# Where is Outlook Express keeping my emails? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770 "2005-01-08T18:58:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![galen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@galen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/1 "2005-01-08T18:58:30Z")
I recently got a new computer. I have made a habit of backing my email files up to a CD-RW. Now when I go to where they are supposed to live at C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Identities, the folders are empty, even though the folder properties in Outlook claim that the files are there. There was one time when I was setting up my system when I was able to see the files, but now I can’t. I am running Norton Internet Securtiy. I wonder if somehow those files are being hidden . Any Ideas? ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/2 "2005-01-08T19:06:39Z")
You could try \Owner\Application Data\Microsoft… Check the folders in there. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/3 "2005-01-08T19:10:43Z")
Or go to the folder you first checked in Windows Explorer. Click on the ‘Tools’ at the menu bar \> Folder Options \> Click on the ‘View’ tab \> Click on ‘Show hidden files and folders’. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/4 "2005-01-08T19:12:13Z")
- - - I don’t know the answer to your question–but I would just say that you might use Netscape/Mozilla for email, if it is possible or practical. The reason is because they store emails as text files–they store all of the saved emails (in any one directory) all in one big text file–but if the file gets corrupted and Netscape can no longer open it, you can still open it in a text editor and read the contents. Outlook uses some wierd formating where this is not possible; I don’t know of any other program that can legibly open a Outlook saved emails file. …I had a bunch of saved emails in Outlook and it bombed the file, and when someone else told me this about Netscape/Mozilla, that got me off Outlook for good. ~ ---
**Author:** ![galen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@galen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/5 "2005-01-08T21:22:19Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > You could try \Owner\Application Data\Microsoft… > > Check the folders in there. Nothing there ---
**Author:** ![galen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@galen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/6 "2005-01-08T21:24:11Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > Or go to the folder you first checked in Windows Explorer. Click on the ‘Tools’ at the menu bar \> Folder Options \> Click on the ‘View’ tab \> Click on ‘Show hidden files and folders’. That was already done. Didn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/7 "2005-01-08T21:34:30Z")
The only thing that I can think of is that you’re not logging into the ‘Owner’ account. Are there other logon accounts for your 2K/XP machine that you may be using? (not knowning your computer ability, gotta go with the basics first). ---
**Author:** ![JimMacMillan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7bcc69/32.png) [@JimMacMillan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimMacMillan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/8 "2005-01-08T22:22:13Z")
Start OE Click on - TOOLS / OPTIONS / MAINTENANCE (tab) / STORE FOLDER (button) Jim ---
**Author:** ![galen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@galen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/9 "2005-01-08T22:25:49Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > The only thing that I can think of is that you’re not logging into the ‘Owner’ account. Are there other logon accounts for your 2K/XP machine that you may be using? (not knowning your computer ability, gotta go with the basics first). No other accounts. I am logged in as “owner”. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/10 "2005-01-09T01:01:29Z")
> [@JimMacMillan](#): > > Start OE > > Click on - TOOLS / OPTIONS / MAINTENANCE (tab) / STORE FOLDER (button) > > Jim Yeah? So I checked. And OE told me this: C:\Documents and Settings[myname]\local settings\Application Data\Identities{A3A17FBE-9429-4EBD-B86B-0F8661EB1367}\Microsoft\Outlook Express But hwn digging down through the folders, that with all the letters and numbers is empty, i.e. there’s no microsoft folder in it. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/11 "2005-01-09T01:11:35Z")
Is it perhaps a hidden folder? Open up Windows Explorer (or just go to My Computer - C:) and go to Tools - Folder Options - Views - Hidden files and folders and choose the “Show Hidden Files and Folders” radio Then try to navigate to the folder you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/12 "2005-01-09T01:17:27Z")
[This](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;270670) page explains how to backup the Outlook Express files. Does that help? ---
**Author:** ![galen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@galen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/13 "2005-01-09T02:46:14Z")
> [@The Gaspode](#): > > Yeah? > So I checked. And OE told me this: > C:\Documents and Settings[myname]\local settings\Application Data\Identities{A3A17FBE-9429-4EBD-B86B-0F8661EB1367}\Microsoft\Outlook Express > But hwn digging down through the folders, that with all the letters and numbers is empty, i.e. there’s no microsoft folder in it. OK! The problem is solved. Thanks to all for your input. Here’s what happened. When I moved some files over from my old computer, I copied the old Application Data folder and pasted it in my Owner folder. Then when I tried to access my _new_ files, instead of clicking on Local Settings\Application Data\Identities{D5695572-ACF4-4AA1-B407-F6FF2B733BD6}\Microsoft, I was clicking on the \*old \* Application Data folder and ending up in a dead end. Again, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-outlook-express-keeping-my-emails/283770/14 "2005-01-09T18:44:32Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Is it perhaps a hidden folder? No, I couldn’t get that far down, if I had hidden folders. And the search path is from OE.