Solved new window 7 laptop & email from old computer

[vassar89]

I have a new computer that is windows 7 home premium 64 and am moving from a vista one in which I used window mail. Despite my research, I don't have a good plan as to how to move my emails. I have used windows mail for 4 years and have emails (many with attachments) archived and organized in multiple folders. Two email accounts are checked and go into different inboxes each with subfolders to archive. I use one sent mail folder (but have subfolders by year) for everything I sent. My hope is to move as easily as possible to the new system and have all my emails, attachments, and folder organization intact. I am used to Windows Mail but don't love it but do not want to use a web based email program because I need it as speedy as possible.

Please give any advice and help you can, please.

I have read the tutorial about installing windows mail on windows 7. I could do that but am not used to doing things with that sophistication on a computer. I have not read through all 100+ pages of comments on the tutorial. However, once I do that, I am still not sure how to get everything needed from one computer to another and not sure I could handle future problems.

Another option that I considered was downloading another email program on the vista system with the hope that it would import all my emails, attachments, and folder organization. Then I could load the same program on the new computer, but again, how would I get everything transferred?

I purchased PC Mover (with an ethernet cord) to move data from computer to computer and it has software that will move data, setting, and applications. I tried it to move windows mail (and some other programs) and it didn't work. I have reset the computer to the factory settings and redone all the updates again.

What recommendations, please? I am willing to try a new email program but really like having one that is just email and not 10 other things.

 

[Roderunner]

Hi vasser89, Welcome to Seven Forums.
The best thing you can do is to export your mail in .EML format. Select ALL folders. Once you decide on which new email program your going to use, they can be imported into it, this is not really necessary, as they can be opened directly, providing you have an email program installed, i.e. Windows Live Mal.

 

[vassar89]

Thanks for the response but I am not quite understanding. Do I use Windows Mail to export? Is the .eml format for individual files? What about the attachments and folder organization? And are you saying that if I download Windows Live Mail (about which I have heard bad things) that everything from Windows Mail will be there (assuming I do it on the old computer).

 

[Roderunner]

Hopefully this will be clearer. Make a new folder on your desktop and name it 'My Email' Open the program where your emails are stored. Click file on the menu tab and select export messages. If it gives options, select Microsoft Windows Live Mail. Select the new folder you made to store them. Leave the setting for 'All Folders' ticked and press Next. Mission accomplished. You can now save them anywhere you want.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Windows Live Mail (about which I have heard bad things)

I am willing to try a new email program but really like having one that is just email and not 10 other things.

There are alternatives.

 

[seavixen32]

Check this link for alternatives to Windows Live Mail.

Windows Live Mail Alternatives and Similar Software - AlternativeTo.net

 

[vassar89]

thanks for the suggestions!

If I move emails to a new program, will it automatically find the attachments that (I think) Windows Mail stores in a different place than the email itself?

 

[vassar89]

I was actually successful in following the tutorial and installing Windows Mail on my new windows 7 system. But I am still considering another programs. I miss Pine, I used that for so long.

Does anyone know why, after I followed the tutorial, there were two "desktop.ini" files left on the desktop? Can I delete them or move them somewhere else?

 

[seavixen32]

These files are used to tell Windows how to display a folder or when you customize a folder.

Check here: What is the Windows desktop.ini file and can I delete it?

 

[vassar89]

thanks again, any thoughts about my question above concerning attachments. To repeat, forgive me:
I think that attachments are filed away by windows mail somewhere other than the easy to find "mailboxes" folder (which I renamed New Mailboxes) and is in my user app data. How will I get those into my new computer? I am going to use PC Mover, but am not sure how to make sure it get the attachments. Or should I try a flash drive?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I think that attachments are filed away by windows mail somewhere other than the easy to find "mailboxes" folder (which I renamed New Mailboxes) and is in my user app data. How will I get those into my new computer? I am going to use PC Mover, but am not sure how to make sure it get the attachments. Or should I try a flash drive?

I certainly don't think you should rely on PC Mover. It may work, but why would you entrust something valuable to chance?

Find out where your valuable stuff lives on your hard drive and then copy those folders manually to another drive.

In my experience, relying on a program or Windows Easy Transfer or anything similar to transfer data is just asking for problems.

At a minimum--make copies of the relevant folders to a backup drive. Then try PC Mover. If it fails, you still can get at known good copies of the folders.

 

[seavixen32]

I agree entirely with the above.

Call me paranoid if you will, but I use two external hard drives, which take incremental backups of all my personal data.

Digital photographs that I almost lost some time ago are also kept on DVDs - just in case.

 

[vassar89]

well PC Mover copies from old to new computers, so I will have everything still on the old computer. I am not worried about it disappearing and will keep the old computer around for a while in case I find that something didn't get moved. I guess I was mostly concerned about finding the attachments and getting those moved. Is there an old post around here or a tutorial that discusses getting data from one computer to another in Windows Mail? The tutorial I found doesn't directly address attachments.

 

[seavixen32]

These links may help.

How to export e-mail messages from Windows Mail & Outlook Express into Outlook.

Windows Mail for Vista - Backup and Restore Data (Hermes)

Backup Windows Mail Messages and Contacts in Vista - How-To Geek

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I guess I was mostly concerned about finding the attachments and getting those moved.

Have you looked for the attachments?

Are they here?

C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Mail

Regardless of where they are, I would not rely on an application to get them properly moved. I'd rely on a manual process if I had to. That may entail an intentional overwrite of the new Windows Mail folder on the new PC. I have no idea as I avoid Windows Mail like the plague.

 

[vassar89]

I read the three web pages posted by seavixen32, Thanks. The one from Microsoft says that the dates for all emails will be changed to the date that you exported them. This totally sucks since I have more than 4 years of emails that I sometimes need to review to verify when they were sent. I googled a few other things but having found a solution. Is there a way to get all these emails into a new program (I was thinking Outlook but am open to others) and preserve all the information in them especially dates?

Would moving them from Windows Mail, to Windows Live Mail to Outlook (or something else) work?

thanks!

 

[seavixen32]

You could try this tutorial.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3798-windows-live-mail-import-windows-mail-messages.html

 

[ignatzatsonic]

A couple of years ago, I went through a series of email application changes.

From Outlook Express to Windows Mail to Windows Live Mail to Thunderbird.

I had used Outlook Express for 10 years and didn't want to move away from it, but I was forced to because it is not part of Windows 7.

I stayed with Windows Mail for a week or two. Couldn't stand it.

I stayed with Windows Live Mail for a week or two. Couldn't stand it.

I have no problems with Thunderbird.

My email attachments survived the transfers.

Email migration is straight out of the handbook of the Marquis de Sade, with input from Alfred E. Newman, Ray Charles, and Helen Keller. It is diabolical and full of frustration.

Expect to cuss a lot. Backup the necessary folders because you may well destroy, delete, or corrupt your original folders in your attempts.

Good luck, you may need it.