Outlook .pst file in Windows mail

[gvBlake]

I've got a new computer running Vista. I have my old emails from my old computer (win xp) on a file (outlook.pst) and want to import them into Windows Mail. I've tried the File > Import - but there is no option to import from a pst file. Is there another way?

Also... are contacts in the outlook.pst file or are they in another file?

[Macarenas]

1. Outlook must be installed on the computer that the .pst file is to be exported.
   
   
2. Individual messages from Outlook (.msg) cannot be dragged and dropped into WIndows Mail (or even Outlook Express on XP for that matter)
   
   
3. In Outlook on Windows XP export the PST to Outlook Express then import those into Windows Mail
   
   
4. Outlook Contacts will need to be exported as a Comma Separated Values text file for import into Windows Contacts

[chroma]

It's not possible to directly import .PST files into any Microsoft-provided email clients ( such as Outlook Express or Windows Mail) unless Outlook is installed in a Microsoft OS) without using a third-party email conversion utility.

I use Aid4Mail to convert an Outlook pst into an Outlook Express message store folder, then import that into Windows Mail. I don't think Aid4Mail has Vista support yet (i.e., Aid4Mail can't convert ..PST files into Windows Mail store folders directly).

But if Microsoft Office Outlook is already installed in Vista, you may directly import the existing Outlook store (the email/accounts settings) into Windows Mail.

Do NOT attempt to use the Aid4Mail Trial to convert your mail, since it only allows 50 emails per folder to be converted, and additionally, adds a tag into the Subject line of all converted emails.

But over all, I suggest that it would be an excellent investment of your money, since the Pro version is excellent for converting to and from MANY different email formats. It is especially handy for converting between OS X/Windows/Linux/Unix mail.


NOTE: Aid4Mail does support conversions to and from *.eml files (the Windows Mail native format), though it probably won't convert the Windows Mail folders themselves, just the *.eml files. I haven't tried this yet, so I really can't say for certain. I do know that
Aid4Mail Pro does convert to and from *.eml files.

I guess you could use Aid4Mail to process your *.PST folders into*.eml files, then import them into Windows Mail, though it would be easier (and cheaper, since you already have Microsoft Outlook, and Aid4Mail Pro costs an additional $49.95) to directly import them into Windows Mail from an existing instance of Microsoft Outlook using Windows Mail's "File/Import" function.

[Sam.D]

Windows Mail needs to have Outlook installed on the same computer, preferably version 2003 or later, before it can import .pst files. Version 2002 will also run under Vista, but with a few problems.

You can also import from Outlook to Outlook Express on your old computer, then import from Outlook Express to Windows Mail.

The .wab file will then contain the address book, so bring it along. After you copy the .dbx and .wab files to your new computer, but before you import them into Windows Mail, make sure the copies are read-write instead of readonly.

[gvBlake]

Great - handn't thought of the express option - I'll give that a go - regards

[Macarenas]

Also see these threads. Will be of some more help
Importing PST Mail from Outlook to Windows Mail
Cannot import Microsft Outlook PST file into Windows Mail

[bunnyholmes]

Is there a way to convert Windows Mail contacts from a Vista environment into something Outlook 2002 can use in an XP Pro environment? That's my dilemma...