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A.
Introduction:
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Many people regularly do a format of their hard disk. Yeah
yeah, they’ve backuped most of their data but many people
seem to forget to backup their ICQ contact list and ICQ
settings. Or some people backup their DB but don’t know how
to import it to the new installed version. It’s rather
simple actually.
B. Why
backup?
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There are several reasons:
- Most of your contacts will find it annoying that you
request for authorization every month.
- You don’t know everyone who’s in your contact list his
number, unless you’ve written them down somewhere, but that
takes us back to the first reason.
- Your message history is lost.
- Your setting will be lost (like, I’m in advanced mode, my
background color of my messages are black, etc.)
C.
Exporting your settings.
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There are two steps you must do to successfully backup your
ICQ Contact list and settings.
STEP 1 :
Backing up your DB
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- Go (using the windows explorer) to your ICQ Directory.
- Go to the Database Directory (see NOTE 1)
- Copy your DB (see NOTE 2) to a safe place (see NOTE3).
STEP 2 :
Backing up your ICQ Settings
-------------------------------------
- Open regedit (Start > Run > Regedit)
- Go to the key “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mirabilis\ICQ”
- Select Registry > Export Registry File from the menu
- Type in the filename (example: icq.reg) and press OK.
That’s it! Your ICQ Contact List and ICQ Settings are
backuped!
NOTE 1:
Finding your DB Directory
---------------------------------
Example: ICQ is installed in “C:\Program Files\ICQ” and
your ICQ version is “2001b”
--> The DB can be found in “C:\Program files\ICQ\2001b”.
Other versions are 98a, 99a, 99b, 2000a, 2000b Very old
versions ICQ store the DB into “Directory where you put
ICQ\DB” (ex. C:\Program Files\DB).
NOTE 2 :
Copying your DB
------------------------
Your DB consists of two parts: the .IDX file and the .DAT
file. Don’t forget to copy them both! TIP: Use a
compression tool to compress your DB to save some disk
space.
NOTE 3 :
What is a safe place?
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A safe place ISN’T the internet! Don’t upload your DB to an
FTP or something like that because other users can find it
by doing a simple search. And no, it doesn’t help when you
change the UIN before the .DAT and .IDX file cos’ your UIN
is also stored inside them. A safe place might be on a CD
(which you don’t lend to friends!) or a floppy (if it fits
on it).
D.
Importing a backup.
----------------------
Again, two steps.
STEP 1 :
Importing the DB
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- Reinstall ICQ and choose for “Existing User” when ICQ
asks you to choose between it and “New User”.
- Let ICQ run with your UIN and then shut it down.
- Copy your DB into the DB Directory of the version that is
installed (if your backup was from version 2000a and you
now use 2001a then copy it to 2001a)
- Go to the ICQ directory.
- Open the file DBConvert.exe
- Select your UIN from the upper list box and press next.
- After the DB is imported, “Reindex Done” will appear in
the textbox.
- Press next and then press done
STEP 2 :
Importing your settings
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- Double-click the .reg file you made
- Select “Yes” when it asks you if you want to import it.
- When importing is done, you will get a message box and
press “OK”
That’s it! You’ve successfully imported your ICQ Contact
List and Settings.
E. Final
thoughts
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As you can see, it isn’t that hard to backup your ICQ
Contact List and Settings. It only takes you about 5
minutes to do and will save you a lot of time after a fatal
crash of your system.
Credits
Version 1.0
2002-01-13
By Felicity Shagwell
felicity@felicity.fateback.com
http://www.felicityshagwell.tk |