AOL Email --- There will be an update to this page soon! A lot of the instructions here have now changed since the article below was written. At least as far back as Jan. 2008 you have to sign up for a Plaxo account to export your address book.
AOL email
These instructions were copied right from Jennifer Farwell and AOL, I take no credit for these write-ups.
America Online
Any frequent AOL user learns quickly that he must archive emails he wants to save to the Saved On My PC (Filing Cabinet) folder (called the Personal Filing Cabinet prior to AOL 9.0), or AOL will discard them after a few days. Locating and saving Filing Cabinet folders is the easiest way to archive important AOL email to a file that you control.
Later versions of AOL can back up your Filing Cabinet automatically or store your mail permanently on AOL servers (Saved On AOL), but you can’t export these backups or mail archives.
AOL’s Mail Settings display (available from the Settings icon) lets you automate the transfer of mail to your Filing Cabinet or back it up automatically.
If you need help moving email to your Filing Cabinet or if you want to learn more about AOL’s automated backup or Saved On AOL features, visit the AOL Help Center (http://help.aol.com/), click the E-mail link under AOL Help, and click Saving E-mail.
To locate and back up your Filing Cabinet folder(s): With AOL offline and the program closed, use the Windows Search utility (on the Start menu) to locate the folder storing a file called Screenname.abi. (Screenname is your AOL screen name.) In AOL 9.0 (the current version), this file is usually located in C:\DOCUMENTS AND USERS\ALL USERS\APPLICATION DATA\AOL\C_AMERICA ONLINE 9.0\ORGANIZE. Archive all the ABI files in that folder.
To restore Filing Cabinet folder(s): If you are making this restoration after a total system crash, reinstall AOL and log on at least once before you restore these files or folders. This process overwrites your current Filing Cabinet, so if you stored any messages there since your last backup, create a new mail folder and move messages there. With AOL offline and the program closed, copy the ABI files from your archived backup to the AOL organize folder. Start AOL and the subfolder storing the current files and drag those files to the desired restored folder.
Another option that is now available to users lets you set up a PC-based email client, such as Outlook Express, to retrieve your AOL mail. Using this method you can retrieve your AOL mail and then archive it as part of a standard email backup. (It’s also the best way to facilitate message transfers.)
To archive your AOL Address Book: There is no direct export or backup method for an AOL Address Book. Fortunately, AOL offers Intellisync for AOL (http://aolsync.aol.com/), which lets you synchronize your AOL address book, calendar, and reminders with Outlook or Outlook Express. After they are synced, you can export them from within Outlook or Outlook Express.
FROM AOL
Your AOL® software automatically backs up the e-mail messages you have saved on your PC. This backup occurs once every 4 weeks when you exit the AOL software as part of your Personal Storage backup. The backed up Personal Storage is placed in a different folder on your computer.
Later versions of AOL can back up your Filing Cabinet automatically or store your mail permanently on AOL servers (Saved On AOL), but you can’t export these backups or mail archives.
Backup Your Personal Filing Cabinet
Making a Backup copy of your Personal Storage (Filing Cabinet or Saved on My PC folder) serves to safeguard your saved e-mail messages. In the event that you experience problems with your Filing Cabinet, having a backup copy of your Personal Storage will let you restore your saved messages.
Note: You must be signed off of the AOL® service in order to back up your Filing Cabinet.
To
back up the contents of your Saved on My PC (Filing Cabinet) folder
(all versions of AOL® 9.0):
1. Click the Mail menu, then click Mail Settings.
2. In the Mail Settings window, click the Manage Saved Mail button,
then click Backup.
3. In the Backup Your Filing Cabinet window, click the Backup Now button.
4. Click the Save button.
To back
up the contents of your Filing Cabinet in AOL® 6.0, AOL® 7.0,
and AOL® 8.0:
1. Click the File menu, then click Filing Cabinet.
2. In the Filing Cabinet window, click the Manage button, then click
Backup.
3. In the Backup Your Personal Filing Cabinet window, click the Backup
Now button.
4. Click the X in the upper right corner to close the Filing Cabinet
window.
Restore Your Filing Cabinet from A Backup Copy
When you restore your Filing Cabinet (Personal Storage), the backup copy of your Filing Cabinet or Saved on My PC folder replaces your current copy.
To
restore your Saved on My PC (Filing Cabinet) folder (all AOL® 9.0
versions):
1. Click the Mail menu, then click Mail Settings.
2. In the Mail Settings window, click the Manage Saved Mail button,
then click Restore.
3. In the Restore Your Personal Storage window, click the Yes button.
4. Click the Save button.
To
restore the contents of your Filing Cabinet in AOL 6.0, AOL 7.0, and
AOL 8.0:
1. Click the File menu, then click Filing Cabinet.
2. In the Filing Cabinet window, click the Manage button, then click
Restore.
3. In the Restore Your Personal Storage window, click the Yes button.
4. Click the X in the upper right to close the Filing Cabinet window.
Import a Backup Copy of Your PFC into AOL® OpenRide™
You can import a copy of your PFC from AOL 9.0 into the AOL OpenRide software.
To
import a backup copy of your PFC into AOL OpenRide:
1. Click the Start button, select Programs or All Programs, select AOL,
then click AOL OpenRide.
2. Click the Sign In link.
3. Enter your AOL® screen name and password, then click the Sign
In button.
4. Click the MAIL pane to activate it.
5. Click the MAIL tab, select Settings, then click Import AOL Filing
Cabinet (PFC).
6. Confirm the PFC you wish to import has a check mark next to it, then
click the Next button.
7. Click the Close button.
Related Articles:
* Choose My Personal Filing Cabinet (PFC) or Saved on My PC Settings
* How Long E-mail Is Stored in My Mailbox
* Save and View Pictures Sent to Me in E-mail
Disclaimer - This site is meant as a help site and I won't be held responsible if you screw up your computer or someone else's computer. I won't be responsible for any of the programs listed anywhere on this page or anywhere on VicLovan.com. I didn't write any of the programs listed so if it messes up something you'll have to see the people that wrote it (and most likely you agreed to some sort of EULA not to blame them either when you installed that program). What all this will boil down to is this, BACK UP YOUR DATA, anything that is important to you, should be backed up to multiple locations, and if it's that important to you then you should take at least one copy off the premises. FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD IT'S A COMPUTER IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO SCREW UP AT SOME TIME AND YOU'LL HAVE TO START OVER ANYWAY! OK, enough of the soap box, just use some common sense and you should be fine.
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