I'm backing up all my files, it's important I keep emails sent and received, however I can't figure out how to save them. I'm using Outlook and have tried the 'Export' option, but this doesn't seem to help.

If possible, I'd like to save the Inbox and Sent items folders.

Either

a) find out where the e-mails are kept, they are usually in

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{7434F0BD-0FB7-458F-86A6-10E775387459}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

and are a set of files ending .dbx

Simply copy the whole folder to somewhere else, or just the sent.dbx, inbox.dbx etc files.

or

you can use 'file and settings transfer wizard' in system tools to transfer just the outlook files.

Oops - just realized this is for Outlook express, you said outlook. But it might be the same?

PS- interesting I tried to make bullet point b and got a smiley!

You have 2 options. 1st is to export your files as a.pst file to a disk using the export option. Or the normal manner is to create an additional folders, drag your emails to those and then ensure your auto archive is set so that they automatically archive. You will need to change the default for the archive storage if you wish to save on other than C drive. Don't forget to include that directory/file when you do a back-up.

regards,

Dave

Do a search of your hard drive for *.pst files. PST files are the mail files in Outlook. If you back those up, all your mail (inbox, sent, etc..) and contacts are backed up.

There are a bunch of freeware programs to convert outlook mail into text, if u want it that way, (makes searching for something a lot easier)

Microsoft has an Outlook add-in called "Personal Folders Backup" available for free on their downloads page.

There is a simpler way to do this... Create a folder on you desktop called backup... open Outlook and reduce the application so you can see your emails and the backup folder at the same time... right click on an email and hold it down and drag it over onto the backup folder - copy made!... You can click on one email and then hold down the ctrl key and "a'... all emails will be highlighted... now drag all to the backup folder - All emails copied to folder

There is a simpler way to do this... Create a folder on you desktop called backup... open Outlook and reduce the application so you can see your emails and the backup folder at the same time... right click on an email and hold it down and drag it over onto the backup folder - copy made!... You can click on one email and then hold down the ctrl key and "a'... all emails will be highlighted... now drag all to the backup folder - All emails copied to folder

What happens to the user's contact list if you backup with this method? Can the user recover the contact list should the backup ever become the primary? I don't think so.

Export should work in Outlook provided you installed all add ins.

You can either save your messages to a .pst file, an Excel spread sheet, an Access database or a delimited text file.

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What happens to the user's contact list if you backup with this method?

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Nothing, of course. Just like when you use Export, then also you have to backup your contacts separately.

BTW This thread is about saving messages, not about saving contacts.

There is a simpler way to do this... Create a folder on you desktop called backup... open Outlook and reduce the application so you can see your emails and the backup folder at the same time... right click on an email and hold it down and drag it over onto the backup folder - copy made!... You can click on one email and then hold down the ctrl key and "a'... all emails will be highlighted... now drag all to the backup folder - All emails copied to folder

What happens to the user's contact list if you backup with this method? Can the user recover the contact list should the backup ever become the primary? I don't think so.

Put your contacts in the same backup folder using the same method...

Put your contacts in the same backup folder using the same method...

That would be the doing it the "hard way" and could also lead to lost appointments (in the calendar) and "who knows what else" the user "forgot" to export / import.

The automated method that Deke mentioned above.

The "manual" method without using Personal Folders Backup application.

BTW This thread is about saving messages, not about saving contacts.

So you're saying "screw the contacts! Who needs them anyhow?"

Prior to Outlook 2000, the contacts were stored in the PAB or Personal Address Book. Since Outlook 2000, the contacts are stored (with the mail files) in the PST files. Why not just backup the PST file(s)? This makes restoring EVERYTHING (the contacts, mail, folders, appontments) very simple. No exporting this and importing that.

Put your contacts in the same backup folder using the same method...

That would be the doing it the "hard way" and could also lead to lost appointments (in the calendar) and "who knows what else" the user "forgot" to export / import.

The automated method that Deke mentioned above.

The "manual" method without using Personal Folders Backup application.

Not knowing the OP's level of computer expertise I was offering the KISS method

Not knowing the OP's level of computer expertise I was offering the KISS method

I lost count of the number of steps your KISS method was. Copying a PST is just two steps. And that is if you include creating a directory!

U lost count I said to just drag the emails into a folder on the desktop!... My method was stated in plain English... Without any hyperlinks to Microsoft.com or any suggestion of a scavenger hunt for the .pst - which once found and screwed around with may lead to the total loss of ones email...

...the .pst - which once found and screwed around with may lead to the total loss of ones email...

Better to tell this to Microsoft SFOKevin. Meanwhile, I will continue to backup up Outlook mail with their (Microsoft's) prescribed method as documented on their support site.

FYI: I have never lost a single Outlook email of my own OR any mail files of the 800+ users I supported since "screwing around with PST files" for most of the last decade.