Backing up Windows Live Mail in XP, Vista or Windows 7

This will backup Windows Live Mail in Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7.

Step 1:

• Create a folder and name it LiveBackup.
• Inside the LiveBackup folder, create 3 more folders and name them; Messages, Contacts, and Accounts.

Step 2:  Backing Up Messages:

• Open Windows Live Mail, and at the top menu, click File/Export and choose Messages
• When the Wizard comes up select Microsoft Windows Live Mail and click Next
• Browse to your Messages folder in the LiveBackup folder you just made in Step 1 and click Ok,
• Click next.
• Select All Folders in the radio box and click next.
• The wizard will then backup all your email messages into the Messages folder.  Do not use this folder to backup anything else.

Step 3:  Backing Up Contacts:

• Go into your Contacts (Address Book), and click File/Export then choose Comma Separated Values (CSV)
• Browse to your Contacts folder in the LiveBackup folder you made in Step 1, and click Next.
• Name the file MyContacts and click save.
• Click Next
• Put a Check Mark on the fields that you want it to save, for instance First Name, Last Name, Email, or even all of the fields, (scroll down for more).  Then click Finish.
• The Wizard will then export all of your Address Book Contacts into the Contacts folder you made.  Do not use this folder for anything else.

Step 4:  Backing Up Your Email Accounts

• Go into Windows Live Mail, and at the top menu, click File/Export and choose Accounts.
• Single click your mail account, and then click the Export Button.
• Browse to your Accounts folder in the LiveBackup folder you made in Step 1.
• Click the Save button
• If you have more then one email account, you will need to go through the same process of Step 4 for each mail account.

Step 5:

Put the LiveBackup folder with the sub folders on a flash drive, backup drive, CD, or DVD, and put it in a safe place.