OLEXP: Windows 98 Upgraded to Windows 2000 Does Not Import Outlook Express Messages. (272422)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 4.01 for Windows 98 SP 1
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 4.01 for Windows 98 SP 2
This article was previously published under Q272422
For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook Express and Microsoft Outlook e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express

SYMPTOMS

When you have stored e-mail messages in Outlook Express and you upgrade your operating system from Microsoft Windows 98 to Microsoft Windows 2000, your stored messages are missing and you are not prompted to import them.

CAUSE

Windows 98 stores the identities in the following locations:

For Outlook Express 4.x:

Hard Disk:\Windows\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Mail

For Outlook Express 5 and later:

Hard Disk:\Windows\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\identity_folder_name\Microsoft\Outlook Express

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, manually import messages and subfolders from Windows 98. To do this:
  1. Start Outlook Express.
  2. On the File menu, point to Import, and then click Messages.
  3. In the Select Program dialog box, click Outlook Express 5 or Outlook Express 4, and then click Next.
  4. Under Specify Location, click Import mail from an OE5 store directory, and then click OK.

    NOTE: Skip this step if you are importing mail from Outlook Express 4.
  5. In the Location of Messages dialog box, click Browse.
  6. Locate and click one of the following folders, and then click OK:

    For Outlook Express 4.x:

    Hard Disk:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Mail

    For Outlook Express 5 and later:

    Hard Disk:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\identity_folder_name\Microsoft\Outlook Express

  7. Click Next.
  8. In the Select Folders dialog box, click the folders that you want to import.
  9. In the Import Complete dialog box, click Finish.

MORE INFORMATION

The folder and storage structure in Windows 2000 are much different than in Windows 98. For additional information about how to upgrade to Windows 2000 from Windows 98, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

250297 How to Prepare to Upgrade Windows 95 or Windows 98 to Windows 2000

268569 OLEXP: Windows Address Book May Be Blank After Exporting Or Upgrading

This issue is also found to occur when upgrading from Window 98 to Windows XP. For additional information about how to troubleshoot this issue when upgrading from Windows 98 to Windows XP, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

313055 OLEXP: Mail Objects Missing After Upgrade to Windows XP

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/25/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB272422
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