> I've been keeping my own Piclist archives for the last few years, and I
> would like to transfer some from my hard drive to  a zip disk.  I've tried
> this before but ended up not being able to read the messages when I
imported
> them back onto the hard drive.  I'm using Outlook Express and it's
> instructions are to compact the folder and then find the .dbx file and
> transfer it.  Doesn't work for me - any help appreciated!

You can find where your email is stored by searching for INBOX.DBX
This is usually stored with an arcane path name in one of several places
(e.g. \Windows\Application
data\Identities\unbelievable_arcane_string_of_rubbish\Microosft\Outlook
Express)
YMMV.

Finding this location allows you to copy the DBX files as desired.

You can point where it looks for its mail using (in IE6)

    Tools
        Options
            Maintenance
                Store Folder
                    Change

Be VERY careful doing this with the sole live copy of your email.
It IS possible to repoint this to another location and bring it back again
without losing data BUT it is also possible for you to have it replace your
good data with a default set of empty folders. Very annoying, at least. I
can't remember what the question is that it asks you that you can answer the
wrong way but I suggest you find out AFTER having copied your files
somewhere else.

A safer system with IE6 is to create a new identity and point that at
another mail store location. It may very well be possible to use a
non-writeable medium (such as CDR) for this but I haven't tried. Zip drive
would almost certainly work. What happens if you change Zip while pointing
at a Zip email image I don't know :-)

I use a variant of the above to get faster email file lookup.
I store the second identity's files in C:\MAIL
I have 1.3 GB of live email files and IE gets rather slow somewhere about
there. SO  I place some older archives in another location and use a second
identity to look at them when needed. (e.g. PICLIST 2001 194 MB)

You CAN import files into the new location using IE itself but there is a
potentially easier way that doesn't require the time taken by import.
- Make a dummy folder in the location used by the new identity.
- Copy at least one message into the dummy folder (to make it make a disk
file).
- CLOSE the email system.
- Check dummy file is there.
- Copy the requisite file into the location with the name of the dummy
folder (overwrites dummy)
- Start email. Switch to sub-identity. Rename folder. .

You can copy the file in with its correct final name but I find. using a
short dummy name lets me check things before I use the correct name.

Using file move rather than copy for large files makes it quicker BUT you
are working with your live copy (which, of course, you have  backup of,
don't you?)

Doing a version of the above using a Zip drive should work.



        Russell McMahon

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different
ways.  See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.