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Stuart Henshall
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Contacts List Backup

February 24, 2005 09:49 PM

Topics: Tips & Tricks

At the top of everyone's wishlist is the "Skype Contact List". There is nothing worse than getting a new PC, being overseas and logging into Skype to realize that all of your buddies are missing. While some future version will almost certainly solve this in a "premium" Skype, for now we need some solutions and everyone should backup their contacts.

Don't be caught without them.

First it is possible to backup your Skype contacts and copy them from machine to machine. However, unless you are really careful that won't help you keeping them synchonized.

Second there are a couple of programes emerging that offer to back up and restore your contacts. Try SkypeTools or the Skype BackUp Utility. (We'd appreciate feedback on either of these simple programs).

What we recommend:

Skype keeps your contacts in a separate file. This is the standard instruction in the Skype Forums, and requeste my 1000's of people.

Skype for Windows stores Contact List files in C:\Documents and Settings\yourwindowsusername\Application Data\Skype directory.

You should back up all files and directories beneath it.
To restore your Contact List, simply copy files back to directory mentioned above.

NOTE: To find this folder you must set your Folder Options to Show Hidden Files or Folders. To do this, open any folder, Select Tools Tab, Select Folder Options, Select View, under the folder icon select the radio button, Show Hidden file and Folders.

Copy all files in the Folder "your Skype Name" onto a floppy disk or USB Stick and paste them into the same folder on the other PC.

Now your contacts are on the new PC. If you are travelling you could take your contacts with you on a USB stick. However if you add them to a PC you may want to erase them when you leave, (It's easy to read some of the XML data.)

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Comments

Posted by: Pierre Andersson at March 6, 2005 1:35 PM

Thanks.

How about Skype for Mac OS? Where is the contact list saved in my system?

Posted by: Ash at June 1, 2005 10:32 AM

Is Skype directory a separate folder? I am able to view all the files in the folder, but have not been able to access my contact database. I have been trying to run skype of my USB stick, and it works but for the contacts database. Can you help?

Posted by: Corrupted dbx. Outlook express wont open. at June 7, 2005 11:11 PM

I have been using it when I have Corrupted dbx and Outlook express wont open. Outlook Express more stable and secure than other programs.

Posted by: Jianu Razvan at October 10, 2005 9:58 AM

I am new to this blog but as this is this article is about Skype and related stuff I wanted to point out that after Skype opened its API it is also becoming a serious competion to AT&T and MCI and other POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) phone companies in the 1900/1800 numbers (pay for service numbers). The big companies have had a quasi monopoly in the States and similar companies in other countries but with the launch of 1900SkypeChat.com they will certainly be loosing even more business to The VoIP applications on the net. Vonage has been cropping of their business through the last years but this will certainly take an even bigger business from them .... we’ll have to wait and see what the future brings...

Posted by: Silverware at October 27, 2005 12:02 PM

Thank you. Exactly the info I needed...

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