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Here is what happened: Backed up everything, and then did a clean install of Windows 7. Discover there is no email app in Windows 7. So use something else...

BUT although all of the contacts are backed up and are available in a contacts folder. They were not exported to csv or anything. So all the conbtacts are availble, jut not usable in anything else.

Any simple way to push all of these into a single file so they can be imported into ANYTHING else?

I might add here that the Windows Live will not allow me to import any .contact format user information at all, and certainly not more than one at a time.( I just tried) These contacts were NOT exported to a csv format. They are individually readable within Windows, but that is about it.

I don't know how to make this more clear. The contacts are saved in a contacts folder, AS individual contacts, but since windows mail is not available, they are NOT exportable using it. If they were already exported to a file, there would be no problem.

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3 Answers

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  1. copy the Vista contacts and contact groups into the C:\Users\(user name)\Contacts folder (unless you have changed the default location).

  2. Open the Address Book (type WAB.EXE in the search field)

  3. Click the Export button, select CSV Comma Separated Values. Follow the steps in the CSV export wizard and save the exported contacts file.

Now you can import your contacts into any mail application that 'understands' CSV.

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Windows Live Mail CAN NOT read any of the individual contacts in the directory they are located in. They were backed up and restored, (but not exported to csv) to the User contacts folder after the Win7 install – datatoo Dec 1 '09 at 20:06
that will export ALL contacts in the CONTACTS folder (incl. sub folders) to CSV. – Molly7244 Dec 1 '09 at 20:10
Have to say, I thought I had tried this, more than once. This does work and you saved me a ton of work. – datatoo Dec 2 '09 at 3:26
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up vote 2 down vote

You can get the Windows Live Essentials, that will include the improved version of Windows Mail called Windows Live Mail, and that integrates with your contacts. From there you can export contacts to CSV or VCF.. I use WLM for my Hotmail and POP accounts, and it works quite nice, actually.. :)

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I was hoping for something that would allow me to import these contacts into other programs as well, gmail, outlook etc.. Sorry if that was not clear. – datatoo Nov 21 '09 at 1:06
Well, both Outlook and Gmail support both CSV and VCF for import, so take your pick! :) A CSV file will contain all your contacts in a single file. VCF-files are one per contact. For CSV you might have to map custom fields to the format supported in the app you want to import into. I tested Outlook import, and it has good custom mapping features. It didn't support drag-and-drop from WLM, which was disappointing. In gmail importing csv from WLM export was a breeze, no custom mapping needed. VCF also retains pictures. – tptech Nov 21 '09 at 15:07
I re-edited my question. Maybe it was not clear. The individual contacts are available in win7 but since windows mail is not, there is no way to export them to csv. they seem to be a proprietary format, or I would appended them all to a file and try a csv upload. – datatoo Nov 23 '09 at 8:02
Windows Live Mail might be able to pick up these contacts automatically. Good luck! – Redandwhite Dec 1 '09 at 19:58
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... Privacy and other concerns aside, if you just want this done ASAP - zip up and email them to me wil@ezpcltd.com and I will fire up a Vista Virtual machine and import them all then using Outlook or Windows Live mail etc, I will export as CSV which can be used by something else and then send it back to you.

If it is private and you prefer not to give out, I completely understand. I would recommend you do what I would do and simply install Vista in a Virtual Machine and just import them all then export to a standard format by going in to a program such as Windows Mail that can understand the Windows Address Book.

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I suppose this is the solution actually. Just open them all in a Vista install and do the export to CSV I had hoped there was something internally in Win7 to allow this. Seems like a problem other people would have. If this is the best I can get then I will give you the bounty later. – datatoo Dec 1 '09 at 18:02
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