simonlain

Some of you will usually connect with Windows Live Messenger from multiple PCs, such as home and office. There will happen to download the emoticon nice house on the PC and then when you came to work, you can not averema to find it there too.

It was a long time that I was looking for a way to have the same custom emoticons in all pc from which I can connect. Finally, thanks to Vicsteele, I found a guide that explains how to do on Windows XP. If you have Windows Vista read at the bottom of the article.

It also serves as a backup of emoticons.

I quote directly because it is explained very clearly:

This guide is aimed at those who, for various reasons, you need to save on your computer emoticons (not only) of Windows Live Messenger, which does not want to lose. For example, it might be useful in the event of an imminent formatting, a smile of transfer from one account to another, even to save the ones taken from other users in common image formats, to be able to use outside of MSN , Or perhaps for the sake of simple backup.

BACKGROUND

All users of this messenger now know that you can save, in two simple steps, emoticons that users enter into conversation. But they also know that this method offers rescue annoying limitations, as emoticons saves in a way that does not allow use outside the Messenger, and keeps us aware of where they actually end up going emoticon, causing many problems where we want to format, for example, or even to change account because, although you are on the same system, saved emoticons are available only for the contact that has taken.
Is there a program, called MSN BackUp (link to the Official Site of the project), but nevertheless I am almost never been helpful. Loses many smile during the rescue, and it is not infallible even in recovery.
With this simple guide will show instead a very simple, manual and infallible, independent of the version of Messenger you are using, where are also showing your emoticons, and not only (we will also find avatars, backgrounds, etc.)..
I want to make a correction: This guide is only for Windows XP, Vista because I have not ever used. Surely, however, the procedure will be the same and you will have only adapted. If any visitor who uses Vista could do it, I would do a favor its listing procedure.

PROCEDURE

We begin by enabling the display of hidden files, if not already done so, otherwise you can not see the Local Settings folder.
. To do so, open any folder (eg My Documents), on the top menu click on Tools and select Folder Options.
. Then click the View tab top, and put the bullet to check Show hidden files and folders. Apply and close.
Dirigiamoci now at the heart of MSN Messenger. The directory where the file is

C: \ Documents and Settings \ * * YOUR USERNAME \ Local Settings \ Application Data \ Microsoft \ Messenger \ * ACCOUNT * \ ObjectStore

Therefore open this sequence of folders, starting from C in My Computer, and continue following this sequence of folders that you will find.
When we arrived in the ObjectStore, they find different. If we are interested in Emoticons, revenue in the CustomEmoticons, while UserTile is for avatars and Backgrounds and Dynamic Backgrounds are backgrounds. Winks3 believe are Winks.
Within each of these folders will find two types of files, DT2 and ID2. The ID2 serve to identify the Messenger (for example, the combination of buttons to press to bring up the emoticon in conversation), while DT2 are important because the images are real, just who are "masked" by a format that uses only MSN.
Things you can do with these files are many. You can save the entire ObjectStore secure, format the system, and reinstall replace the new folder with your ObjectStore you have saved. You will find yourself back all your things.
Similarly, if you want to share the same smile in multiple accounts on the same system, said moving the folder from one account to another, succeed in the business.
You can also convert avatars to smile and image formats, so you can use them as you like.
To do so, just simply change the extension. DT2 in. GIF, renaming the file "nomefile.dt2" in "nomefile.gif" and so have your picture files running. You do not have to touch the corresponding file. ID2, if it were possibly present.
I remember that if rename. DT2 leaving in the Messenger folder, you'll never use it within MSN unless you import it again (now an image file, and then you could do like any other image files).

CONCLUSIONS

We finished. In case of doubt, perplexity, thanks or even critical, and leave a comment and try to respond. In any case, let there be no state aid.
One last thing: I apologize touches to my friend Valentina for having lost almost all of his repertoire smile, I had tried to save with MSN BackUp and did not go through.

* UPDATED *

With Federica, we have a good solution for those using Windows Vista operating system as the folder where the files of emoticons is admin name * * \ appdata \ local \ microsoft \ messenger \ * your msn * \ objectstore \ customemoticons.