Outlook 2003 - Backing Up mail files

The following is a list of data store and configuration files used by Microsoft Outlook 2003
Some of the folders might be hidden folders . To view hidden files-

Click Start, and then click My Computer.
On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, click the View tab, and then click the Show hidden files and folder option.
Windows 2000

Double-click My Computer on your desktop.
On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, click the View tab, and then click the Show hidden files and folder option.

Your OUTLOOK configuration may not include all of the following files. Some files are created only when you customize Outlook features.

Outlook data files (.pst)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Offline Folders file (.ost)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Personal Address Book (.pab)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Offline Address Books (.oab)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Command bar and menu customizations (.dat)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Navigation Pane settings (.xml)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.xml

This file includes Shortcuts, Calendar, and Contact links.

Registered Microsoft Exchange extensions (.dat)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Outlook contacts nicknames (.nk2)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Rules (.rwz)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

If you upgraded from a version of Outlook prior to Outlook 2002, you may have a .rwz file on your computer hard disk drive. The file is no longer needed and the rules information is now kept on the server for Microsoft Exchange e-mail accounts, and within the personal folders file (.pst) for POP3 and IMAP e-mail accounts. You can delete the file.

If you use the rules import or export feature, the default location for .rwz files is drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents.

Print styles (Outlprnt with no extension)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Signatures (.rtf, .txt, .htm)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Signatures

Stationary (.htm)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Stationary

Custom forms

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Forms

Dictionary (.dic)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof

Templates (.oft)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

Send/Receive settings (.srs)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Message (.msg, .htm, .rtf)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents

Community Members at MIT use OUTLOOK 2003 configured as an IMAP client. Users can backup their mail to their local machine by using the following steps:

1 Select the MIT post office you configured during your OUTLOOK setup for IMAP (This example shows po14.mit.edu)

Users can find their assigned po server at http://web.mit.edu/ist/topics/email/query.html

2 . Using the Edit Menu choose the Select All choice . This will highlight all the mail in the "inbox" or "folder" you have selected.

3. Choose to move the mail to a folder / directory located on your or local machine (Your computer, not the MIT Mail server you had selected in step 2)

The following selection will MOVE (Not Copy) the mail from your MIT mail server to your local machine:

Users wishing to keep a copy of their mail on the MIT Mail Servers and their Local Machine will need to select the folder / mail to be copied (highlight ) Choose Edit > Copy Mail to Selected folder
( note this option will only be available if you have highlighted / selected the mail or mail folder you wish to copy)

Backing up your Mail files to an external device.

To backup your mail files choose the appropriate files (As listed at the beginning of this document) :

Do one of the following:

If you want to create a folder to which you can drag items for safekeeping or to distribute to another computer

Create a new data file Personal Folders file (.pst) and drag items to it. (File> New > Outlook Data File )

Then -

If you used the default name for the folder when you created the data file, the folder will be called Personal Folders. In the Folder List, drag any item from your current folders to the new folder. Press CTRL while dragging to copy items instead of moving them.

MIT OUTLOOK USERS looking to create a .pst containing Outlook items but still keep the original data in their default folders should:

Export (copy) items to a Personal Folders file (.pst). You can only export one folder at a time, but you can include the subfolders under that folder. For example, you can export your entire [Mailbox - Username] including all subfolders.

MIT OUTLOOK USERS looking to automatically back up or delete items that are over a certain age:

Use AutoArchive to move items to an archive Personal Folders file (.pst). Unlike exporting, where the original items are copied to the export file but are not removed from the current folder, archiving copies items to the archive file and then removes them from the current folder. AutoArchive allows you to set up a schedule and archive multiple folders at the same time at set intervals.

To copy the Outlook address books, nicknames etc. MIT Users should copy the appropriate file and copy to writable CD or other external device ( External harddrive, SFTP to Athena, etc) .