Microsoft Outlook ?
If so, look for the .pst file. Its probably in the Documents and Settings tree. Copy that file.
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You said a nitwits guide...
Use Windows Explorer. Click on "Search" and look for All Files with *.PST as the file name.
When you find one or more, click and drag them onto the CD icon to copy them.
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A nitwit writes....
I have 2920 messages in my inbox - is there a way to copy them in one go, otherwise I might lose the will to live
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Mmm, those instructions above will do it.
The only exception would be if you did not have an off-line file and kept your main .pst file on a server.
In which case you would go into Microsoft Outlook, File, New, Personal Data File and choose a name - this will create a local file for you.
Then go to the inbox, select all messages (ctrl-a) and then drag them to the new personal file. This will copy them all to a local .pst file and you then revert to the instructions above.
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Searched for .pst files, none there
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probably because you are using outlook express. - search the web for very good and cheap outlook express back up tools
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No, Outlook, not Outlook Express
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Are you using it with a server or standalone on a PC ?
Which version of Outlook ? (in Outlook click help/about)
Which operating system ? (XP, 2000, NT, W98 etc. etc)
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On a n/work running on a Mac OS/X server
O/look 2003
XP Pro
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About Macs I know nothing, but assuming its similar...
Outlook can run standalone where it holds all its files, including the .pst file, on the server. This obviously means that your files are relatively safe and secure, but it means that if the network goes down you have no access to your archive.
However, unless its specifically disabled, and it can be fairly easily, you have the ability to create a local .pst file. Follow the instructions I mentioned above. And then you can copy all your existing e-mails into that folder. This will mean that you now have a local copy. This local copy can be on a local disk, CD or pretty much anywhere else you want it.
However, if your Outlook has .pst files on the server, then I guess you are not concerned about the security of that file since I would expect it to be backed up along with everything else on the network. Therefore I assume that you are trying to guard against local deletion, or your network has quotas enforced and you are trying to avoid hitting the ceiling.
If you are not using network .pst files, and you can find no local .pst file (hidden or otherwise) then the only other alternative is that your network has something along the lines of KVS implemented. In which case you can do pretty much nothing locally.
If none of that helps, then I'me afraid I don't know what to suggest.
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>>Outlook can run standalone where it holds all its files, including the .pst file, on the server.
it lost a line, I think I hit the wrong button - it should have read.......
"Outlook can run standalone where it holds all its files, including the .pst file, locally or it can run as part of a network where it stores all its files [except that it will not usually hold a .pst file on the network, it is normally within a single database, on the server.
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Import and Export (under File Menu) is a great tool for doing this, and is designed for this kind of purpose. Export it to a .pst file somewhere (or even directly onto your CD).
For Outlook, there is a Backup add-in specifically for Outlook (but it's version dependent - the 2002 version is herre tinyurl.com/bl5vm). You can configure how often it does it, and it will prompt you before backing up your mail files as you exit Outlook at teh desired frequency.
Beware of depending on other backup programs, especially if you are doing unattended backups in a scheduled fashion. If Outlook is open they will not usually be able to back up your mail files.
Outlook files are generally in the following places (Windows version dependent) - they may be Hidden files:
Windows 98: drive:\Windows\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Windows Me: drive:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Windows NT 4.0: drive:\Winnt\Profiles\ \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Windows 2000: drive:\Documents and Settings\ \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
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I tried the export thing and it seemed to go well until I moved the icon across and it produced a "encountered a problem retry/cancel" message and the files wouldn't fly across - if you get my drift. Any suggestions?
It seems such an obvious thing to do, can't quite understand why it seems so obscure a process
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Not sure what you mean by moving an icon. On my version:
File, Import and Export, choose Export to a File.
Choose .pst as File Type to create
Select the folder(s) you wish to export, and check the box if you want the subfolders (easiest is to select Personal Folders as that contains most other folders)
Enter a location to save the exported file, and select which option you want (if saving to a new file, use Replace Duplicates with items exported), click Finish
Give it a name and click OK and he file will be made.
Then you can back up that file.
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Searched for .pst files, none there
If you're not on a server, it's probably in a hidden folder. When you do the search, click on "More advanced options" and check the box "Search hidden files and folders".
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Mike Farrow
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Smokie - "Not sure what you mean by moving an icon" I've managed to get the inbox onto my desktop showing as an outlook icon - it hokds about 300mb which is about right, but when I open the write CD folder I need to drag the icon across to write the files - this is what it won't let me do.
Mfarrow - I am on a server but the inbox sits on my c drive. Did the hidden folders thing
Thanks for all suggestions to date
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So you found the hidden file using Windows Explorer and then tried to drag into the CD ?
I presume that the CD is ready, has sufficient unallocated space, etc. etc. ?
Did it give any further details of the error ?
Perhaps you had Outlook open at the time and it was locking the file preventing the copy command accessing the file ?
BTW, the .pst file usually holds all your e-mails, not just the inbox.
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In that case...
Create yourself a new offline folder and drag and drop all the emails to it within Outlook. Close Outlook to unlock the file then back that file up.
If you ever need to restore, close Outlook and restore the file to it's original location.
File/Data File Management/Add
Type = .pst
Select a location (which is what you need to back up)
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managed to create the back up file by the export process and closing outlook even let me copy it to CD - progress! But.....I can't open it - it ofers to use the web to find an application to open it which takes me to MS Outlook site but which doesn't seem to offer any info on opening .pst files. It does have a back-up download - but when I run it and choose my CD drive as the destination for the back-up it says invalid file name. aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
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.pst files are openable by Outlook (and possibly other mail client software).
Not sure why you are trying to open it, but you will need to select Outlook from the list of programs. However I would strongly warn against this.
So long as the file is of a reasonable size, and has the extension .pst at the end, then you *should* be able to Import from it (Import from another program or file, type = Personal Folder (.pst), browse to your new file, select the folders you want to import.
You would be OK to set up a new folder in Outlook, change to that folder in Outlook then Import to Current Folder if you wanted to test your backup file. However do all of this cautiously, selecting just a small folder to import - if you import to the wrong place, at best you could end up with duplicates of existing items and at worst screw everything up!
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I was just trying to check the data was there and accessible, before I needed it.
I work off a laptop and when my last one was stolen it made my life hell for a while, hence my desire to have access to a back up on a different machine.
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I am on 98SE and Outlook 2000, I have an external 250mb USB Zip drive that my PC sees as a hard drive (D: as it happens), I back up email by exporting the .pst files to the Zip, in Outlook I can access either the realtime or archived files at anytime.
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