OK you experts out there..........XP pc crashed. Managed to retrieve my documents and transfer to new pc (windows 7 with 2007 Office) however, Outlook express unretrieveable from pc and not recognised on 7 and so have lost my address book and all e-mails - which were very very important.

Surely there is a way to access my old e-mail account and retrieve those e-mails? Have looked for a patch but cannot find anything specifically for this - only word etc. and I'm running out of patience on the Microsoft sites

I know, I know, I had backed stuff up on a stick but not for last month when some really important stuff went on my e-mails. Ive managed to get Live Mail to accept my old account for any future traffic but it doesnt help me to get back my old e-mails and full address book.

Any help would be appreciated - but not too technical please.

Sorry I have no idea how to fix it, but whoever you sent the emails to (or received them from) might still have them. You might have thought of it, but if not you could ask them to resend the emails.

You can only get them hun if you still have your old user profile on XP available- this would be stored in C:\documents and settings\****username****\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{Identity-GUID}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\

The files in there will need copying to your new setup but if you don't have access to this folder then you've lost them I'm afraid.

Did you copy the stuff to a new PC or just upgrade to windows 7 on the knackered one?

Upgraded to new pc altogether with Windows 7. I dont have the file you state but on my stick I do have old e-mails backed up? Is there anything I can do with that to perhaps get access? I havent tried copying the 'stick' stuff to the new pc yet but would like to try.

The files will be somewhere on the hard drive from your old PC - if you know someone who knows what they are doing, get them to put the drive into your new PC, they should be able to find all the files in your old user account from the old PC. Its not amateur stuff I'm afraid and requires a bit of know-how. Your e-mail file WILL be there though if you can find someone who knows where to look. Its a bit beyond guiding through via here or messages I'm afraid- needs to be done by someone ideally in front of your PC's who knows what t do.

Thanks part, looks like I'll have to just struggle on with the new one.....for the time being

anyone got windows 7? opinions on it?

im stuck with feckin vista

I have seen a lot of good programs which recover emails. But I was on the Inet couple days ago and sighted an unusual software - restoring outlook express folders. It was unusual because of had a lot of curious functions and was free as I kept in mind. Besides I advised it my friend and one of them thanked me a present.

do you still have the old PC cat? I now know how to get the old files off!

NO I SODDING WELL DONT Now you come along and say you can help