In order to avoid being killed at dawn

[shankle]

Wiffies puter,
Windows XP Pro, Yes, Outlook express, 4 identities.

In Documents & settings under identities there are dozens of files relating to
Outlook Express. Some dating from 2009. Why, when if ever do they get deleted
and what Happens If I delete them? Can't tell which identity they will effect.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
You single guys don't have this threat :icon_mrgreen:

[dedndave]

hi Jack
maybe you could give us a list of filenames ?
i would tend to leave them be, unless they have a .tmp extension or are sucking up a lot of space

[shankle]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for answering.
I have enclosed a PDF page in .Zip format. As you will see the file names are probably
worthless to you as all Outlook Express users will have different file names. Quite a
bit of space is used by them and some are from 2009.

[dedndave]

well - they may be your saved e-mails, too - you may not want to delete them
or - they could be address books and other data

are those files in the Documents and Settings folder or a sub-folder ?
they are GUID's - you may be able to search the system registry to learn what program they are for

something i do quite often is to rename or move folders and/or files to another location, rather than deleting them
that way, if bad things happen, you can put them back   
if everything seems fine (after a considerable period of time), then i may delete them
maybe you could make a more permanent backup of them on a CD or something (CD's are cheap)

i am guessing these are actually folders - not files
inside the folder may be some files
either way...
you might look at them with HxD to see if they are something recognizable

[dedndave]

oh yah...
i don't think they are necessarily outlook files

http://www.insideoe.com/files/store.htm

[shankle]

Hi Dave,
The files are in c:\D&S\your name\local settings\documents\Application Data\
Identities and other places.
They are combination of messages and address books from Outlook Express.

Like you say walk softly. Backup to another disk or dvd. Delete 1 old one
and wait a while to see what happens. Wish there was a quicker way
but any port in a storm

[Blackmasm]

For Outlook Express:

Backup mailboxes (they are *.dbx files, you'll find them)
Export address book if required (how exactly can vary with each version)
Export Account Settings (Again, varies per version, if a problem you can always just note them down - email address, pop, smtp settings, you'll need to the passwords as well as oe user's forget them - best to get from *ISP)

Then you can just murder all that identities crap and set up oe again by importing account / address book, and then overwriting the new inboxes it creates with your old ones.

*careful - one version of oe doesn't export the password with the account settings, I can't remember early or later version, so make sure you test this, or have a backup plan with *ISP.

* Re ISP, you don't really have to talk to them, usually they will have a webmail interface which could be useful.

[shankle]

I quit.
It finally messed up one of her precious identities.
Yes, I had it backed up and put all the files I had deleted back
in the same place. But it still didn't work. Had to restore from
the latest backup.
I will never again mess with Outlook Express :(

[dedndave]

it probably created a new file/folder for that ID
you may have just needed to delete the newly created one
according to the documentation - these didn't appear to be OE files

sorry if i caused you troubles, Jack
hate to get wifee mad at you   :redface:

[shankle]

Not to worry Dave.
I'm an expert in getting myself in trouble

[dedndave]

exactly - that's why you don't need any extra help from me - lol
i know what it's like to be in the doghouse

[shankle]

Light at the end of the tunnel.
She is being forced away from her beloved Outlook Express.
Att threw her a curve ball. One of her Identities stopped working.
Could not send or receive. Evidently ATT has a way to stop access
to an identity. Anyway, she called them and they told her she would
have to buy some kind if an insurance policy before they could help
her. Needless to say, being as cheap as we are, she allowed me to
switch her to gmail for the offending identity. So she is being force fed
to the nicetities of gmail
I expect that Att will pull the same stunt with the other identities
eventually.
I can get rid then of Outlook Express - WOW.....

[dedndave]

sounds like at&t really sux - even worse than cox   :P
if they told me i needed "insurance", i am afraid they would be packing it where the sun doesn't shine
...and i would have to find a new provider - lol

[Blackmasm]

Cool

Wish I was being force fed nicetities :lol:

[shankle]

Never fear Blackmasm.
Gmail like all the rest of them will shoot itself in the foot over time.
They can't seem to leave well enough alone.
I believe in the theory - IF IT AIN'T BROKE LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!!!!!!