Using FABS to backup and restore Outlook Express

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kaizen
  • Start date Start date
K

Kaizen

Guest
We have been experimenting with Fab's AutoBackup 4 Tech to see how we may incorporate it into our processes. Our first test has been with outlook express. We created two identities, the default "main identity" and a second identity named "test". We then created a backup of the identities and the address book using fabs

Next we tested the restore. We created a new user account to simulate a new computer. The first restore we did we ran the restore of fabs before opening OE. Then when we opened OE for the first time it had three identities listed: main identity, main identity(double), and test. The test identity was complete, but both main identities were incomplete. It almost appeared that when OE was opened for the first time it over wrote the identity that fabs restored. Only the addresses were listed, no email.

We ran a second test on a new user account to simulate a new computer. This time we ran fabs restore after first running OE which creates the "main identity". The thought was it might overwrite the default account with the "main identity" that was previously backed up. That was not the case: it created an identity called "main identity created by fab"(paraphrasing). This account had email but not access to the address book.

We found a work around that solves the issue. Do the normal backup using fabs. Next open up OE and let it create the default, "main identity" account. Next in the OE settings, under manage identities, rename the "main identity" to something else. Close OE. Now restore your backed up identities with fabs. Your backed up identities should all work perfectly. To clean things up, delete the unneeded renamed identity.

Maybe there is an easier way to do this. If so, please let me know.
 
I've not had a problem with it. When you restore do you log in to each account and restore the relevant profile?

So for example a computer has 4 profiles and you make one Fabs backup of all 4 profiles then log into each new profile on your new computer and install one profile backup from the backup you initially made.
 
I've not had a problem with it. When you restore do you log in to each account and restore the relevant profile?

So for example a computer has 4 profiles and you make one Fabs backup of all 4 profiles then log into each new profile on your new computer and install one profile backup from the backup you initially made.

I don't think this is the OP's issue. With Outlook Express you can have umpteen 'Identities' in the same Windows user account.
 
Not to nitpick, but, why are you even interested in migrating OE to OE? Outlook Express is only available on XP, which is dead in 6 days.
 
Not to nitpick, but, why are you even interested in migrating OE to OE? Outlook Express is only available on XP, which is dead in 6 days.

I suspect we will be supporting it for some time still. I agree it is a little late in the game to start automating OE backups. Better late than never. Not so much migrating to a new system, but nuke and paves of their old system.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've not had a problem with it. When you restore do you log in to each account and restore the relevant profile?

So for example a computer has 4 profiles and you make one Fabs backup of all 4 profiles then log into each new profile on your new computer and install one profile backup from the backup you initially made.

when you say profiles, do you mean windows user accounts? if so I logged into the windows user account I wanted to restore the data to and restored a single user account from the FABS backup which contained two identities. I suspect it would have the same failure with just the default "main Identity"

Based on the test I did on two separate computers, I can't see anyone importing the OE accounts without using the work around. I am surprised it worked for you. Hmm.

Thanks for your input. Maybe I will get motivated and create an account at FABS forum and see what he says.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've used Fabs 4 for a long time and have used it many times to successfully backup/restore OE; most with single identities, but many with multiple identities (meaning multiple email identities, not multiple Windows IDs).

However, where possible, I've been converting my XP OE users to Windows Live Mail. WLM easily imports OE folders and can be installed on any Windows out there. Plus, with a few display tweaks, WLM looks almost like OE which makes the user happy.
 
Back
Top