Outlokk express and Memory Sticks

[enodreven]

Hi, as I mentioned before we left I had decided to store all of my important information on a USB memory stick just in case the laptop was stolen, Well thats exactly what i have done i coppied all of my email folders onto the memory stick and deleted them from the hard drive, but now when i try to use the maintenace function within outlook express it see's the memory stick and the folders but fade's out the choice to select them it will only allow me to select a folder on my hard drive ??

 

any advice would be welcome

 

Brian

[Bazza454]

enodreven - 2007-04-03 3:12 PM Hi, as I mentioned before we left I had decided to store all of my important information on a USB memory stick just in case the laptop was stolen, Well thats exactly what i have done i coppied all of my email folders onto the memory stick and deleted them from the hard drive, but now when i try to use the maintenace function within outlook express it see's the memory stick and the folders but fade's out the choice to select them it will only allow me to select a folder on my hard drive ?? any advice would be welcome Brian

Hi Brian,

Insert the memory stick then go into Windows Explorer.

Tab down until you find the memory stick, it will be identified as "Removable Disc either D, E, F, G", etc. Double Click once you've found the device and then highlight the files, right click and then "Send To" - choose My Documents. Note that this will send a copy to your hard drive, it will not delete the files from the memory stick.

You can then update them as necessary.

Once you've finished updating, using Explorer, "send" them back to the memory stick, you will see a prompt "do you want to overwrite the existing files" - choose yes, then "safely remove" the memory stick.

You can then delete the files that you sent to My Documents.

[enodreven]

Hi, Bazza

 

Thanks for that info, the problem is that my emails in total add up to 750 MB in 30+ folders, so while i will if there is no other way, i really didn't want to copy them backwards and forwards ?

 

What I was hopeing was that it would be possible to configure outlook express to use a removable device e.g. either a memory stick or a RW DVD as it seems strange that it won't allow me to do this ?

 

Brian

[bob b]

Wonderful thing an education !

[Terrytraveller]

Hi Brian,

 

As I take the laptop with me in the MH, and for security I always back my Outlook Express database up from the hard drive onto a mem stick by this procedure ;-

 

1. From Outlook Express select Tools/Options

2. From Options select Maintenance/Store Folder

3. Highlight and Copy the Path then cancel

4. Open Explorer and Search and Past Path, then search

5. Select the Displayed Outlook Express Folder

6. Edit/Select all DBX files and Copy

7. Paste Files into your Mem Stick

 

You now have a copy of the complete database, I usually delete the entire OE database from OE when on holiday because of its sensitive nature.

 

To reinstall the database before you use OE, just paste all the files back into their original default OE directory.

 

I have never tried altering the Store Directory to the Mem Stick, but it would be worth trying as I don't see why it shouldn't work. Something for you to try and perhaps report your findings to the forum.

 

Regards Terry

[Bazza454]

enodreven - 2007-04-03 4:28 PM Hi, Bazza Thanks for that info, the problem is that my emails in total add up to 750 MB in 30+ folders, so while i will if there is no other way, i really didn't want to copy them backwards and forwards ? What I was hopeing was that it would be possible to configure outlook express to use a removable device e.g. either a memory stick or a RW DVD as it seems strange that it won't allow me to do this ? Brian

Hi Brian,

Just tried the following using my external hard drive and it works in Outlook - good luck.

Open a file in My Computer

1. On the Outlook Bar, click Other or Other Shortcuts.
   
   
2. Click My Computer .
   
   
3. Double-click the drive that contains the file you want.
   
   
4. If the file you want is in a folder, double-click the folder.
   
   
5. Double-click the file you want to open.

Tip   To quickly locate the file you want, use the Folder List. If the Folder List is not visible, click the View menu, and then click Folder List.

[tonyishuk]

I use the briefcase function on my memory stick. That way any files that get changed automaticaly get updated. If the files are updated on the stick, by using it o another another PC, they will automatically update on the master PC when connected.

 

If you type in "briefcase" into Start >>> Help & Support, it will give you chapter and verse.

[Guest peter]

Terry, why not have a spare hard drive to pop in when you go away and leave the main one at home in a safe place. It only takes 5 minutes to change one over?.

[LeoK]

Brian (enodreven),

 

Using Outlook Express 6.00.29xx

 

Copy your mail folders from the Outlook store to the mem stick (as before). You can identify where they are now by a dummy run of thie following process.

 

In OE6, select Tools | Options | Maintenance | Store folder.

This will be pointing to the current file system folder containing your mail files.

Select Change then navigate to the mem stick drive and the folder to which you copied your mail files. OK your selection and OK your way back to the normal OE display.

 

OE should then be quite happy to work with the files from your mem stick.

 

Best prove it by doing some updates, for example creating some messages for sending, but save them rather than send them. The drafts folder on the mem stick should grow whilst the drafts folder at the original location should not. Create, send and receive a message to yourself. Check that the right file set gets updated.

 

When satisfied you can delete the mail files from their original location. If feeling pedantic, you could make a backup of them first, 750mb won't fit onto a CD but easy onto a DVD. To be really pedantic you should delete the mail files from their original location by using files 'shredding' software which will overwrite the fle space first thereby ensuring that there is no residual trace to be recovered were the laptop to be borrowed or stolen.

 

Regards etc ... LeoK