Backup ICQ contacts?

[Sharpy]

Does anyone know how you backup you ICQ contacts?
I'm looking for a file to transfer not a pen and paper solution as there's too many contacts and i'm real lazy. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
I've checked the help file and the FAQ and can't see anything there.

[Sharpy]

One more thing, any suggestions on what common files to back up or export would also be appreciated as i allways forget something spend the next week crying over lost info.

Edit - I'm looking for thing's like address book, icq contacts, RC5 buffers, etc...

[This message has been edited by Sharpy (edited 04-20-2000).]

[hd581]

I reformat all the time and I've slowly learned what to back up.

1) Bookmarks/Favorites!!! Save them, while you still can! Otherwise you'll have to dig around the internet finding them again.
2) Old email, or address books, as you said.
3) ICQ list, as you said.
4) My Documents, or whatever you call it. Also, do a search on *.doc files. Documents you've typed up are usually impossible/difficult to replace, and end up being pretty valuable.
5) Desktop. You'd be surprised how easy it is to overlook stuff on here.
6) D/L dir. I have a directory where I throw all my unorganized ****. This includes temp files, things I tried out a few times, just default d/l dir.
7) *.mp3 - not too hard to replace, just takes a long time.

Did I miss anything? I usually reformat and find out that I did.... http://www.sysopt.com/forum/biggrin.gif

edit Oh yeah, to answer your question: dunno how to back up ICQ offhand. Should be an option under the new ones though...

[This message has been edited by hd581 (edited 04-20-2000).]

[Gutter Ball]

Just compress the ICQ directory onto a disk or something. That should work. I have an ARJ of mine.

[Apostle 83]

You don'tneed to back up ICQ. All you need to do is remember your user number and password. Write them down. Just reinstall the program, tell it who you are and what your password is, and there you go! I have done this several times...

You can use ICQ with your user contacts from any computer with the program.

[smokin1]

You should back up the files in the DB folder, the ones that end with .dat and .idx
and the messages if you want. Then when you reinstall ICQ, run DB convert, and all your contacts are back.
http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[runnin_guy]

Smokin1 has it perfect. I just had to do this on Monday, and everything worked like a charm. If you don't know you icq# by heart, at least write it down. And then use the database converter.

[NavyDood_ F/A18_Mech]

I just copy and paste my DB, DB-Backup, and NewDB to a CD-RW. Then when i reformat, i just do the opposite. Copy from the CD-RW and put them in the ICQ folder. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

Jim

[RCN_Moose]

Hey Sparki-

You can also click on ICQ, then address book, scroll down to your address book and then export it to a disk. When you reinstall ICQ just import your address book back in.

Moose http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[CheshireCat]

I have a small freeware program called ICQ Backup 2.0. I'm not sure where it came from - my friend downloaded it from somewhere. Write me at neil69@mail.com if you would like me to send it.

[bkehoe]

If you've got ICQ 2000 (like me http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif) simply back up the 2000a folder.

Brendan

[Sharpy]

Tnx to all for your suggestions.

RCN_Mouse - Now thats what i was looking for. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

Now to go through hd581's list and make sure i got it all.

I just know i'm forgeting something.

[AuraEdge]

I heard ICQ 2k had some problems...cuz they had a beta (maybe alpha?) copy out on thier site for no longer than a week, and then took it off.
I downloaded it, but never installed it after seeing them take it off thier site.
and the wya to backup up to ICQ99 is to copy the folder with DB in the tile (its newDB for some versions, just DB for some others..it stands for database).

If you simply go to a friends comp and type in your ICQ# & PW, itll bring up an empty list.
All contacts are held locally, and the only thing not held locally are offline messages.


----and how do u backup OE5 messages? I keep loosing them every time i reformat and i never ask how to back em up...
Help a bro out? http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by AuraEdge (edited 04-21-2000).]

[Sharpy]

I know this isn't what your looking for but what i do with mail i want to back up is select all mail i need to keep then forward it to myself as an attachment then save the attachment to disk.
There is an export mail option but i can't seem to get the **** thing to work.

[Sharpy]

I think i found another way.
Backup this folder C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{ID number}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

I think that will work but i haven't tried it yet so it's only a theory. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

Edit - This was done in Win2k so your directory stucture may be different in other versions of windows.
The way i found it was to send myself an email with "Blah Blah Blah" in the text and then search for files containing this text.


[This message has been edited by Sharpy (edited 04-21-2000).]

[hd581]

Yeah I don't understand Outlooks export mail either. It only exports to specific applications I think....

Along the lines of saving your documents: Save anything that took you time to create: scripts, custom made backgrounds, custom made web pages.

[De Joker]

The way to backup your OE5 messages is as follows just browse to the c:\windows\application data\identities\{alot of numbers and letters}\microsoft\outlook express and copy all the files with the dbx extension to a floppy or cd. And after your reinstall just copy them back.

The folder above is the default folder, so if there not there just search your harddisks for *.dbx files.

Before backing them up it would also be wise to compact them first in OE5.