# Outlook express question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-express-question/205802>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 6, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-express-question/205802 "2003-10-06T03:02:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-express-question/205802/1 "2003-10-06T03:02:41Z")

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As it seems my computer is intent on destroying itself, I’m trying to back up everything I can ASAP. This includes received mail in OE. The problem with moving them individually is that they’re almost all the same subject line, and as that’s how it’s saved, I can’t do a real drag-n-drop. Do I have other options when attempting to move them to other drives?

Thanks again

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**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-express-question/205802/2 "2003-10-06T03:07:32Z")

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Yes. You can open OE, and go to Tools\>Options\>Maintenance, and click the “Store Folder” button. That is the directory where your mail is kept. You can copy that whole folder to another drive, and restore it later.

I do this all the time at work when my users get new machines, and it’s the quickest and most painless way I have found to do it.

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**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-express-question/205802/3 "2003-10-06T03:57:12Z")

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Also don’t forget to back up your Address Book (search for \ ***.wab** ) and your mail settings (go to **Tools|Accounts** , click the **Mail** tab, select each account, and hit **Export** ). Unfortunately these .iaf files don’t always re-import correctly, so you should have your settings written down as well.