Windows 7: Migrating webmail to Outlook 2007

I learned the hard way when I realized my external backup did not backup my Outlook 2003 mail. I just installed Win 7 and when I went to move my Outlook mail over from my external drive, only old mail was there from '06 and '07. I still can't figure this out - why did it not save my current stuff? Maybe it was about the time I went from Outlook Express to Outlook... that it stopped backing up? I don't know...

But fortunately, I did move my Outlook folders over to my Verizon webmail when I was fiddling with network stuff a month ago. It's all there - can I move my webmail folders back to Outlook 2007? If so, any help on how to do this is much appreciated! Thanks.

If Verizon webmail supports retrieval using IMAP protocol, you should be able to set it up in Outlook, which will then synchronise all the folders and messages with Verizon's server.

Since I wrote the original post, I've done some research. The only way you can move Verizon webmail is by moving all emails from all folders into the Inbox, then go to Outlook and Send/Receive. Then re-file all the mail into the proper folders. It'll take some time.

The interesting thing I did find out about my Western Digital Passport Elite external backup is that when I started using Outlook, the backup stopped backing up my mail, folders, contacts, etc. My backup plan was set to back up Outlook Express mail, it wasn't smart enough to back up my new .pst files which is what Outlook uses. You can't change a backup plan once it's set up. I could have created a new backup plan but it never crossed my mind that my external backup wasn't getting my email backed up when I started using Outlook. I'm sure many people have been bitten by this.

Maybe if someone reads this, it'll save them from losing all email, contacts, tasks, folders, etc.

That suggests that Verizon doesn't support IMAP, because Outlook would create and synchronise all of the folders on an IMAP server.