Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Is isn't possible to directly share Outlook Express folders on a network, but there is a workaround.
Can I share my Outlook Express folders on a network?
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To the best of my knowledge, this isn't possible directly. Outlook Express appears to explicitly disable placing its datastore on a network location.
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The best alternative I'd investigate is using remote desktop / terminal services (if you're running the appropriate versions of Win2000 or WinXP). Or perhaps a remote access solution like pcAnywhere.
Article C2207 - October 17, 2004
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
Dear Leo,
I would like to ask, it's possible we mapping the data identity mail outlook express or profile microsoft outlook in to another pc/server via network ? If using hdd external it's possible. Thanks.
Rgds,
Rudy Tambunan
Posted by: Rudy T. at November 9, 2007 10:57 PMI have a home network. One computer is running Winbdows XP proffessional and the other is runnung xp Home . The main comp is the home one. How do I get the address book from the Home comp to the Proff comp? HELP
Posted by: Jana at December 2, 2007 5:39 AMHi Leo
In a post dated 20-09-07 Less Harris Wrote:
"I bit the bullet and tried it. There some work-arounds, but it seems to have worked, using a 5 GB Seagate Pocket drive, which is S drive on this computer. (I am running XP Pro.)
I opened OE, Options, Maintenance, Store Folder, Store Location, Browse for Folder. The Browse for Folder window lists all locations on the computer and has buttons for OK and Cancel at the bottom.
When I selected the Seagate drive, the OK button grayed out – not available. After some head scratching, I found that I could make the Seagate drive available in the Shared Documents folder.
It then appears as C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Removable Disc (S)\Outlook Express
Somewhat to my astonishment, it works!!
Thanks for your encouragement because I doubt that I would have tried it otherwise."
Can you advise how how to make an external drive available in the Shared Documents folder.
I am trying to do exactly the ame as what Les did.
Cheers Phil
Posted by: Phil at November 7, 2008 8:07 AMtried to share the addressbook only.
Posted by: lil at February 26, 2009 4:25 AMtried in a ADS setting.
it works indeed for the first couple of hours, but it seems concurrent write access corrupts the database.
as a result outlook express wont work in the whole domain....
great
I'm running 2 networked computers with XP. I used the registry change to set the same EMAIL folder for both, and got the dreaded folder corruption within minutes.
The folders seen in Outlook Express are actually single .dbx files in the EMAIL folder. It seems the problem arises when one machine has a file open and the other tries to write to the same file. The file is locked by the first, so the second creates a new blank .dbx file with a (1) suffix. Then they both use it as the named folder.
Recovery: look in your EMAIL folder and delete the (1) file. The computers will then revert to the original file. Make sure you get the right file, if you have any sub-folders with duplicate names they will have () suffixes.
Workaround: don't use Outlook Express on more than one machine at the same time - even if it means you have to talk to your wife to check what she's doing!
Posted by: JohnFP at May 22, 2011 1:46 PM