Computer and Software Support


Backup Outlook folders, Email, and Rules

This applies to Microsoft Outlook 2000 Standard Edition. It may apply to other versions as well but cannot guarantee it.

Follow these steps to back up the different features of Outlook.

Here is the link to the article at Microsoft. In the event they change the location of this article, I have it pasted below.

NOTE: These procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Internet Mail Only option. To determine your installation type, click About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu. If you have the Internet Mail Only option installed, you see "Internet Mail Only".

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SUMMARY

This article describes the process to back up the data created in Microsoft Outlook, including e-mail messages, contacts, appointments, tasks, notes, and journal entries.

This article covers the following topics:
Backing up data created in Outlook allows you to restore the data if it is ever lost or damaged due to a hardware failure or other unexpected event. It also allows you to move or transfer the data to a different hard disk on the same computer or a different one by backing up the data from the original hard disk, and then restoring it to the new hard disk.
 

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MORE INFORMATION

Making a Backup Copy of a Personal Folder File (.PST file)

Outlook stores its data in a personal folder (PST) file that is created at the time you set up your mail account. The default display name for the these files as you view them in the Outlook Folder List is Personal Folders. If you are using the default name, the Folder List entry will read, "Outlook Today - [Personal Folder]." You can customize these display names.

To backup the entire Personal Folder file, follow these steps:
  1. Open Outlook
  2. To locate the PST file where Outlook items are stored
    1. Right-click Outlook Today in the Folder List
    2. Click the Properties for <folder name> on the shortcut menu (where <folder name> is the display name of the current PST)
    3. Click Advanced
    4. Note the location of the PST file In windows the default path for the file is
      1. C:\Windows\Application Data\Micrsooft\Outlook\Outlook.pst (The path you see in this box may be different on your computer. The PST can be stored anywhere on your hard disk. If you have defined other PST files for storage of Outlook items and want to back them up, use the same procedure to locate the path to each PST. The PST file is also saved under the Local Settings directory as well.)
    5. Click Cancel
    6. Click Cancel again
    7. Close Outlook
  3. Make a copy of the file you noted in step 2. For more information about how to perform this task in Windows, see your Windows printed documentation or online Help. If you are using a backup program, consult its documentation for the method you should use to include the PST file in your backup set.
The Personal Folders Advanced Properties dialog box in step 2 allows you to perform other operations on the PST file. For example, you can customize the label of the PST by editing the Name. You can also reduce the size of a Personal Folder file by clicking Compact Now.

If you ever need to restore a Personal Folder file from removable media such as a floppy diskette, a Zip drive, a CD Re-writable, magnetic tape drive, or any other mass storage media, copy the backup copy of the file you created in the previous steps. You should copy the backup copy from the media, back onto the computer hard drive, folder, and name you noted in step 2.

Exporting Personal Folder Data

To export an individual Outlook folder such as Contacts or Calendar, follow these steps:
  1. Click File
  2. Click Import And Export
  3. Click Export To File
  4. Click Next
  5. In Create a file of type click Personal Folder File (.pst)
  6. Click Next
  7. In Select the folder to export from, click the folder you want to export. Click to select Include Subfolders if it applies.
  8. Click Next
  9. Click Browse
  10. Select the location of the PST
  11. Click Finish

Importing Personal Folder Data

To import a personal folder file into Outlook, follow these steps:
  1. Click File
  2. Click Import And Export
  3. Click Import from another program or file
  4. Click Next
  5. Click Personal Folder File (.pst)
  6. Click Next
  7. Click Browse to locate the PST file
  8. Click Next
  9. In Select the folder to import from, click the folder containing the data you want to import.
  10. Click to select Include Subfolders
  11. If the destination for importing is the currently selected folder, click Import items into the current folder; otherwise, click Import items into the same folder in. This will create matching items in the destination folder you select.
  12. Click Finish
     

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Backing Up Outlook Settings Files

If you have customized settings which you want to replicate on another computer using Outlook, you may wish to include the following files in your back as well as the Personal Folders file:
  • Outcmd.dat - This file stores toolbar and menu settings.
  • <Profile Name>.fav - This is your Favorites file that includes the settings for the Outlook bar.
  • <Profile Name>.html - This file stores the HTML AutoSignature.
  • <Profile Name>.rtf - This file stores the Rich Text Format AutoSignature.
  • <Profile Name>.txt - This file stores the Plain Text format AutoSignature.NOTE: If you use Word as your e-mail editor, signatures are stored in the Normal.dot as Autotext entries. This file should be backed up as well.
Custom views are integrated to the folders on which they were created. If you export items from one Personal Folder to another, the views are not maintained.

NOTE: The Personal Folders Backup Utility mentioned earlier does not back up these settings files.

Exporting And Importing Rules

You can backup your Rules Wizard Rules by exporting them for later use. Follow these steps to export your rules:
  1. Click Tools
  2. Click Rules Wizard
  3. Click Export
  4. Specify the file name of your exported rules.
    1. The file uses the ".rwz" file extension.

To import previously defined rules, follow these steps:

  1. on the Outlook bar, click Inbox.
  2. Click Tools
  3. Click Rules Wizard
  4. Click Options
  5. Click Import Rules
  6. In the File Name box, type the path and file name where the existing rules reside.
    1. By default, the rules are stored in a file with a .RWZ extension.
  7. Click Open
For additional information about importing and exporting your rules, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
196206 OL2000: How to Import Existing Rules into the Rules Wizard
 

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