Importing into Vista Mail

[Seth]

Dozens of times I've flawlessly exported Outlook Express data from a customer's old computer into OE on their new computer. That procedure is supposed to work with Vista Mail as well.

 

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to try such. VM refused to import the messages, account, or the contacts. "There was an error in importing, yada yada, the import did not complete". I hoped that the problem was with the customer's OE creating corrupt exports, but my educated guess had "VM nonsense" written all over it. Well, I just came back from a service call that confirmed the educated guess.

 

Yesterday I picked up a computer and part of the work was to export the OE data and import it into VM on the her new computer. Once again, VM refused to import anything as described previously.

 

Like I've said before, "The more I use Vista, the more I hate it". V's Search options are limited compared to XP and often don't work. To add confusion, V's Start button shows a search which has nothing to do with a search for particular files.

 

As an advanced computer user, I'm scratching my head trying to figure out this nonsense. So I imagine the typical end user is comparatively suicidal trying to deal with such things...and don't even get me started on Vista's nightmare Network and Sharing.

 

Bottom line:

 

Any perceived benefit of Vista could have been incorporated into XP with service packs. MS does not do so, as they make profit with brand new os's. Instead of MS ****ing off the public with obvious and annoying tactics, they should charge a nominal annual fee for continual development and refining of XP.

 

My calls are increasing from people wanting to go back to XP, and I noticed that a competitor of mine has just erected a huge sign that says , "YES! We still have computers with XP Home!"

Edited June 19, 2008 by Seth

[Guest Wolfeymole]

V's Start button shows a search which has nothing to do with a search for particular files.

 

I have to disagree on this Seth.

 

I just got some Wolf pics for desktop wallpaper, typed in Wolf and bang there they were.

[Goku]

I have to disagree on this Seth.

 

I just got some Wolf pics for desktop wallpaper, typed in Wolf and bang there they were.

Wolfey, I think that Seth means to search for a particular type of extensions.

 

-- Goku

[petef]

Instead of MS ****ing off the public with obvious and annoying tactics, they should charge a nominal annual fee for developing, refining, and updating XP.

 

Seth, over the years I've come across many of the same kinds of annoyances

with MS products and now with Vista it's all the same kind of thing with one

annoyance or another. It seems clear to me that MS is out of touch with the

wants and needs of the consumer.

 

If Windows 7 fails to meet consumer demand as Vista has then the consumers

might benefit as Ms will have no choice but to continue support and possibly

development of WinXP. At this point in time that concept seems like a fantasy

but with the economy as it is (increased cost of living, due to GAS prices)

and the lack of finances of many business and home users to buy new

computers or software, MS is in a very bad position for releasing new a OS

that requires so much of an investment in new hardware, software,

peripherials, and retraining. So who knows what can happen.

 

I have no immediate plans for dumping WinXP as my main production

computer. At this point in time, I keep a spare PC around for checking out

Vista issues. For the most part I'm handling all my Vista related problems

directly on my customer's computers.

 

If my dream comes true MS will fail with Windows 7 and wind up releasing

a new OS called Windows XP Ultimate which will be something like your

quote above. :)

 

---pete---

[RandyL]

Well said pete. Microsoft frustrates us all once again. One thing though. The reality is Microsoft is out of touch and will likely remain so. But it never hurts to dream.

[petef]

Sorry for my rant in the previous post, but back to the main topic of Seths

post. Just beware that you could be burned again by Vista if you plan to

move your MS Office Outlook data from an older PC to a new Vista PC

that only has Windows Mail. This is becasue Windows Mail has no

provision for importing MS Office Outlook Email data from a backed up

copy on CD or other media. If I''m recalling correctly, you need to have

the Outlook program installed on the Vista PC in order to import the data

to Vista Mail.

 

See, it's annoyances like this where MS does such a poor job of

supporting their own products and creating compatibility problems for

their own customers who try to be loyal by sticking with MS products,

that has led me to recommend that people find alternatives for all

MS products. With Vista, I'm beginning to think that Vista Home Basic

is the best version to go with and use non-MS products for any features

you need that not included with the basic version.

 

---pete---

[petef]

Well said pete. Microsoft frustrates us all once again. One thing though. The reality is Microsoft is out of touch and will likely remain so. But it never hurts to dream.

 

Thanks. In my business I encourage my customers to keep their older

WinXP systems going instead of buying a new computer. Most times

I get their 3 to 5 year old PC running as good as or better than new

by recommending the the right applications and removing all the wrong

applications they have installed and by optimizing their windows setting.

 

Then I tell them you can keep this PC running for years to come as long

as you keep certain programs off this PC. Those are mainly AOL, McAfee,

Norton, and also MS Office 2007. The trick to keeping the older PC running

is to know which software NOT to install. ;)

 

Long live Windows XP!

 

---pete---

[Goku]

Thanks. In my business I encourage my customers to keep their older

WinXP systems going instead of buying a new computer. Most times

I get their 3 to 5 year old PC running as good as or better than new

by recommending the the right applications and removing all the wrong

applications they have installed and by optimizing their windows setting.

 

Then I tell them you can keep this PC running for years to come as long

as you keep certain programs off this PC. Those are mainly AOL, McAfee,

Norton, and also MS Office 2007. The trick to keeping the older PC running

is to know which software NOT to install. ;)

 

Long live Windows XP!

 

---pete---

Seth, if you are having problems with Windows Mail in Vista, then you might want to consider switching to Windows Live Mail. Its more like Outlook Express but is much more stable and may also help you get rid of your annoyances. Let us know if you use it. :)

 

-- Goku

[Seth]

Edited my original post to add:

 

My calls are increasing from people wanting to go back to XP, and I noticed that a competitor of mine has just erected a huge sign that says, "YES! We still have computers with XP Home!"

[Seth]

Thanks for that Goku:)

[Goku]

Edited my original post to add:

 

My calls are increasing from people wanting to go back to XP, and I noticed that a competitor of mine has just erected a huge sign that says, "YES! We still have computers with XP Home!"

Ha ha. You can put up one too saying:

 

Hey, he is not the only one!

 

By the way, how do you like Windows Live Mail. :)

 

-- Goku

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Wolfey, I think that Seth means to search for a particular type of extensions.

 

-- Goku

 

Well I just typed .jpeg and it returned all my pics.

[Goku]

Well I just typed .jpeg and it returned all my pics.

But what if you want to search for a particular type of file regardless of its extensions. Suppose, I want to search for a picture but can't remember its extension. Does Vista provide an option to search all the pictures on my computer regardless of extensions or do I need to skim through searches by asking for each extension? :)

 

-- Goku

[RandyL]

Hi Goku;

If you store them in the Pictures folder Photo Gallery might return them if you search from there.

 

That's what I've heard but have not tested it. I use my own directories and folders.

[Goku]

Hi Goku;

If you store them in the Pictures folder Photo Gallery might return them if you search from there.

 

That's what I've heard but have not tested it. I use my own directories and folders.

Thats the problem with Vista, Randy. If you store it in a specific location, it is only then that it will be able to find all kinds of pictures. What if I stored it on another partition of the drive? I don't really think it would be able to do a full file search then. I have not used Vista much as I didn't like its interface. I will try again later when I have more time or at least a better PC to play with. :)

 

-- Goku