How to back up Outlook Express data
This article is from
Microsoft
SUMMARY
This article describes how to backup and restore the following items
in Microsoft Outlook Express:
-
Messages
-
The Address Book
-
Mail accounts
-
News accounts
If you use multiple identities in Outlook Express, repeat the steps
in the "More Information" section for each identity, and separate
the backup data accordingly. This process will make it easier to
restore each identity.
This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer
user. You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this
article first
MORE INFORMATION
How to back up Outlook Express items
Step 1:
Copy message files to a backup folder
Step A:
Locate the Store folder
-
Start Outlook Express
-
Click Tools
-
Click Options
-
On the Maintenance tab, click Store Folder.
-
In the Store Location dialog box, copy the store location. To do this, follow these steps:
-
Put the mouse pointer at one end of the box under Your
personal message store is located in the following folder
box.
-
Press and hold the left mouse button, and then drag the
mouse pointer across the Your personal message store is
located in the following folder box.
-
Press CTRL+C to copy the location.
-
Put the mouse pointer at one end of the box under Your
personal message store is located in the following folder
box.
-
Click Cancel
-
Click Cancel again
Step B:
Copy the contents of the Store folder
-
Click Start
-
Click Run
-
Press CTRL+V
-
Click OK
-
On the Edit menu, click Copy
-
Close the window
Step C:
Create a backup folder
1.
Right-click any empty area on your desktop
2.
Click New
3.
Click Folder
4.
Type Mail Backup for the folder name
5.
Press Enter
Step D:
Paste the contents of the Store folder into the backup folder
1.
Double-click the Mail Backup folder to open it.
2.
Right-click inside the Mail Backup folder window
3.
Click Paste
Step 2:
Export the Address Book to a .csv file
Important
Make sure that you follow this step if you use multiple identities
in Outlook Express.
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.x and Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 use
a Windows Address Book (.wab) file to store Address Book data. The
individual data for each identity is stored in a folder by user name
within the .wab file that is used.
The only way to separate the Address Book data for different
identities is to export the data to a .csv file while you are logged
in as a specific identity. If the .wab file becomes dissociated from
the user identities, the data can be exported only as one total. In
this case, the data cannot be exported folder by folder.
There is another reason to export the .wab file to a .csv file. If
the .wab file not exported to a .csv file, but the .wab file is
shared with Microsoft Outlook, the addresses are stored in the
personal folders (.pst) file in Outlook. When you export the file to
a .csv file by using the File menu in Outlook Express, the
correct contacts are exported. However, if the Address Book is
shared with Outlook, you cannot use the File menu option to
export from the Address Book. This option is unavailable.
To export the Address Book to a .csv file, follow these steps:
1.
On the File menu, click Export
2.
Click Address Book
3.
Click Text File (Comma Separated Values)
4.
Click Export
5.
Click Browse
6.
Select the Mail Backup folder that you created.
7.
In the File Name box, type address book backup
8.
Click Save
9.
Click Next
10.
Click to select the check boxes for the fields that you want to
export
11.
Click Finish
12.
Click OK
13.
Click Close
Step 3:
Export the mail account to a file
1.
On the Tools menu, click Accounts
2.
On the Mail tab, click the mail account that you want to
export
3.
Click Export
4.
In the Save In box, select the Mail Backup folder
5.
Click Save
6.
Repeat these steps for each mail account that you want to export
7.
Click Close
Step 4:
Export the newsgroup account to a file
1.
On the Tools menu, click Accounts.
2.
On the News tab, click the news account that you want to
export
3.
Click Export
4.
In the Save In box, select the Mail Backup folder
5.
Click Save
6.
Repeat these steps for each news account that you want to export
7. Click Close