Importing Outlook Messages into Microsoft Mail

I have seen a bunch of other threads on this, but they did not seem to answer
the question. I am running Microsoft Outlook(not Express) on my old
computer. Just got new computer with Microsoft Mail. Is there a way for me
to copy my old e-mails and import them into Microsoft Mai. There appears to
be an import from Outlook option, but I get the message file can't be
imported from the MAPI client. Any help?

On the old computer, Outlook offers an export to Outlook Express. Use that,
then import into windows mail from the Outlook Express message store. To
import from Outlook directly into Windows Mail, you need to also have
Outlook installed on the Vista box, and Outlook must be using the PST file
you wish to import from.

I copied my Outlook folders to an empty USB Jump Drive folder. Something I am
already use to doing. I carry my messages back and forth between 2 computers.
I refuse to use Web Mail. Finding the folders can be hard and your hidden
files and possibly system files have to be displayed in order to find the
folders if they are in there default places. Usually under \Documents and
Setttings\UserName\Local Files??\Microsoft\Outlook. I am not positive on the
directory names, I follow my nose when copying mine. There may be a place in
Outlook which tells where the folders are stored.

Then using Vista Windows Mail
File...Import...Messages...Microsoft Outlook Express 6...Import mail from an
OE6 store directory...Browse...Select the Folder containing the copied
Outlook Express folders and carry on. I can't remember but it may ask what
folders you want to import. Mail will place the imported folders within a
"Imported Folders" folder. Then drag the messages from the imported folders
into the appropriate Mail folders and erase the imported folders.

I run Outlook 2003 and that doesn't offer an export to Outlook Express
format - unless Outlook Express also use .pst (it didn't before I think).
I can export to cvs files, access, excel, .pst and tab separated.

OE never used pst files. Is there an Import option in OE that lets you
import from the Outlook files?

This isn't true on the version of Outlook I have (I can't export to Outlook
Express 6 from Outlook, but rather vice versa). However, Jim's advice finally
set me on the right path, a mere 6 hours and 3 failed attempts later. Here's
how I did it, moving files from Outlook on my old XP computer to Windows Mail
on my new Vista machine (which does not have Outlook on it):

1) Open your old Outlook and look over what folders you want to copy over.
Note: any folders in the Archive Folder in Outlook will not appear on the
import folder list. You'll need to copy the archive folders you want over to
your Personal Folders area. Personally, I would do this after successfully
importing everything else, as copying over archives might make your .pst
files get unwieldy and large (and possibly unusable).

2) Open Outlook Express 6. This program comes with Internet Explorer 6 SP1,
free to download with it - you should have it on your machine, or can get it
by updating to IE6 SP1
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/.../default.mspx).

3) You can import from Outlook to Outlook Express 6. Go to "File | Import |
Messages..." and import from Outlook. Choose the folders you want to import
or just select Import All.

4) Once everything is in Outlook Express 6, go to "Tools | Options..." and
click on the Maintenance tab. Click on the "Store Folder..." button. A
directory will be shown in the dialog. Copy this directory location (however
you wish). Close down Outlook Express 6.

5) Open a file explorer and go to this directory. Copy all the files in here
over to your Vista computer, into some temporary directory. The method used
is your choice: network, CD, whatever. Experts: you might want to skip this
step and try using this directory when importing - see step 7 and my warning
there.

6) Start up Windows Mail on Vista (and set up the account, etc.). Go to
"File | Import | Messages...", then select "Outlook Express 6". Hit Next. The
bottom option, "Import mail from an OE6 store directory" should be the only
option available. Hit OK.

7) Here's the part that had me stuck for awhile, "Location of Messages". Hit
"Browse..." and go find your temporary directory from step 5. Select it. The
utterly confusing bit is "No files match your search" displayed on the right.
Just hit "Select Folder". You might also hit a snag with the browse path -
examine it at this point. If it has the temporary directory path but the last
folder name in the path is repeated (e.g.
"C:\Users\Cathy\Document\TempImport\TempImport", then Browse again. Also
note: I tried shortcutting early on, setting this directory to the Outlook
Express 6 directory in step 5 and import over the network, but this failed
for some reason.

8) Once you hit "Next", you should now be able to import All folders, etc.
Enjoy! You'll probably want to reorganize the folders once imported. Happily,
moving folders around in Windows Mail is pretty snappy.

I hope this works. I'm no expert, but after having spent way too much time
trying to do what should be simple (going from one Microsoft product to
another), I felt obligated to attempt to help others out.

Glad to hear you got it sorted and I apologize for my error. The
import instructions should have been to open Outlook Express and select
File/Import/Messages, selecting from Outlook. Thanks for your feedback and
posting.

Got my Vista desktop delivered yesterday, and
after Windows Easy Transfer decided twice to try to migrate 120G of
stuff through it, I decided to do it manually. My wife's Outlook
Express went smooth, but I was using Outlooking. Importing into OE on
old computer, copying the OE folder to Vista machine, and importing
there worked like a charm - within 10 minutes, I had all my emails
over.

Did you try running Vista's Easy Transfer?
Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Windows Easy Transfer.

See the section "Importing from Outlook Express" here:
http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx

yes, there's really a Windows Easy Transfer i found and trying now...
but my old pc is in different language, it prompt me cant install the
software into there...then what should i do...

as i tried to use oebackup and then copy the dir to vista just following the
step as the web mentioned,
but, when i following the import procedure inside window mail, it still said
"no file were found in the dir...",
is there something i did wrong...

Someone who is familiar with the procedure given at
http://www.oehelp.com/backup.aspx
will have to help you, since I have never used that procedure myself.

Read the section
Importing from Outlook Express
lower down on the page. Follow the instructions exactly.

Shame om Microsoft, who didn't provide this
information easily accessable...
You are a true Genius and have just saved me hours and hours of work. Thanks
so much for "taking one for the team"!!!

your message reg importing mail was very helpful to me - after all this time
you may not remember even writing it; however, I was able to import my old
messages successfully after many headaches and much reading.

If you don't mind, just wanted to ask a couple of things:

1) my contact files did not come over well and I cannot figure out how to
get them in the right format - they imported as a folder in my new windows
mail, but they do not show up as contacts, but as mail messages.
2) how can I get my archived messages over as when you import messages into
OE from Outlook 2000, your options only include the outlook folder and my
archived items are in a separate folder.

I created a .csv file from Outlook using the Export function and selecting
the CONTACTS folder on my old computer. I then used the Import Windows
Contacts from the File menu of Windows Mail to import the Contacts. I used
a flash drive as the transfer medium from my old computer to my Vista system.
This worked fine and all my contacts transferred. Windows Mail does not
include as many data fields as on Outlook Contacts so some information such
as birthdays, categories, and other items were lost.

Sorry about this but I cant find what I need or it is there but I am too dense.
I have a new machine with Vista Home Premium. My previous had xp with
Outlook 2003 but I cant get it anymore as it was a work one and they have
taken it back when I left. I did however take a backup of the the archive
..PST file and of the contacts which I had converted to a .WAB file.
Now then, I dont have any version of Outlook. There seems to be Windows Mail
and Windows Live, both of which provide email and neither of which do I like
much. However, more to the point, I dont seem to be able to import my copies
from Outlook 2003 to either.
Is there a way to do this to either of of these email products without
having Outlook on my machine and if not can I use Outlook 2007 as there is a
60 day free trail of MS Office which has this as part of it.
Any simple explanation will be much appreciated.

Get the free Outlook 2007 trial and set it to use your old PST file as its
default. Then you will be able to import the messages into Windows Mail.