I have been using Windows 7 for more than 2 years with Windows Live Mail for my e-mail program, having previously had XP with Outlook Express mail.

When for back-up I export my Windows Live Mail to an External Flash Drive (via a file created for this in My Docs), soon after downloading begins I get the message "this file has properties which cannot be exported.  Do you want to Export anyway?"  with the options "Skip" and "Skip all".   I always have continued by saying 'yes' and choosing the "Skip all" option, optimistically presuming the 'properties' referred to are not important.

However, from a question on this Forum which I recently saw and the questioner's responses to the replies he got (I couldn't find the actual answer) I gathered that if "Skip" is selected, the messages will not be saved in a form which would repopulate the program in a readable format.  i.e., I am not in fact backing up my Windows Live messages at all.

Can you tell me what is meant by "messages  have properties that cannot be exported" and whether it is a fact that I can't back up messages in a re-importable form without installing a dedicated program for the purpose – free for a trial period only.  This would seem to me incredible, when my old computer with Windows XP was able to save and reimport messages into its "Outlook Express" Mail programme.

[Moved from feedback]