saving/transferring Outlook emails when reformatting

[bub]

I plan on reformatting soon and I'd like to know how to save all my email messages and insert them back into Outlook after I've reinstalled Office XP.

[Sylvander]

Check this out as a beginning http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=36340

[bub]

That thread refers to Outlook Express. I'm talking about regular Outlook.

[Sylvander]

Outlook Express is just a cut-down version of Outlook.

Perhaps they use the same set of ".dbx" files for both applications. :)

[gary_hendricks]

Hi bub, are your emails currently stored in a personal folder or in the email exhange? If your emails are stored in a personal folder (a file that has a .pst extension), you can simply backup your personal folder and restore it after reformatting.

[Paul Komski]

Outlook Express is just a cut-down version of Outlook.
Cant say I agree with that - the underlying architecture is usually based on MS-Exchange (thus allowing access to contacts on a LAN and such like).

I agree that dealing with the .pst file is the correct approach. See http://www.sitedeveloper.ws/tutorials/outlook.htm

Just be warned that restoring .pst files is not always as straightforward as it seems even though if you have the full backup your data should be safe.

Just on the OE note and the referenced link - it is not generally a good idea to directly access the dbx files for backup purposes. It is much more straighforward and safer to backup the whole OE store folder and then replace it wherever you want; the pointers to the reinstated backup can then be restored from within OE.

[gary_hendricks]

Usually how I do it is to check the exact location of my pst file. Usually this is named as outlook.pst. I simply copy that file and back it up somewhere.

[Paul Komski]

There's usually no problem in making the backup. What we do see from time to time are people having problems restoring their backup.

[Alister]

I plan on reformatting soon and I'd like to know how to save all my email messages and insert them back into Outlook after I've reinstalled Office XP.

Go to files/export and import/export to a file
This will export the folders that you specify to a place that you specify. I would put them on another partition. Then nce you have finished installing your system, use the same method to import. You are done!

[mhardy]

My computer recently crashed and i had to reinstall Windows XP to repair my corrupt OS. Before doing so, I saved a copy of my Outlook Express which now sits on my desktop entitled outlook.pst. Is there any way to move that file into Outlook Express 6 so I can save all my addresses, old e-mails, etc?

Thanks in advance!

[Paul Komski]

Suggest you start your own thread rather than piggy back this one. When doing so you might explain how the copy of you old OE was a .pst file since these originate from Outlook and not from Outlook Express.