Moving Storage Folders in Windows Live Mail

Slartybart said:

roncerr,
I think Jerbear has a different issue...

Perhaps he has the same issue I had with WLM vs. OE/WM. He said:
"Thanks for the input guys. Moving the e-mails is not really what I need. I need to move the actual folders they reside in to one main folder. I need to keep them in their various categories/folders but under one main folder. Did I mention...I HATE WLM. OE was so much better. Simples! Unfortunately it's on all our office PC's."

In other words he hates the separate folder structure for each account as do I. OE/WM WAS so much simpler. The workaround I've been using is to forward my email from other accounts to one MAIN email account that I set up as POP3/SMTP. It still doesn't get rid of the default action of putting drafts and sent items into the storage area, far away from the main account's inbox but when that happens I just drag it into the sent/drafts of my main account.

Jerbear said:

Hi guys.

Using WLM and I have created a number of folders to help sort out my e-mails.
I now want to move theses folders into one folder, which I can do, but only using explorer.

However, when I restart WLM, it recreates the moved folders again in their original locations.

WHY? How can I relocate my folders where ever I want without WLM recreating them again.

Thanks

Jerbear

Did you ever figure out an answer to this question....

I think the way MS handles the database folders in WLM is bogus, considering they have sucked over 20 trillion dollars from us over the last 30 years...

I find the import export doesn't even work - truncated folder names, displaced and missing data, pathetic, it's like this is MS's idea of keeping you from porting to another email application, typical MS BS.

Anyway, I too used to keep my database folders on a separate partition with all my personal data, the idea of leaving any personal data on the C: drive is insanely retarded to me... but apparently MS insists on it, I have been able to move the Favourites folder, History, even the Temporary Internet folder under a redirected MY Documents folder on a separate partition, and then have redirected ALL applications to subfolders in that location... Wonderful strategy for safety, backup, maintenance, etc, etc ad nauseum...

I was also able to (in OE) to move the Email database folders and move them and the application would follow where ever you moved the folders.

So MS in their typical fashion has gone backwards again, making it more difficult for users to customize, in this case their critical database storage decisions, insisting you keep your valuable personal data on the same 'ship' (partition) as their flaky OS, so if the ship crashes you are in danger of having to pick through your boot partition to get all your personal data (the way most people have it set up)

I am sick of MS and their f***ed up import / export programs that destroy your database, and now they have made it impossible to move the database folders, or even copy them from one location to another, as well as making them incompatible with previous versions...

Before I upgraded to Win7 (so so) I shared my mail folders on a dual boot application...
I had two versions of XP C: and D: and all personal data on E: I then upgraded the XP on D: to Win 7, and now (so far) I have to maintain two separate database folders for email...

Thanks to MS (BS) they are making it impossible and this would be a snap for them to do it, in fact as I said they are moving backwards, because that is their way of forcing customers to eat their sh***y software... great customer retention program...

I am fed up, does anyone know an email program that can integrate hotmail, gmail and yahoo emails into the interface and can install on both XP and Win7? cause I have absolutely had it with MS and their BS.

Options/Advanced/Maintenance/Store Folder/Change. At least that's the path I'd use with WLM 2009. AFAIK, all versions of WLM should have the same method available to change the message store. Contacts may be more difficult, however the easiest way to deal with contacts is to always "sign-in" so they will always be available (even to a new install of WLM) and up to date on Microsoft's servers, including your customized organization into categories.

roncerr said:

Options/Advanced/Maintenance/Store Folder/Change. At least that's the path I'd use with WLM 2009. AFAIK, all versions of WLM should have the same method available to change the message store. Contacts may be more difficult, however the easiest way to deal with contacts is to always "sign-in" so they will always be available (even to a new install of WLM) and up to date on Microsoft's servers, including your customized organization into categories.

Well, I played with it all day today and I did learn a few tricks, first off I just installed Win7 and I like, it seems to take advantage of the available ram and runs decent, I downloaded the Windows Essentials, can't believe how dicky MS makes everything, especially since I just wanted the Mail, but the version I downloaded was WLM 12, and unless I'm mistaken it doesn't have any controls setting ANYWHERE! (as unbelievable as that sounds... ) So I was NOT impressed at all, and I don't know what the h*** they are thinking hiding the controls and settings to everything... I really hate that... however as I 'played around more' I figured out some interesting things...

Contrary to Jerr bears idea of trying to move folders while the program is shut down, I tried moving them while the program was running... something I think I tried a long time ago, as I have been playing with dual boot OS's sharing a single personal data partition for some time now... and have learned how to move EVERYTHING with the exception of the address book, which ends up being exported and imported, And it was different this time round because the difference between the OS's was a little more drastic this time round, and these applications are getting different folder names and pickier to work with... anyhow guess what... it moved them! ... I double checked to make sure it wasn't just copying or recreating them back at the original location... I think I have done this before, so that is that... do take not all... ;-)

What I found out about importing: the reason all my files were distorted and truncated is because every time you change folder names and locations in WLM (or at least WLM 9 which was the version on the laptop I was ftransferring from...) the program doesn't actually update nor change the original folders created it just creates an elaborate mapping scheme that interfaces over it, and long folder names don't even get the original names even though the program could handle them... (annoying and weird)

... so I tried a little experiment... I copied the folders out of WLM.. they were a mess, as I constantly update and reorganize all my files and folders all the time, so you could imagine, but that is how I immediately saw what WLM was doing, as I could clearly see my old folder arrangement from months ago! (what a mess) so with the mail program running, so I could see the folder arrangement I had recreated in WLM, I set about rearranging and renaming my copy according to how they looked in WLM... that took hours as I have over a gig of files and folders in the storage folder... then I tried the import to import those files to see what would happen...

amazingly, and as I was hoping and predicting it did a literal reconstruction inside WLM, unbelievable, because the implications of this means every time you arrange your existing stored folders in WLM and then export and import them, you are going to get the way the folders were before you rearranged them...

...on the other hand the fact that you can physically rename and re-arrange them manually is at least a solution (and opportunity to clean up your folder structure, something I will be doing in between each export/import from now on...

Now I just have to see if the Windows Essentials with download and install on my XP and if that is a go, I will have the same database to share between the two OS's and all will be well...

Thank God, because I spent the whole day also looking for alternative email clients including Thunderbird and Zimbra and both of them do not recreate sub folders in Hotmail which killed it for me right then and there... Bloody MS and their sneaky buggery ways...

ah did finally find the "option" selection, a tiny icon in top left corner, really gave me a scare for a minute, you can tell how much I love and trust MS... they have hidden all the same functions under this smooth veneer, just enough to make you think you are learning something new... so can move folders the old fashion way just like you said... lol , one point though, they 2012 folder is Windows Live Mail and the old 2009 is Livemail, thus forcing me to upgrade my other OS, bloody MS...

and now it's (tiny hidden icon/options/mail/advanced/maintenance/store folder/change) ;-|
so typical MS...

ixnay updating Windows Live Mail on my XP as Microsoft in their infinite wisdom has slammed that door in your face by not listing XP on the "Windows Essentials" compatibility list... so here is the alternative work around...

On Configuring two operating systems on two partitions to share one Windows Live Mail folder
or How to setup Windows XP and Windows 7 to share the same Windows Live Mail Folder on a dual boot setup
(some meta words for the bots)

One more interesting discovery, upon further experimentation (this is getting masochistic...)
to summarize... I am able to create multiple hotmail, and gmail accounts in both Windows LIve Mail Versions (2009,2012) as expected, (haven't tried yahoo but I am pretty sure that is possible too)

WLM 2009 creates a folder called "Livemail" and WLM 2012 creates a folder called "Windows Live Mail"... (not a good compatibility sign...)

And as I mentioned in my previous posts, importing is the best way to transfer stored folders, but I would strongly suggest going through them and renaming and rearranging them manually according to how you want them to appear in WLM after the export and before the import....

update: actually not sure what the files will look like after the export (which I believe they will still be normal files and folders... I just went back and forth and so many times now, I lost track but I am like 90% sure I did that at least once... you will have to re-verify that for yourself or I will update again...)
Anyhow, if they still look like normal folders then this will apply, as the last few times I just copied the folders directly from the "Storage folders" file and rearranged them manually. That is one thing I do like that MS is doing; keeping the folders and files standard. To their credit they do something similar with bookmarks in "Favourites", by creating links as individual files in standard folders that can be easily manipulated... (see, I'm not all spite and vinegar! lol)

In any event after fiddling with Windows Live Mail in Windows XP (2009) and Windows 7 (2012) on the dual boot, I found the only solution that worked for having both apps pick up the same folder and configured email accounts was to have WLM 2012 (in Win 7) redirect to the folder created by WLM 2009 (in XP) ie. configure everything in XP then redirect the WLM 2012 in (Win 7) to it, instead of the other way around as WLM (2009) does NOT seem to know how to pick up the WLM 2012 configured emails in the Windows Live Mail folder (missing database error)

... so the saving grace here is 2012 appears backward compatible in that regard... ';-) (for now...)

repeat:
WLM 2009 though will NOT pick up the Windows Live Mail folder and use WLM 2012's email configurations... but WLM 2012 will pick those up in WLM 2009's folders

I think that is the last bit to add to this amazing pain in the *** hope that saves someone else a few grey hairs and countless hours, good luck! and special thanks to MS and their crack software engineers (LOL) building incompatibility into their software to pad their bottom line at your expense.