Pattern Media

How to backup MSN Instant Messenger media using Icon Backup

Version: 1.0
Date: May 08 / 2007

In this article, you will how to:
- Save your MSN Messenger emoticons
- Save your MSN Messenger avatars
- Save your MSN Messenger images
- Use Icon Backup to backup your MSN Messenger media files.

1. Introduction

My hard drive failed a few months ago. We've all had it happen. But this time I had decent backups of all my files. At least, that is what I thought.

You'd be surprised how much valuable data exists that you do not realize that you are not backing up.

Surprisingly, one of my biggest losses was my MSN emoticons and avatars.

As a huge fan of MSN messenger, chatting to friends and colleagues around the globe, I slowly built up a sizable collection of MSN avatars, emoticons, and backgrounds.

I'm sure you can relate. I probably had close to 1000 images -- all lost in an instant. It was only at this point, I realized how much they meant to me.

And thus the motivation behind this article and about my software, Icon Backup.

2. How to save your MSN emoticons, avatars, and backgrounds

Exploring through MSN messenger, you have probably realized that you can not save your files! It's one way with MSN. You can import an image, but you can't export -- and that's the problem.

I began my search by looking for a tool that would help me with this task.

My ideal tool has the following criteria:
- It would have to be low cost.
- It would have to have good technical support, if I needed it.
- It would have to be spyware/adware free.
- It would have to allow me to save my MSN messenger emoticons, avatars, and backgrounds quickly and efficiently.

I did find some odd tools around that didn't work very well, were expensive, and had no support. Nothing really fit my needs so I created my own package called Icon Backup.

Icon Backup allows you to graphically browse MSN Messenger content, save and backup MSN messenger emoticons, avatars, backgrounds, images, and bulk export your msn media files.

Best of all, it only costs $4.99! Much cheaper than similar software.

3. How to use Icon Backup?

To use Icon Backup, to save your MSN messenger emotions and media, follow these steps:

1) Download the free trial installer from the website.
2) Run the installer which will install the software and add it to your start menu.
3) Start up the software. It has a very simple interface and will load all your emoticons, avatars, and images quickly.
4) Browse your MSN content by using the navigation menu on the left and viewing your files on the right.

The free trial is save disabled, so after you are familiar with the interface, you need to buy a license code to actually save your images.

It's simple -- just go to the website, pay with credit card or paypal, and you'll receive your registration code within 5 minutes.

Upon receiving it, enter your registration key into the software under the Help menu, and your done. You can now save your msn pictures and media.

To do a bulk export, you can go under the file menu. To export a single file you can just double click it! A bulk export will save all files into a single directory; a single export will save the file to the location of your choice.

4. Conclusion