Where the hell are Outlook mail profiles stored?

[archcommus]

I'd like to backup my Outlook mail profile but can't find it anywhere and Google searches aren't helping. Is this locked away in some cryptic Windows settings somewhere that I can't get to?

Thanks.

 

[sonoma1993]

are you running windows xp or windows vista?

Windows Vista: c:\users\your user name\appData\local or roaming\microsoft\office

I can't remember if outlook stores the email in local or roaming, but microsoft\office has entries for both local and roaming folders

Windows XP: c:\documents and settings\ your user name\application data\microsoft\office

also your going have to go to folder options and and then view, and set hidden files and folders to: show hidden files and fold, if you haven't already done so.

and one other thing, if you ever do a format and reinstall of windows and office, when you go to restore your email, from my experience, you have to run the outlook account setup first before you copy your email folder in there. Otherwise outlook will just overwrite the files you just restored.

 

[Navid]

For Outlook 2003, use Save My Settings wizard.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826809

For Outlook 2007, use Windows Easy transfer.
http://www.microsoft.com/downl...A173266&displaylang=en
When selecting what to save, select Outlook only. Otherwise, it will save files associated with everything else you have installed. When you restore, it will not give you the choice! It will restore everything you have restored.


Either of these will backup your pst file, contacts, calendar, all local email files and folders, and all the email account settings (name, servers, .....) except passwords.
You will need to enter the passwords for all your outlook email accounts after restore.

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: Navid
For Outlook 2003, use Save My Settings wizard.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826809

For Outlook 2007, use Windows Easy transfer.
http://www.microsoft.com/downl...A173266&displaylang=en
When selecting what to save, select Outlook only. Otherwise, it will save files associated with everything else you have installed. When you restore, it will not give you the choice! It will restore everything you have restored.


Either of these will backup your pst file, contacts, calendar, all local email files and folders, and all the email account settings (name, servers, .....) except passwords.
You will need to enter the passwords for all your outlook email accounts after restore.

hey thanks for pointing out those useful tools. That'll save me some time the next time I need to backup and restore email on my computer or one of my family members computers.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: sonoma1993
are you running windows xp or windows vista?

Windows Vista: c:\users\your user name\appData\local or roaming\microsoft\office

I can't remember if outlook stores the email in local or roaming, but microsoft\office has entries for both local and roaming folders

Windows XP: c:\documents and settings\ your user name\application data\microsoft\office

also your going have to go to folder options and and then view, and set hidden files and folders to: show hidden files and fold, if you haven't already done so.

and one other thing, if you ever do a format and reinstall of windows and office, when you go to restore your email, from my experience, you have to run the outlook account setup first before you copy your email folder in there. Otherwise outlook will just overwrite the files you just restored.

Are they the *.pip files? Good tip on restoring, thanks.

Originally posted by: Navid
For Outlook 2003, use Save My Settings wizard.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826809

For Outlook 2007, use Windows Easy transfer.
http://www.microsoft.com/downl...A173266&displaylang=en
When selecting what to save, select Outlook only. Otherwise, it will save files associated with everything else you have installed. When you restore, it will not give you the choice! It will restore everything you have restored.


Either of these will backup your pst file, contacts, calendar, all local email files and folders, and all the email account settings (name, servers, .....) except passwords.
You will need to enter the passwords for all your outlook email accounts after restore.

I'm using 2003, and I have run the Save My Settings Wizard, but I wasn't sure if that included anything dealing with profile stuff (accounts, servers, etc.). If it does, then that's all I need. Thanks!

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: sonoma1993
are you running windows xp or windows vista?

Windows Vista: c:\users\your user name\appData\local or roaming\microsoft\office

I can't remember if outlook stores the email in local or roaming, but microsoft\office has entries for both local and roaming folders

Windows XP: c:\documents and settings\ your user name\application data\microsoft\office

also your going have to go to folder options and and then view, and set hidden files and folders to: show hidden files and fold, if you haven't already done so.

and one other thing, if you ever do a format and reinstall of windows and office, when you go to restore your email, from my experience, you have to run the outlook account setup first before you copy your email folder in there. Otherwise outlook will just overwrite the files you just restored.

Are they the *.pip files? Good tip on restoring, thanks.

Originally posted by: Navid
For Outlook 2003, use Save My Settings wizard.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826809

For Outlook 2007, use Windows Easy transfer.
http://www.microsoft.com/downl...A173266&displaylang=en
When selecting what to save, select Outlook only. Otherwise, it will save files associated with everything else you have installed. When you restore, it will not give you the choice! It will restore everything you have restored.


Either of these will backup your pst file, contacts, calendar, all local email files and folders, and all the email account settings (name, servers, .....) except passwords.
You will need to enter the passwords for all your outlook email accounts after restore.

I'm using 2003, and I have run the Save My Settings Wizard, but I wasn't sure if that included anything dealing with profile stuff (accounts, servers, etc.). If it does, then that's all I need. Thanks!

i'm not to sure about the files. All I always do is just copy and paste the microsoft\office folders when I'm backingup and restoring the email for outlook

 

[archcommus]

As a follow-up to this, I got Vista and Office 2007, and they have removed the back up my settings wizard. I've heard it can still be done through Windows Backup but I don't see how at all. Has anyone done this?