Backing up inbox folders/subfolders in Outlook

[Muse]

Running Outlook 2003 SP3, and I'm backing up things in preparation for reinstall of OS and Office XP. This computer's Outlook has inbox subfolders and some folders under some of those. Outlook seems to want to export the folders one at a time. Is that really necessary?

 

[Muse]

On top of that, when you go to export something from Outlook you have to make a choice of the type of the file to export:

Comma Separated Values (DOS)
Comma Separated Values (Windows)
MS Access
MS Excel
Personal Folder File (.pst)
Tab Separated Values (DOS)
Tab Separated Values (Windows)

That doesn't make any sense to me. How can you export a folder with emails in those formats?

 

[Fardringle]

Just make a copy of the PST file. That will contain all of your mail folders and contact list.

 

[chronodekar]

Originally posted by: Fardringle
Just make a copy of the PST file. That will contain all of your mail folders and contact list.

I concur. The pst file is what you need. Just export that from your old outlook and import it to your new one.

 

[tcsenter]

I don't think you need to export the PST file. Just back-up the PST file then use import and point Outlook to the file.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: tcsenter
I don't think you need to export the PST file. Just back-up the PST file then use import and point Outlook to the file.

So, how do I find the pst file? Is it outlook.pst? It's under
Documents and Settings\etc. ??

Thanks, all!

 

[Muse]

I think what I'm doing is working. I'm Exporting to a pst file, right to my external USB device. Highlighted is the top level folder, "Personal Folders" and I checked the checkbox "Include Subfolders." It's taking quite a while (she doesn't delete stuff particularly). I figure when I get Office XP installed anew I can just import from that pst file.

That backup took close to 20 minutes and the file is 357 MB. :Q

Well, my own email client data is almost 3 times that.

 

[tcsenter]

There is a Personal Folders Backup Tool add-in for Outlook:

Personal Folders Backup Tool

Using the Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders Backup

 

[Blazer]

Happy Turkey day everyone.

if you create a folder in the 'My Documents' folder and name it 'Store Folder' it makes your mail eaiser to manage, then goto outlook express and change it store folder location to the folder you created, copy & paste that folder to where ever you want and your mail is backed-up.