How to backup and restore email.

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Where are my emails? Where are my address book and contacts stored? What file extensions does my email client use? How can I export from my email client? How can I restore them again? These questions and more are asked very often. Every good Computer Tech should know where different email programs keep their data. If you do not have them memorized, please look below for information on some of the most common email clients.

Eudora

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Extensions: .mbx, .fol, .txt?

Path to email (2K/XP):C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Qualcomm\Eudora

How to Backup:

1. Navigate to where the emails are stored and copy all .mbx files to
   a backup folder.
2. Navigate to where the address book is stored and copy the file named NNdbase.txt to a backup folder.

How to Restore:

1. Simply copy the files back into the proper folder, overwriting any files that are there.

Incredimail

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Extentions: .imm, imh, imb

Path to email (2K/XP): C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\IM\Identities\%long string of numbers and letters%\Message Store

Path to address book (2K/XP): C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\IM\Identities\%long string of numbers and letters%\Address Book

How to Backup:

1. Click File > Data and Settings Transfer Wizard > Export Data and Settings
2. This will create a .cab file where you specifiy. Copy it to your backup folder

How to Restore:

1. Click File > Data and Settings Transfer Wizard > Import Data and Settings
2. Direct it to the .cab file that you exported. This file should include both emails and address book.

Microsoft Outlook

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Extentions: .OST, .PST, occasionally .OAB

Path to email (2K/XP): C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Path to email (Vista/7): C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

How to Backup:

1. Click File > Import and Export
2. Select Export to File, then click next.
3. Select Personal Folder File, then click next.
4. Select which folder(s) you want, then click next. (If you want everything click on the mailbox itself)
5. Click Browse, go to your backup folder
6. If you want a name other than backup.pst, type it in now, and click OK.
7. Click Finish
8. A box should pop up, click ok.

How to Restore:

1. Click File > Import and Export
2. Select Import from another program or file, then click next.
3. Select what file type to import [most of the time it will be Personal File Folder(.pst)]
4. Click browse, guide it to your backup file, then click next.
5. Make sure the "Include subfolders" is checked.
6. Click Finish

Microsoft Outlook Express

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Extentions: .dbx, .wab

Path to email (2K/XP): C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\%long string of numbers and letters%\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Path to address book (2K/XP): C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book

How to Backup:

1. Navigate to where the emails are stored and copy all .dbx files to your backup folder
2. Navigate to where the address book is stored and copy all .wab files to your backup folder.

How to Restore:

1. Click File > Import > Address Book.
2. Direct the wizard to the .wab file in your backup folder.
3. Click File > Import > Messages
4. Direct the wizard to the .dbx files in your backup folder.

Pegasus Mail

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Extentions: .pmi, .pmm, .pmr, .pm!, (in special cases .pm1)

Path to email (2K/XP): C:\PMAIL\MAIL\"email username"

How to Export/Import:

1. Unknown, but probably just copy files back and forth.

Thunderbird 3.x

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Extentions:.msf, .mab

Path to email (2K/XP): C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Thunderbird Profiles\%something%.default

How to Backup:

1. Navigate to the thunderbird profule folder (see above) Copy the %something%.default folder to your backup folder.

How to Restore:

1. If thunderbird is a new install, then open it first and cancel out of the setup wizard. This should create a profile folder.
2. Navigate to the Thunderbird Profile folder and copy your backup into it.
3. Click on Start > Run
4. Type "thunderbird.exe -p" into the box
5. When the box opens, click on "Create Profile"
6. Type a name for it (this really doesn't matter)
7. Click "Choose Folder" and point it to the profile you just copied. Click ok, and finish.
8. Make sure the profile you just created is selected, then click Start Thunderbird.
9. From there on out it should open with that profile as default