Outlook 2000 - Backing up individual Outlook EMail folders

Not ASP - but is MS issue - so here I write - HELP

[Webwork]

Forgive my intrusion but this seems the most likely place to post.

I need to back up several large Outlook 2000 folders where I have archived important business related emails. Ideally I would back up the folders/files to a CDRW and would be able to import the CDRW email files to another PC for reading as needed (assuming the source HDD crashed and burned).

I've looked into the MS Outlook 2000 help file but if the answer is there it's not at all clear. For instance, I once followed the procedure (as I understood it) to make a copy and was unable to open the backup copy or import it into another PC. As I recall it was an "all or nothing" procedure, where all Outlook folders were backed up. I'd like to back up only select folders.

I live in fear of losing this archive to a HDD crash so this is a bit important.

Is there a simply step-by-step procedure that anyone call refer me to or could you provide an outline of how to do this? Thanks.

[korkus2000]

Is this just Outlook or is it connected to exchange server? I am guessing you have tried moving the mailbox.pst to the other machine?

[ogletree]

If you are just using it for POP email you have a file called a .pst. All you got to do is copy that file to a CDR. You can open PST files by going to file open ¦ outlook datafile or open PST. Something like that. If this is on an exchange server you can us a program called exmerge.ese it will create a pst for you. It is also a good alt backup of an exchange server.

[Webwork]

The emails are on my home XP Pro and Win2KP PCs, Outlook 2000 is part of the Office 2000 package of apps (along with Word, Access, etc.).

[Webwork]

I've duplicated the .pst file in the past.

What I've yet to grasp is how to break down the .pst file into the individual folders into which I sort mail as it arrives. I sort mail into about a dozen folders in Outlook.

Is it possible to view/duplicate only the content of unique Outlook folders versus duplicating all email records?

How?

Thanks.

[aspdaddy]

You could just drag the folder contents into a directory on your PC.

<added>If this is in case of a HD crash, then why dont you backup the whole .pst file? - much easier</added>

[Webwork]

Here's where the Outlook .pst file resides:

c:\doc&settings\jl\local settings\application data\microsoft\outlook\outlook.pst

I believe anyone using Win and Outlook should find their .pst files in "the same" location ('cept for user ID)

When I drill down in Win Explorer I cannot further expanded the .pst file in Windows Explorer.

I had thought, since my email records are stored in a viewable folder hierarchy (when Outlook is open I have email stored in folders such as Clients, Sales Leads, etc.) that there would be a corresponding list of folder viewable in Windows Explorer, but.....it appears the answer is no. It looks like once I get to the .pst level this type of file stores ALL information about email that is archived, including structural information, but the actual structure is not viewable or reproducable when viewed in Win Explorer.

I'm hoping one of you savants will know better. I've hit a dead end.

[Mardi_Gras]

What I've yet to grasp is how to break down the .pst file into the individual folders

You can't. You could, if you are really hooked on this idea, export the individual e-mails from the folders in question. Then, if you needed them in the future, you could import them back into Outlook. I certainly don't recommend that approach and I can't really see why you would want to go through all that work.