Probs transferring messages from OE6 to Windows Mail

[El_Diablo]

I am now running Vista home basic 32.
This PC is networked to my old PC (Windows XP Pro with Outlook Distress 6).
On Windows Mail in Vista I have clicked file, import, messages, OE6 store directory.
I have copied and pasted the folders from old PC into a new folder on Vista PC.
I get the error message no files match.
They are all .dbx files, no probs with them on old PC.

Why won't Vista recognise them????
The troubleshoot is a waste of space, it just says do the above and follow instructions!!

Help anyone please?

[Murf]

Welcome to CTH

OE dbx files cannot be individually imported into Windows Mail. Windows Mail will only import (File | Import | Messages) from dbx files in an intact message store that contains a non-corrupt version of folders.dbx (note that the files MUST NOT be read only). In order to import dbx files into Windows Mail, they must first be incorporated into an Outlook Express (or possibly Outlook) message store and then imported using File | Import | Messages.

To import from the Outlook Express message store into the Windows Mail message store, do the following:
1. Create a directory under the current user's Documents, such as Documents\OEMail. This directory needs to be within the user's space, such as under Documents, in order to prevent possible access permissions problems.

2. Copy all the dbx files from one Outlook Express Identity into this directory, ensuring that folders.dbx is included.

3. Go to Edit | Select all in Windows Explorer and select all the dbx files. Then right click on the selection and choose Properties and ensure that the read only attribute of the files is unchecked.

4. In Windows Mail go to File | Import Messages and choose Outlook Express 6 format and choose to import from a directory.

5. Then use the Browse button to browse to the directory of dbx files. Make sure that when you set the directory that what is listed in the path is correct (NOTE: Vista can put the wrong path in here sometimes, so instead of c:\mypath it puts c:\mypath\mypath, so check the path to verify that it is correct, and if it is not correct then fix it).

6. Then select the files from which you wish to import messages and click Import

[Miz]

When you get to step #5, after browsing to the folder containing the dbx files and clicking on it to select it but before clicking the button to import the files, look in the "Folder" field at the bottom left. It will have the name of the folder in it. Clear that name and with that field blank, click the button to import the files.

It's the only way I've found to make it not put the folder name in twice. Once you get back to the Import wizard window, it will not let you type in the field to the left of the "Browse" button.

[Murf]

Thanks MIZ forgot that step as I had the same problem

[El_Diablo]

Many thanks, that has now worked. Thank you.
Couple of other 'teething troubles' you could possibly help with...
In windows mail my screen is split into the standard 3 parts. Column down the left with those email folders in. On the right, top half is my inbox, bottom half displays selected email.
I cannot get my contacts list to display in the bottom half of the column on the left. I have clicked all round view etc. I just want to click on a name and up pops a box in which I type an email to that person!

I'll have a look round this forum for my other [small] probs before I post away happily!!

[El_Diablo]

Found the answer to my above problem, cannot display contacts list in windows mail in bottom left quarter of the screen, you can't!!
The option is there in OE6, there is a box 'contacts' you can tick, it is not there in windows mail. HMPH, developments eh....
That's one feature I would like restored.