If the files on the Maxtor were put there by a Backup utility then they can only be Restored by the same utility. As Mikie said, this is doable but involved. Import / Export is normally the easiest, 'assuming' your email client supports that, otherwise you should be able to cut and paste. With the Maxtor on the XP machine it becomes the Destination Drive for the Export or Cut files. Once that is done, hook it to the Vista machine and it becomes the Source Drive for the info. All of this assumes a comfort level using Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer). halb

You can "export" your email addresses to a USB drive and "import" them on your new computer File->Export->Address Book->Text File-> using "Browse" find the location of your USB drive. Name your file and follow the steps in the wizard to finish. On your new computer go to File->Import and follow the steps to import the data from your USB drive You can do the same for exporting/importing your Internet Favorites. It is located under File->Export. Just follow the wizard. I have never had any luck moving the actual email files. I am sure there is a way - but every attempt I have made has failed. I know there was a software you could purchase to "back up" OE, and then restore it on a new machine. I didn't want to buy anything though. You could try forwarding the emails (from your old machine) that you want to keep to yourself - then retrieving them on the new machine.

Hi, I'm new here and hope I can help you out. This is how I retrieved my mail from OE from and old windows program to Windows XP Hopefully it will work for you. Back Up Outlook Express Messages Microsoft stores Outlook Express messages in a subfolder buried deep beneath the Windows folder, where it's nearly impossible to back up. That can mean disaster if you have a disk crash, or if you replace your PC. When you restore your backed-up data files, you discover that your email is gone! Fortunately, Outlook Express 5.5 (included as a component of IE 5.01 with Service Pack 1 and in IE 5.5) allows you to change the default location where messages are stored, making it easier to back them up with your other files. Follow these steps: Open your My Documents folder, right-click on any empty space, and choose New, Folder from the shortcut menu. Because you'll use this new folder to hold your mail messages, give it a descriptive name like My Mail. From the main Outlook Express window, pull down the Tools menu, choose Options, and click the Maintenance tab. Click the Store Folder button. This opens a dialog box that allows you to select the folder where you want Outlook Express messages to be stored. Click the Change button. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, select the folder you created in Step 1 and click OK. Note that the path to your My Mail folder now appears in the Store Location dialog box. Click OK to save this change, and click OK to the warning message that appears next. Close the Options dialog box, and then close and restart Outlook Express. All your message files are now in a convenient location in the My Documents folder. Back up the entire contents of your My Documents folder today and you'll be well protected from data disasters! Now that you have them saved in a new file...... Save on a disc just like you did your other files. In your new computer, Go to OE mail and open... Go to File..Import.. messages Select Program - Example (Microsoft outlook express 6) Specify location - Import from an OE6 store directory Location of messages - Browse to fine your file. Select Folders you want to import - Click Next and it will add them to your new Outlook Express. You can do just the ones you want or pick them all at once. Good Luck to you.

Do you have any DRM protected content that you purchased from itunes? That may make a difference in how you do this. You can copy protected content to more than one PC, but there is a limit (I forget what the limit is). You can simply copy the contents of "My Documents\My Music\iTunes" from your current PC to the new one to start. Since you can have the content on 2 PCs, this works for the protected content, also. If you're using itunes, you can use the ipod with both PCs, but I don't think you can use the ipod to transfer between the two PCs (at least not readily). You can use it with both PCs. To do so, when you connect it, on the ipod summary page, check the Manually manage music and videos button. Then, when you want to copy to the ipod, you drag from the left bar to the ipod. If you click help and search for manually manage, you'll find detailed instructions. You can also check the box to enable disk use, but itunes doesn't copy files to the ipod with the same names as it uses in Windows, so that won't be much help, I don't think.