OLEXP: Cannot Import Outlook Express 4 Messages in Outlook Express 5

When you attempt to import mail messages from Outlook Express 4 into Outlook Express 5, the option to import messages may not be available.

This behavior can occur if Outlook Express 4 is not installed when Outlook Express 5 is installed.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To import Outlook Express 4 messages into Outlook Express 5:

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
2. In the Named box, type *.mbx, *.dbx.
3. In the Look In box, click the appropriate drive, and then click Find Now.
4. Note the location of the Outlook Express 5 .dbx file(s). Copy all the .mbx files to this location (typically C:\Windows\Application Data\Identities\clsID\Microsoft\Outlook Express if there are multiple users of the computer. If there are not multiple users, the location is typically C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express).
   
   For information about copying files, click Start, click Help, type copying files on the Index tab, and then double-click the "Copying files, folders" topic.
5. Use Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) to locate all ConvertedToDBX values in the following registry key
   HKEY_Current_user\Identities\{ class-id }\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0
   where class-id is a long string such as {4AE4BF00-C053-11D3-821D-00C04FBD0C45}.
   
   NOTE: There may be several class-id keys under the Identities key. You need to check each key for the ConvertedToDBX value, and then change the data value for each ConvertedToDBX value from 1 to 0.
   
   
6. Restart the computer.
7. Start Outlook Express 5. Outlook Express should convert and import the Outlook Express 4 files.

For additional information about other possible solutions to this problem, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

The Converter program checks the location defined in the registry for the mail store. If it does not find files from other versions of Outlook Express, it toggles a registry key that disables the Converter program.