It can be a pain to get a new computer and have to figure out how to transfer the saved data to it from an old machine. With Outlook Express, finding the folders with stored messages and addresses is not that complicated, and the application will walk you through it. By following a few important tips, transferring your data will be even easier.

Finding the Folders

Go into Outlook Express and into Tools. Under this tab, enter into the Options and then go to the Maintenance tab. Inside this tab will be a button labeled "Stored Folder" that will tell you where the directory of your stored files are hidden in the hard drive. Once you receive the directory address, go into Windows Explorer and enter it into the address bar. Once you have the folder, copy it onto a CD or other storage device for transfer over to the new computer. This will contain the majority of your Outlook Express files, but will not include the Address Book. To transfer this, click Ctrl+Shift+B to access it and go to File and Export, then click Address Book. It will ask you where to install the file, enter it into the storage device you plan on moving to the new computer.

Importing Files

Put the stored folder and address book file onto the desktop of the new computer. Open up Outlook Express and go to the File tab and down to Import and select Messages. Follow the wizard to do the importing process and, at the end of it, they will be installed into the new Outlook Express application. Importing the address book is just as easy. Go back to the Import tab and select Address Book this time. Find the Address Book file from the desktop and select it to import it into the application. Once it has been imported, all of the files and folders from the old Outlook Express will be transferred from the old machine onto the new one.