Import & Export Outlook 2010 GUI & email acct. settings to new system

[pcarey]

Import & Export Outlook 2010 GUI & email acct. settings to new system

I’m in the process of building up a new desktop system in parallel with my current desktop system, which is still being actively used until the new system is ready. I’m upgrading the new system to Windows 7 Professional x64 from the Windows 7 Home Premium x64 currently installed on the old active desktop system. Other than that change, I’m re-installing and re-activating all the software from the old system onto the new system.


My question concerns Outlook 2010. Since Microsoft took away their simple email client, Windows Mail, I’ve been forced to use Outlook 2010 for my personal home use. Over time, by hiding this function and re-arranging that, I’ve been able to simplify the Outlook GUI to a tolerable level for my personal home use. Of course, when I re-installed Office Professional 2010 Plus with Outlook on the new system, all the useless (for me) bells and whistles are back and I have to also set up my email accounts all over again.


I know how to export and import all my email and Address Book data, but is there any relatively simple way to export from the old system and import to the new system all the GUI and email account settings so Outlook will look and act exactly the same on the new system at first use without any tinkering?

 

[Berton]

Windows Mail came with Vista after Microsoft discontinued Outlook Express. On Win7 and Win8/8.1 I've had better success with Windows Live Mail, part of Windows Essentials, than with Outlook for most folks. An issue with one yesterday on Win8.1 and its Mail was that for ease it worked best to have a Microsoft account such as Hotmail.com or Outlook.com so I removed that tile and setup Windows Live Mail to use with his local ISP account. Now if you are confused by names, join the crowd, Microsoft seems to love confusing us like they did with Works and Works Suite.
Windows Essentials - Download Windows Live Essentials
You can choose not to install all of the applications.

 

[pcarey]

Problem solved! Used the Demo version of BackRex Outlook Backup to import my Outlook customizations to the new installation. Worked pretty well. Only minor tweaking required and was accomplished in just a few minutes. BackRex manged to import and set up both email accounts exactly as they were before with the exception of our email account passwords, which probably makes sense. Once they were entered, everything worked exactly as before.

You may trust "The Cloud" for your email and other needs, but I and many, many others don't. I don't want a Hotmail.com or Outlook.com account and I don't want a Google Mail account. As far as I'm concerned, Vista's Windows Mail was a simple and elegant email client. I even used it with Windows 7, until I, and many others, found out that Win7 Sp1 would not install until it was removed and the OS was brought back to the way it was before installing Windows Mail. Microsoft's way of slapping us for daring to not follow their plan for cloud-based email? Probably.

If Microsoft offered Windows Mail as a stand-alone email client for $20. - $30. extra, I'd buy it.

 

[Ranger4]

I agree, Windows Mail in Vista was an excellent email program, probably one of the best email programs I have used.

I was disappointed that it was not continued in Windows 7, so I am now using Outlook 2013 & it performs fairly well.