# Import from OE6 into Outlook 2007



## mikeber (Jan 10, 2007)

My question seems to be common, yet was unable to find an answer. 
I have an old PC which ran winXP and I used Outlook Express 6 for e-mail. 
Recently, it crushed but I have everything backed up on an external drive. 
Yesterday, I purchased a new laptop, which runs win 7 and here the problems begun. It seems that there is no OE with win 7 and I need to use Outlook 2007.
Now, I read about the import/export functions, but I cannot import my old (OE6) messages and account settings (which are saved into *.iaf file) into Outlook 2007, though I was able to import the address book, but that's all. 
So what to do? I need my old messages... 
Is there a kind of OE for win 7? (I know about win mail, but can it import messages?) Does MS provide any solution for this (common) type of migration?


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## Zazula (Apr 27, 2006)

Does this help? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/286116


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## mikeber (Jan 10, 2007)

Zazula said:


> Does this help? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/286116


Thanks. 
This document is about importing addresses to Outlook, which works fine. The problem is with importing the messages. There is another MS document which specifies that it is possible, or maybe not???
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291602
The following phrase is very confusing:
"Note In Outlook 2007 and in Outlook 2003, you can import only into the Outlook Contacts Folder"
But the title above says that messages can be imported and there is even a menu choice for that purpose!


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## Zazula (Apr 27, 2006)

I have imported messages from OE6 to Outlook, as above KB article specifies, but always from a working OE6. I've never tried importing from a non-working OE6. I'll see if I can give that a try and let you know.


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## mikeber (Jan 10, 2007)

Zazula said:


> I have imported messages from OE6 to Outlook, as above KB article specifies, but always from a working OE6. I've never tried importing from a non-working OE6. I'll see if I can give that a try and let you know.


Thanks!
Please let me know the results of your experiment.
(I wish I could install OE6 on my laptop, but WIN 7 wouldn't allow me that)


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## mikeber (Jan 10, 2007)

Eureka!
Its a long and winding road, but there is light at the end!
I succeeded rebooting my old Win XP desktop where the original OE6 once resided. (this story for another time). 
1) I reinstalled IE with OE6. 
2) Imported the backed up messages and address book from the external drive. 
3) Installed Office 2003 with Outlook. 
4) Imported into Outlook 2003 messages, address book and accounts settings from OE6. 
5) Created a backup .pst file and saved it to an external drive. 
6) Hooked the external drive to the new laptop that runs Win 7 and Outlook 2007.
7) Imported the backup .pst file to Outlook 2007.
Voila! 
Conclusion: It is possible to import messages from OE6 into Outlook *only if they are installed on the same machine! Now, since Win 7 does not allow OE6 be installed, one can do it only under Win XP *(can't say about Vista)
P.S: I am hopeful one day G_d will give me wisdom to understand Microsoft. Amen!


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