Relocating Outlook Express Store folder to VMWare Shared Folder

[N91626]

I'm running Windows XP under Fusion 5.0.2 on my iMac running OS 10.8.2.  I would like to relocate my wife's Outlook Express Store Folder to the VMware Shared Folder so that her files are included in the Time Machine backups.  Unfortunately, as soon as I select the VMware Shared Folder in the browse window under Tools>Options>Maintenance>Store Folder, the OK button goes gray preventing the selection.

I orginally moved the OE Store Folder out of its usual location on the virtual C drive to an external drive to keep personal data off the iMac's internal hard drive. I created a batch file using XXCOPY to back up these files to another external hard drive, but this doesn't provide a version backup; i.e., if I inadvertently back up a corrupted file, I've got two copies of the corrupted file and no good copy to which to return.  (Fortunately, I also do a weekly backup to another external drive that I keep offsite, which saved me from disaster recently.)

I exclude the virtual machine package (.vmwarevm) from the TM backups so moving the OE Store Folder back to the virtual C drive wouldn't solve my problem.

I decided that the utility of TM outweighs the risk of having personal data on the internal hard drive and moved all my other files to the VMware Shared Folder, which works great for keeping my files, whether created in Windows or on the host, in one place and keeping them backed up by TM. 

I assume that not being able to move the OE Store Folder to the VMware Shared Folder is a Windows restriction, but does anyone know a way to get around it? 

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

It doable although you need to manually edit the "Store Root" Key in the Windows Registry to point to the Network Location while OE is closed.

See the image below as an example although note that the path between the { } will be different for each User.

(Click image to enlarge.)

[N91626]

Thanks, Woody.  I knew that if it is doable you would know how.  I look forward to giving it a try.

[WoodyZ]

Just to add, one can also use the UNC Pathname as in the corresponding example below.  This might also be better since at times the VMware Shared Folder can automatically get mapped to a different drive letter under some conditions/issues.

\\vmware-host\Shared Folders\WKZ\OE Data\

Additionally Microsoft technically does not support the OE Data Store on a Network Volume so be aware that if for any reason the path shown in the "Store Root" Key in the Windows Registry is not accessible then OE will default to its programmed default location as shown below.  You'll know this happened because it will look like all your mail is gone, however it's not.  Also because of this I would not let OE automatically check for email with it's first opened so when you see your email is gone you know OE was reset and you can take corrective action more easily.

%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{UUID}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\

As an example:

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{88D1FE9C-928C-4EF2-9448-119DF99765BF}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

So keep that in mind and have a .reg file handy to update the Windows Registry so you do not need to manually update if/when necessary.

[N91626]

Thanks again, Woody.  I edited the registry using \\vmware-host\Shared Folders, and it worked fine.  I then tried it using Z:, and this also works fine. I'll leave it as Z: for now then return to the long form if I run into a problem.

I've run into the apparent loss of mail a few times after moving the Store Folder to the external drive so both my wife and I have learned to recognize the problem (and not panic) when it happens.  It's readily apparent because most of the folders are missing and all the messages from the past week that I've left on the server download.  Before I used Tools>Options>Maintenance>Store Folder to point OE back to the external drive.  Now I know to use regedit to redirect OE to the shared folder the next time it happens. It's a really quick fix.

Thanks again!!