Exporting messages from Hotmail webmail.

[G-CPTN]

I use an original Hotmail (hotmail.com) webmail account that dates back to 2001.

I read that Micro$oft are going to replace it with 'Lookout.Com' (sic):-
BBC News - Hotmail replaced by Outlook.com in Microsoft shake-up (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19067634)

As one of the declared reasons for this change is to manage cluttered inboxes, I fear that I might soon find my online archive will be erased.

I have no interest in the so-called 'benefits' of linking to Facefarce or any of the other 'social' sites - I just want things to remain exactly as they are . . .

How can I copy my (considerable) collection of messages (received and sent) to the relative safety of my computer hard drive (or whatever medium I choose to use)?

I access my Hotmail account through my browser (Firefox, but I'm prepared to use Internet Explorer if that is necessary(.

The top left-hand corner of my opening page (that displays my Inbox messages) says Windows Live (then Hotmail then Messenger, then SkyDrive then MSN) - does this mean that I have Windows Livemail? (I've found references to LiveMail versus Hotmail.)

I've never used the Microsoft Outlook (and never wanted to).

[mixture]

How can I copy my (considerable) collection of messages (received and sent) to the relative safety of my computer hard drive (or whatever medium I choose to use)?

Doesn't hotmail do IMAP ? Download an IMAP speaking client with offline-cache mode and use that. Or if you're really sure you want to dump hotmail, use the POP3 protocol with "leave on server" off.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Hotmail doesn't do IMAP, though it can synch with MS Outlook in an IMAP-like way as long as you also have the Outlook Connector software installed
However its not "real" IMAP even then

Otherwise use POP3 with the "retain on server" function - as mixture suggests, or use GMail to scrape the Hotmail and hold it on Googles IMAP servers
People do use it, but its messy

[G-CPTN]

Or if you're really sure you want to dump hotmail, use the POP3 protocol with "leave on server" off.

I don't want to dump Hotmail - I want to continue using it.

What is this POP3 of which you write? (and IMAP?)

Will using Gmail destroy my Hotmail archive?

I need more (simpler) instructions . . .

[Milo Minderbinder]

sorry, I'm being a bit dim here

I'd forgotten Windows Live mail - that uses an HTML protocol to simulate IMAP with Hotmail
Its not an ideal program by a long way, but if you're only using it for local backup it'll do what you want
Its part of the Windows Live installation and comes in two versions
Windows Live Mail 2011 (for Vista / Win7)
Widows Live Mail (for XP)

download the 2011 version from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29224
The older versions from Windows Live Essentials: Other Programs (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/essentials-other-programs)
Be careful - it installs a whole raft of stuff, only select those you want

Both are easy to install - you juast need your Hotmail user name and password. The programs synchronise both ways with a Hotmail account

[The late XV105]

Another alternative to consider:

For some years I have used the free Mozilla Thunderbird client to manage all of my personal mail accounts locally on PC or laptop, and keep the webmail clients for the rare occasions when I am not using one of my own machines.

Two of my accounts are Hotmail, and this works as well for them as it does for any of the other IMAP or SMTP accounts.

One nice feature in this - which fits with what you want to do, G-CPTN - is that I can simply drag and drop e-mail between folders for different accounts from different e-mail providers as well as easily save e-mail as local files (file extension .eml) on a computer.

There are many other reasons too that I use Thunderbird but I'll keep this post to the point. :)