Use Outlook Express Store Folder on Network, Mapped, or Removable Storage Device?

Infopackets Reader Ryan L. writes:

" Dear Dennis,

How do I share the Outlook Express 6 message store over the network? If I load Outlook Express, then click Tools -> Options -> Maintenance -> Store Folder -> Browse -> [choose a network drive], Outlook Express simply *will not* let me choose the network drive I want. The "OK" button is grayed out. I've tried mapping a network drive [drive C on another computer made to operate as Drive Z on my computer], but that won't work, either. Any suggestions? "

My response:

I've tried doing the same thing in the past, except I wanted to use my USB memory drive as a portable storage device for my emails so that I could take my emails with me... but ran into the same problem. Outlook Express just wouldn't allow me to select my USB device as a valid Store Folder.

At any rate, I think I've found the solution.

I personally haven't tried this on my machine (because I now own a laptop and don't need the USB device any longer) -- however, I did overview the instruction and it seems to "fit" for Windows XP. The solution comes from a PcMagazine article dated back to February 2000, and requires that you edit the registry. From the article:

" [In Outlook Express for Windows XP], you'll find your mail folder at C:\Windows\Application Data\Identities\{CLSID}\Microsoft\Outlook Express (the {CLSID} is a long serial number Windows assigns to each Outlook Express 5 Identity that you establish). Use Windows Explorer to navigate to this folder [hint: click start -> run, and type in "explorer"]. If you have just one mail identity, then in Explorer's left pane, right-click the Outlook Express folder, and select Copy. If you have more than one identity, right click on the Identities folder and select Copy. Finally, navigate to the folder on the shared drive or Zip disk that you want to use, then in the right pane, right-click and select Paste.

After you copy the Outlook Express mail folder to its new location, Outlook Express needs to know where to look for it. Click start -> run -> then type in "regedit", and click OK.

Finally, click on the little plus signs in the left pane until you've reached HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{CLSID}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0. Double-click the item labeled "Store Root" in the right pane and in the dialog box that opens, type the full path to your new mail folder location (E:\Mobile Mail, for instance [if the E drive was your networked, mapped, or removable storage drive]). When you close the Registry Editor, the registry will record the change immediately. Open Outlook Express to ensure it can find your relocated mail folder. You'll need to make this change on any machine that you'll use to access your mail. "

The article in full is below (also details instruction for Outlook Express 4 users):

http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,15063,00.asp