlook Express are now separate program teams at Microsoft.
And there will be no update to OE6 other than for Security matters. Windows
Live Mail Desktop, which is now in beta, will be the choice for XP users.

 

[Guest]

I go into the File> Import> Messages. But I have no idea where my stored
messages would be to try and find them. Please could you tell me where OE
stores the old messages if you know, by default that is, I neve changed any
of the OE settings.

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.

I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Jim Pickering]

Outlook Express stores it messages in database files with a DBX extension.
If using Windows 2000 or XP, those DBX are hidden by the operating system,
so when doing a search for files ending with DBX, you have to modify the
search criteria to include "search for hidden files." They are normally
stored in the My Documents folder for the user account but many users have
relocated them.

Once you've found them, not the folder filepath and write it down. That is
the folder you should point the Import wizard to and all should then go off
without a hitch, although some users have reported problems with importing
in build 5456. Your experience may be different.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express

I go into the File> Import> Messages. But I have no idea where my stored
messages would be to try and find them. Please could you tell me where OE
stores the old messages if you know, by default that is, I neve changed
any
of the OE settings.

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds
like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and
all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.

I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set
it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy
on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to
have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty
directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Guest]

I just wished to Thank you for helping me with this issue. I have it resolved
now. Thanks

Outlook Express stores it messages in database files with a DBX extension.
If using Windows 2000 or XP, those DBX are hidden by the operating system,
so when doing a search for files ending with DBX, you have to modify the
search criteria to include "search for hidden files." They are normally
stored in the My Documents folder for the user account but many users have
relocated them.

Once you've found them, not the folder filepath and write it down. That is
the folder you should point the Import wizard to and all should then go off
without a hitch, although some users have reported problems with importing
in build 5456. Your experience may be different.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express

I go into the File> Import> Messages. But I have no idea where my stored
messages would be to try and find them. Please could you tell me where OE
stores the old messages if you know, by default that is, I neve changed
any
of the OE settings.

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds
like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and
all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.


message I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set
it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy
on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to
have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty
directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Jim Pickering]

Glad to hear it and thanks for the feedback.

 

[Guest]

Is there any way you can merge with the old mails?

Cheers
Dino

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.

I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Steve Cochran]

Just find the eml files and you can drag them from Explorer into a WinMail
folder.

steve

Is there any way you can merge with the old mails?

Cheers
Dino

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds
like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and
all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.

I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set
it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy
on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to
have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty
directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Guest]

Does this mean that I'd not be able to transfer the mail back into Outlook
Express 6, for example once the Beta version expires or just day-to-day if I
need to use my previous OS?

Outlook Express stores it messages in database files with a DBX extension.
If using Windows 2000 or XP, those DBX are hidden by the operating system,
so when doing a search for files ending with DBX, you have to modify the
search criteria to include "search for hidden files." They are normally
stored in the My Documents folder for the user account but many users have
relocated them.

Once you've found them, not the folder filepath and write it down. That is
the folder you should point the Import wizard to and all should then go off
without a hitch, although some users have reported problems with importing
in build 5456. Your experience may be different.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express

I go into the File> Import> Messages. But I have no idea where my stored
messages would be to try and find them. Please could you tell me where OE
stores the old messages if you know, by default that is, I neve changed
any
of the OE settings.

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds
like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and
all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.


message I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set
it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy
on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to
have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty
directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Jim Pickering]

The storage mechanisms are different. Outlook Express stores messages in a
DBX file while Windows Mail stores them as individual EML files. You can
create folders (on the Desktop or anywhere else you choose) with similar
names, i.e., Inbox, Sent Items, etc., and drag and drop the messages from
any local folder in the mail app to those user created folders and save them
to a USB stick, SD card or media of your choice. Then when back in Outlook
Express, drag/drop from the USB, SD, etc., media folders to an appropriate
folder in Outlook Express. There is no other import mechanism in Outlook
Express for messages stored in the "Windows Mail" store folder.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.

Does this mean that I'd not be able to transfer the mail back into Outlook
Express 6, for example once the Beta version expires or just day-to-day if
I
need to use my previous OS?

Outlook Express stores it messages in database files with a DBX
extension.
If using Windows 2000 or XP, those DBX are hidden by the operating
system,
so when doing a search for files ending with DBX, you have to modify the
search criteria to include "search for hidden files." They are normally
stored in the My Documents folder for the user account but many users
have
relocated them.

Once you've found them, not the folder filepath and write it down. That
is
the folder you should point the Import wizard to and all should then go
off
without a hitch, although some users have reported problems with
importing
in build 5456. Your experience may be different.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express


"Michael Short-McGirr" <Michael (e-mail address removed)>
wrote in message

I go into the File> Import> Messages. But I have no idea where my stored
messages would be to try and find them. Please could you tell me where
OE
stores the old messages if you know, by default that is, I neve changed
any
of the OE settings.

:

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds
like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old
OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different
in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and
all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be
helped.


message I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to
set
it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express
directoy
on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected
is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to
have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty
directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Guest]

I have a similar issue. I am moving from OE on XP to Outlook 2007 on Vista.
I followed the directions from the help article found in Outlook 2007 called
"Import your messages or account from Outlook Express to Outlook" in the
section "When Outlook and Outlook Express are installed on different
computers" and the subsections "Copy the Outlook Express folder" and "Import
Outlook Express messages into Outlook", which says to move to Windows Mail
(on the box you are moving to) first by changing the store folder and and I
get the message "The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an
empty directory for your new store location." None of the
File/Import/Messages options seem to work either. Thanks for your help in
advance!

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.

I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Steve Cochran]

You can't put an OE message store in a location and expect WinMail to pick
it up. To import the message store from OE to WinMail you have to copy the
dbx files (make sure you include folders.dbx) into a blank subdirectory on
the target machine. Then clear the read only attribute of the files. Then
in WinMail you use File | Import | Messages and point to that directory.
You do NOT put stuff into a directory and then use Tools | Options |
Maintenance | Store Folder to change to that directory. That will not work.

With Outlook 2007, I don't know how you get the messages from WinMail into
it, if File | Import (in Outlook) or File | Export in WinMail don't work.

steve

I have a similar issue. I am moving from OE on XP to Outlook 2007 on
Vista.
I followed the directions from the help article found in Outlook 2007
called
"Import your messages or account from Outlook Express to Outlook" in the
section "When Outlook and Outlook Express are installed on different
computers" and the subsections "Copy the Outlook Express folder" and
"Import
Outlook Express messages into Outlook", which says to move to Windows Mail
(on the box you are moving to) first by changing the store folder and and
I
get the message "The directory you selected is not empty. Please select
an
empty directory for your new store location." None of the
File/Import/Messages options seem to work either. Thanks for your help in
advance!

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds
like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and
all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.

I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set
it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy
on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to
have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty
directory
for your new store location.

[OK]

 

[Guest]

I have two problems, one is that i cannot acces all files because i have to
give a ASP.NET password, which i don't have (and it is my own PC?!?! Where
can i get it back?), and because of this, i cannot import DBX files (Inbox,
Sen Items, etc.) which are in my backup on DVD (i put the files back on my PC
but cannot browse to them because ASP.NET prevents this...)
Please help, i have important mails for my work in it and i cannot reply now!

There will be no mail updates associated with Internet Explorer 7. Internet
Explorer and Outlook Express are now separate program teams at Microsoft.
And there will be no update to OE6 other than for Security matters. Windows
Live Mail Desktop, which is now in beta, will be the choice for XP users.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

I have two problems, one is that i cannot acces all files because i have to
give a ASP.NET password, which i don't have (and it is my own PC?!?! Where
can i get it back?), and because of this, i cannot import DBX files
(Inbox,
Sen Items, etc.) which are in my backup on DVD (i put the files back on my
PC
but cannot browse to them because ASP.NET prevents this...)
Please help, i have important mails for my work in it and i cannot reply
now!

See http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx#oe2wm
Please follow the instructions exactly.

 

[Guest]

The problem was that i upgraded from XP and didn't made a brand new install.
A microsoft guy helped me out:
1. Change first boot up drive to CD-Rom drive (hold DEL or F2 during startup).
2. Instal Vista without product key. Choose your type of Vista, format the
harddisk (make a backup of your documents and mail first and write down some
settings you need for mail, internet etc.).
3. After Vista has started, change the first bootup option back to HDD
4. Start Vista, then upgrade Vista Basic (you just installed the 1 month
free version) to the one you bought.
5. Now you have a brand new Vista install with an upgrade version.

At my PC, it solved a lot of problems!

 

[Guest]

I tried it and did not work. The message that I get is "Messages cannot be
imported from the MAPI client". I use to run a windows 2000 pro and now I am
running a Vista.

Outlook Express stores it messages in database files with a DBX extension.
If using Windows 2000 or XP, those DBX are hidden by the operating system,
so when doing a search for files ending with DBX, you have to modify the
search criteria to include "search for hidden files." They are normally
stored in the My Documents folder for the user account but many users have
relocated them.

Once you've found them, not the folder filepath and write it down. That is
the folder you should point the Import wizard to and all should then go off
without a hitch, although some users have reported problems with importing
in build 5456. Your experience may be different.
--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express

I go into the File> Import> Messages. But I have no idea where my stored
messages would be to try and find them. Please could you tell me where OE
stores the old messages if you know, by default that is, I neve changed
any
of the OE settings.

Try File/Import/Messages pointing to the old OE store folder. Sounds
like
what you told it to do was change the message store folder to your old OE
location and that will not work since the databases are very different in
the two operating sytems. Just be thankful you did not instruct it to
proceed anyway, or you would have wiped out your old message store and
all
of its messages as Vista would have happily overwrote your old store.

--
Jim Pickering, MVP, Outlook Express
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile=F9F51EF1-4AE3-4D23-B2D8-1171988A62D6
Please deliver feedback to the newsgroup, so that others can be helped.


message I installed Beta2 on my home system test partition and am trying to set
it
up. When I tried to point Windows Mail to my Outlook Express directoy
on
my
datastore, I get an error that telles me that "the directoy selected is
not
empty". Will Windows Mail not work with existing OE stores? I have
several
years of mail and NG postings in that store and really don't want to
have
to
start a new one if possible.

The error text is:

[Window Title]
Windows Mail

[Main Instruction]
The directory you selected is not empty. Please select an empty
directory
for your new store location.

[OK]