Importing email from Outlook to Vista Mail: "MAPI not installed on this computer..."

Anonymous
2009-01-07T03:18:50+00:00

I am trying to import my email on a computer with Outlook into my new notebook with Vista Mail.  When I select Import/Outlook I get the following error message:

    "Messages cannot be imported from the MAPI client.  MAPI is not installed on this computer or an error occured while initializing it."

How do I find out if MAPI (whatever that is) is installed on my new HP Pavillion notebook?  If it isn't installed where do I get it?

Thanks!!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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Anonymous
2009-01-09T01:49:19+00:00

Bart,

Outlook Express should be installed with Windows XP by default.  If you go to Start, and then All Programs it should be in the list.  Let us know if you need further help, but it should be there.


Shane

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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Anonymous
2009-01-08T06:14:23+00:00

Hi Bart,

  If you have Outlook Express 6 on the Windows XP PC you can import the messages into it directly from Microsoft Outlook and then copy the Outlook Express data files to the Windows Vista PC.  You can then use the import tool in Windows Mail and choose the Outlook Express 6 option.   

Set up a temporary account in Outlook Express on the Windows XP PC and select the File menu, choose Import, then Messages, and Outlook (Outlook must be configured and will have to contain the messages you are wanting); then select what folders you want to import.  Once the import is complete and you see all of your messages you will need to find out where the data files are stored. 

Within Outlook Express 6:

Click the Tools menu, and select Options

Click the Maintenance tab

Click the Store Folder button

This will be the path to the files you need

Browse to that path and copy any files in that directory to the Windows Vista PC. 

On the Windows Vista PC:

Within Windows Mail, Go to File, then Import, then select MessagesChoose Microsoft Outlook Express 6Click NextChoose Import mail from an OE6 store directory, and click OKClick the Browse button

Browse to the folder that you copied the data stores to.

The files will not show up and you will see a message saying "No items match your search"  This is ok.  Just click the Select Folder button.

The path should now show up to the left of the Browse button

Click Next

Select which folders you want to import

Click NextThis will begin the import process.  Within Windows Mail there should now be a folder named Imported Folder that will contain whatever you imported over.  If you have any other questions, please let us know.  Thank you.


Shane

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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  1. Anonymous
    2009-03-18T13:15:38+00:00

    Tommah,

    I don't think the flaw is in my analogy but rather in your depiction of it.  I know how to put gas in cars and I know how to use e-mail programs.  If GM decided to put the filler spout on the inside of the wheel well instead of the outside, whose fault would it be if the driver didn't know where to put the hose nozzle?  Should I be "thankful" to GM when, after much searching, they tell me where they hid it?  That's exactly Microsoft's thinking.  Remove Outlook from the basic Office 2007 package and then let users of the replacement program find out where the hidden parts are when they wish to be made "e-mail whole."

    In fact, that scenario describes Microsoft's entire approach to their software releases.  Roll out some barely tested product that's infested with bugs and then let your purchasers do your Beta testing for you.   So what if you waste countless hours of user's time and have to create vast offshore networks of support staff to answer questions that should have been answered by the people who designed it to begin with.  When you control ninety plus-percent of the market, you can tell your customers to "go figure it out."  See the e-mail from Microsoft's own senior staff about how ready they thought Vista was to launch.

    By the way, Tommah, I still haven't figured out where my Outlook archived e-mail is hiding in XP and how I can transfer it to Windows Mail?  If you know, I promise that I'll thank you--profusely.

    --Jack

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-03-17T15:43:23+00:00

    Jack,

    Your analogy is a little flawed.  No, you should not be thankful to the car dealership because you purchased a car, but when you buy, you are expected to know how to use it.  I think a better analogy here would be you buying a car and not knowing how to put gas in it.  Because you don't know, you will eventually run out of gas.  When you do run out of gas, you call the dealership and tell them that their product is no longer working for you.  Is it their fault that you don't know how to put gas in your car?  Would you be thankful when they teach you how to do it FREE of charge?  I would hope so.  I know I would be.

    The reason I am in this thread is because this helped me out.  I had the same problem and I was thankful that someone was able to help me.  Yeah, it wasn't the easiest solution but I will take what I can get.

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-03-17T13:23:58+00:00

    To Tommah:

    Being "thankful" is too much to ask, I'm afraid.  Should I be thankful when I drive a newly purchased car to my destination?  Should I kiss the ground because the engineers delivered a product that transported me successfully?  I don't think so.  I expect them to deliver a product that works and I expect Microsoft to do the same.

    I would have been happy to continue to be an "average user" and keep Outlook as my e-mail client, if MS had kept it in the basic Office package.  They took it out and left me with an inferior mail client, in my opinion, and provided no simple solution to migrate old mail from Outlook to Mail.  That's their bad.

    Jack

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