Browsing Tips Folder

When a client asks how to do something, or I come across a useful tip somewhere else, I put it in a folder for use on a rainy day. As luck would have it, there is a whole lot of "30% POP" coming down right now. I hope these tips come in handy for you some rainy day.

Back Up and Recover Outlook Express Messages and Addresses
Is your email important to you? Most of us would answer yes, but not everyone feels that way. If you don't mind taking on chance on losing your email, skip over this tip!

Backing up your email messages involves copying them to another folder. If you are then going to save them on a CD or DVD, follow the steps below first, and then follow the prompts in your CD/DVD burning software to transfer the backup onto your CD/DVD. Let's get started:

Open Outlook Express as you normally do
Click Tools Options Maintenance Store Folder
Move your mouse cursor until the entire Store Folder field is highlighted (It's a long file name!)
Press CTRL+C at the same time to copy the location
Click Cancel
Click Cancel again to close the dialog box
Click Start Run.
In the Open box, press CTRL+V to paste in the Store Folder location you copied
Click OK
Click Edit Select All
Click Edit Copy
Close the window.
Right-click any empty space on your desktop, click New Folder.
Type something informative (like Mail Backup) for the folder name
Press ENTER
Double-click the Mail Backup folder to open it
Click Edit Paste
Close the Mail Backup window

Saving your email addresses is easier. You're going to export them to a file, save the file, and add it to the CD/DVD or other storage location. Here we go:

Open Outlook Express as you normally do
Click File Export Address Book.
Click Text File (Comma Separated Values)
Click Export
Click Browse
Locate the Mail Backup folder that you created
In the File Name box, type address book backup
Click Save Next
Click to select the check boxes for the fields that you want to export
Click Finish.
Click OK Close.
To restore your Outlook Express messages, you just import them. If you've burned them to a CD/DVD or copied them onto a USB or other drive, you need to copy them back to your Desktop first. After that:

Open Outlook Express
Click on File Import Messages.
In the Select an e-mail program to import from box, click Microsoft Outlook Express 5 or Microsoft Outlook Express 6
Click Next
Click Import mail from an OE5 store directory or Import mail from an OE6 store directory
Click OK
Click Browse
Navigate to the Mail Backup folder on your desktop and click on it
Click OK Next
Click All folders Next Finish

Now you can import your saved address book:

Click File Import Other Address Book.
Click Text File (Comma Separated Values)
Click Import
Click Browse
Navigate to the Mail Backup folder on your desktop and double-click to open it
Select the address book backup.csv file
Click Open Next Finish.
Click OK Close

There is more information about saving rules and account settings in an article here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270670. Please remember that Outlook Express is not the same as Outlook. Here (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/257824/EN-US/) is an explanation of the differences.

Convert files without installing software
Zamzar is a very useful tool that will let you convert a file from one type to another without having to go through the trouble of finding and installing a conversion program. I tried this and it worked for me. I asked it to convert a Word document to a PDF file. It did that and within a few minutes emailed me a link to my converted file. I downloaded the file and it opened perfectly in Foxit PDF viewer. Check out Zamzar here: http://www.zamzar.com/. Zamzar will convert documents, images, videos and music file types. The service is free. Be aware that your file is stored on their server for at least 24 hours, so use your judgement when it comes to sensitive or copyrighted material.

Change the picture on the Start Menu
Tired of looking at that chess piece when you log on and in your Start menu? You can change that picture easily.

Click Start to open the Start menu
Click on the picture itself to open User Account settings
Choose a new picture from the ones displayed, or click Browse to use a picture located anywhere on your computer
Select the picture
Close the User Accounts dialog box

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.