How to backup MS Outlook email files?

[kapow]

I have thousands of emails stored in different folders on MS Outlook (not express), Win98.

Can anyone tell me:
- How to do a backup i.e. what file / folder should I keep a copy of?
- How to Import those backed up email files back into Outlook?

[Woz]

Do a "find" for a file called outlook.pst and note its location. That is the one that will contain all your messages.

It will be in a tree/path caled "local files/application data/microsoft/outlook" although the location of that tree is dependant on what OS and what version of Outlook you are using.

When you have found it simply back it up to another location and then when you do an install of Outlook overwrite the outlook.pst file it creates with the one you backed up.

You can also create additional .pst files inside Outlook under the file menu and transfer messages over to these if you wish. I do this to keep messages about particular topics in their own .pst file which makes it easier and quicker to find specific messages within that topic.

Onya
Woz

[Visit Thailand]

Kapow, there is an add on for Outlook which is a back up and it is excellent. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I found it but do a search on a SE and am sure you will get it. It adds itself to Outlook and backs up everything.

[NeedScripts]

I think the easiest one is to Open MS Outlook XP/Express and then click on File and Export. It will give you an option to export your messages too :)

[Visit Thailand]

True NeedScripts, and I still use that for super vital info.

But the major advantage with this back up add on is that it backs up all your outlook files in one go and only takes a few seconds.

It also reminds you to back up (which you can set to a day or a week or whatever) which is very useful.

Trust me on this if you have not got it, get it!

[NeedScripts]

It also reminds you to back up

Outlook XP also does that. You can setup X number of days, then it will remind you every X number of days and will AutoArchive it in no time. I mean. I have few thousand emails in my outlook and it works good. ;)

[vibgyor79]

Before my hard disk breathed its last, I had made a backup of my .pst files. And when I imported the .pst file on my new hard disk, I found that my message rules and address book were missing and I had to create everything all over again.

How do I backup my message rules and address book in MS Outlook 2002?

[pageoneresults]

I believe there are two files you need to back up. The .pst file and the .pab file. I haven't done this in a while because I use the autoarchive feature of Outlook and store my archive on our network server as a backup.

.pab is your Personal Address Book.

[Mardi_Gras]

Rules are stored in a different file from the PST - they use .rwz suffixes. Search for *.rwz

[Mardi_Gras]

I neglected to mention - if you are using Windows XP, .pst files are hidden by default, so when you search, be sure to include "hidden files" in your search.

[vibgyor79]

Are you two sure they are .pab and .rwz files? I did a full hard disk search and I don't see any of them. None of my files are hidden.

I'm using MS Office XP on Win 98.

[Mardi_Gras]

I would search for .pst files. As for rules, the following is from www.slipstick.com, a great source for Outlook info (I hope this is not too long a quote):

Rules are stored in .rwz files with the name of your profile. However, just copying the .rwz file to another machine doesn't always work. Instead, export the rules:

Choose Tools ¦ Rules Wizard, and then click Options.

In the Options dialog box, click Export Rules, and choose a file location.

Reverse the process to import your saved rules if you need to transfer Outlook to another machine. Always check all the imported rules to make sure they're still active. Sometimes they're deactivated -- especially move or copy to folder rules -- because Outlook can't be sure that the destination folder is the same as in your original rule.

[pageoneresults]

I'm not 100% sure but I believe Microsoft is. I did some searching in the knowledge base and came up with this...

How to Back Up, Restore, or Move Outlook Data [support.microsoft.com]

This applies to Outlook 2002. If you are looking for other versions, you can choose the software version from the dropdown when searching the knowledge base.

[Mardi_Gras]

vibgyor79 - is it possible your addresses were stored in a .wab file (windows address book)?

[vibgyor79]

Isn't .wab file used by Outlook Express?
I don't think my MS Outlook is using .wab files.

I checked MS knowledgebase. It only mentions MS Outlook 2000 and it asks me to look for .pab files.

Hang on.. lemme do some more research on this.

<added> thanks for the info </added>

[Mardi_Gras]

Isn't .wab file used by Outlook Express?

Yes - but since your address info was not in your .pst file, and you can't find any .pab files, I was willing to grasp at straws...

[defanjos]

The way I do it is to do back up all the .dbx files. I have been doing it for a while, and it works. I run win 98se

To find all the .dbx files:
START > FIND > FILES or FOLDERS > *.dbx

[add] Sorry, the instructions above are for Outlook Express - read you original message too quick[/add]

[Mardi_Gras]

The way I do it is to do back up all the .dbx files.

That is part of the process for Outlook Express, but not for Outlook, which generally stores most elements in a .pst file. Remember that backing up the .dbx files won't back up your OE address book - that's probably in a .wab file, so make certain you have a copy of it.

<added>I see our posts overlapped:)</added>

[kapow]

Wow! I didn't get my usual email to say the thread has been replied to so I just dropped by to check - 2 pages of responses. Thanks everyone.

My notes from the posts:
1.) Outlook Messages: .pst (include "hidden files" in your search)
2.) Outlook Personal Address Book: .pab
3.) Outlook Rules: *.rwz

or

Back-up add-on for MS Outlook

resource: www.slipstick.com for Outlook info
I went looking for Visit_Thailand's add-on, did a Google search for 'Backup add-on for MS Outlook', at the top of the SERP is this WebmasterWorld thread :)
Then I found this: www.backsettings.com/backup-outlook.html (is that it Visit_Thailand? )

[edited by: DaveAtIFG at 1:48 pm (utc) on Dec. 12, 2002]
[edit reason] Delinked - Please exchange specifics in sticky mail [/edit]

[Woz]

Handy Backup is a Handy (sic) little Program that includes an Outlook addon. Mind you, if you know where everything is you don't need the addon. Might help though and is a very useful tool for doing backups of your data on a regular basis.

Onya
Woz

[kapow]

OK just checked on my PC. I have a big file called outlook.pst. I don't have a .pab file. So where is my address book storred? Is it in the .pst file too?

[Woz]

>So where is my address book stored? Is it in the .pst file too?

If you open the Folders List in out look, under the "Outlook Today" entry you should also see

- Calendar
- Contacts
- Deleted items
etc

If you have all your contacts listed in "contacts" (Duh) then they will all be in the outlook.pst file.

Onya
Woz

[Visit Thailand]

Kapow - no I do not think that is it but it could be just from a different site.

Just get it direct from M/soft at :

Explanation - http*//support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;238782

Download - http*//office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/pfbackup.aspx

[edited by: DaveAtIFG at 12:44 am (utc) on Dec. 14, 2002]
[edit reason] DeLinked [/edit]