IT Queries: Computer problems answered

I have a new computer running Windows 7 and I can’t figure out how to copy the addresses in Outlook Express on my old computer to the new system.

You’ll have to export the old address book into a Comma Separated Value file (.csv) on the old computer, copy the CSV file across to the new computer and then import it into Windows Live Mail. It isn’t complex, but it is a bit fiddly.

First, open Outlook Express on your old Windows XP, ME, 98 or 95 computer and choose Addresses on the tool bar as show below;

Once you are in the Windows Address Book choose File then Export and Other Address Book.

In the Address Book Export Tool, select Text File (Comma Separated Values) and click Export;

The program will then ask you where you want to save the CSV file, choose an external drive which you can plug into the new Windows 7 computer or, if both the computers are networked, a location where the Windows 7 machine can find the exported file.

Once you’ve saved the file go to the Windows 7 system and plug in the external drive if you’ve used that to save the CSV file.

In the Windows Live Mail screen, select the contacts button and show menu, then choose import and Comma Separated Values. The program will ask where the CSV file is, and you’ll need to tell it where the file has been saved.

Click continueand the import process will start. During the process, the program might ask you about field mapping, this is where the computer isn’t sure which part of the file belongs where, so you may have to tell the system which part is the email address, which part the surname, etc.

Once you’ve completed, you should find all your addresses have come across. Keep in mind if you have multiple address books or groups within the address book, you’ll have to recreate these.

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