Transferring email from Outlook Express on XP to a new Windows 7 comp?

Nightwishmaster · 12 Aug 2015

Hello everyone. I hope this is an easy answer, and I suspect it will be so.

I was tasked with buying and setting up a new computer for a family friend, who is considerably older and only needed the new computer for Solitaire, email usage, and internet usage.

The person in question's current computer, which is at least 10 years old, is running Windows XP and he uses Outlook Express for his email. Now, I know that Outlook Express ended at XP. So - my questions:

1. Do I just need to download Windows Live Mail, and that's the current replacement for Outlook?
2. How would I add his Outlook Express email account to Windows Live Mail?

If I could get a brief idea of what I'll be in for when I set up the email, I'd really appreciate it. I got the computer today and already got started with program installation and whatnot. I'll be seeing him on Friday to physically set up the computer; I'm trying to get everything completely done software-wise before I need to go over there.

Thank you in advance!!

ignatzatsonic · 12 Aug 2015

I'm not sure Live Mail (if it is still around at all) would be the best choice for someone accustomed to Outlook Express.

You might want to look at Thunderbird from Mozilla. It can be configured to pretty much resemble OE.

Does this person want to import old saved emails from OE into the new email app that you choose? That can be quite a chore and will likely be confusing and frustrating. I got it done eventually, but it wasn't pleasant.

Going from memory, you should be prepared to MANUALLY enter address book info for people he likes to email with---rather than try to import it using some type of transfer or import function. For reasons i don't understand, switching email clients is still a major pain--stuck in the dark ages--no improvements since the 1990s the last I checked.

But if there is nothing to be carried forward other than the old email address, it's pretty easy. You'd just have to enter configuration info into the email app configuration just as he did at some time in the past with Outlook Express---account settings, server settings per his ISP, folder setup, etc.