Backup Outlook emails and settings

Summary:
This article explains how to backup Outlook emails and settings. This backup article refers to Microsoft Outlook, not Outlook Express (for Outlook Express, Backup4all has a predefined backup option that will select automatically all files to be backed up and the tutorial is here: Outlook Express Backup).
Details:
MS Outlook emails are stored in .pst files. In order to have a complete backup of MS Outlook data, it is not enough to back up only the .pst files, but the following items too:

• MS Outlook shortcuts
• Personal Address Book
• Rules
• Signatures
• Stationery
• Menu or toolbar customizations
• Nicknames

Also, for MS Outlook 2003 and 2007, you need to backup some additional items:

• Navigation Pane settings (this file includes Shortcuts, Calendar, and Contact links).
• Dictionary
• Templates
• Send/Receive settings
• Print styles
• Custom forms
• Registered Microsoft Exchange extensions

How to configure a backup for Outlook in Backup4all

Starting with Backup4all 4.1 a new plugin for Microsoft Outlook was created.
The plugin is automatically installed with Backup4all. Here are the steps to follow to create a new backup job using the Microsoft Outlook plugin:

1. Open Backup4all and select File->New Backup (Ctrl+N).
2. On the first page enter a name for the backup in the Name field.
3. Select a backup destination and press Next.
4. From the drop-down list, select Microsoft Outlook. Press Next.
   
5. Select the backup type.
6. Press Save. The new backup job will appear in the backup list.
7. Press Backup (F6) to start backing up Microsoft Outlook.

MS Outlook data is stored in “.pst” files. For each mail folder defined in MS Outlook a .pst file is assigned. These files get quite large if you exchange lot of emails, thus when a small change occurs in a file (e.g. a new email has been received), the entire .pst will be marked as “modified”. When running the backup, the whole file will be backed up as you cannot backup only the changes inside the .pst file. That's why it is recommended to do a full or mirror backup (and not differential or incremental ). Also, it is recommended to limit the number of backups in order to save disk space.

For Backup4all 4.0 or older versions, use the steps bellow:

1. Open Backup4all and select File->New Backup Wizard (Ctrl+N).
2. On the General page enter a name for the backup in the Name field. Click Next.
3. On the Sources page, add the files and folders locations as described in the How to find the locations of the MS Outlook files section. Click Next.
4. On the Destination page, select a destination for the backup. Click Next.
5. On the Type page, select the backup type. Full or Mirror is recommended.
   If you select the Full type:
   
   • Set (check) the Limit maximum number of stored backups to option.
   • Enter a number of maximum backups to be stored.
   • Clear (un-check) the Merge stored backups to maintain the maximum limit option.
   • Click Finish. The new backup job will appear in the backup list.
6. Press Backup (F6) to start backing up MS Outlook.

The backup job can be scheduled to run at a specific date and time. You can read an article about how to schedule a backup job at this address: “How to use the scheduler”

How to find the locations of MS Outlook files

For each version listed bellow, is presented the default location of the MS Outlook files.  

MS Outlook 2000
MS Outlook 2003
MS Outlook 2007

MS Outlook 2000

• Personal folders (.pst file)

  - if there is a single Outlook user:
  C:\Windows\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

  - if there are multiple Outlook users:
  C:\Windows\Profiles\<Current User>\ Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

  Note: <Current User> is your Windows name account.

• Outlook shortcuts (.fav file)

  - if there is a single Outlook user:
  C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

  - if there are multiple Outlook users:
  C:\Windows\Profiles\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Menu or toolbar customizations (Outcmd.dat file)
  
  - if there is a single Outlook user:
  C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

  - if there are multiple Outlook users:
  C:\Windows\Profiles\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Rules (.rwz file)
  
  - if there is a single Outlook user:
  C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

  - if there are multiple Outlook users:
  C:\Windows\Profiles\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Nicknames (.nick file)
  
  - if there is a single Outlook user:
  C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

  - if there are multiple Outlook users:
  C:\Windows\Profiles\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Signatures (.rtf, .htm, .html, or .txt file)
  
  - if there is a single Outlook user:
  C:\Windows\Application\Data\Microsoft\Signatures

  - if there are multiple Outlook users:
  C:\Windows\Profiles\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Signatures

• Stationery (if you have created)
  
  - if there is a single Outlook user:
  C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Stationery
   
   - if there are multiple Outlook users:
  C:\Windows\Profiles\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Stationery

• Personal Address Book (mailbox.pab)
  
  C:\Windows\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
  

MS Outlook 2003

• Outlook data files (.pst)

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

  Note: <Current User> is your Windows name account.
            <drive> is the location where the OS is installed.

• Personal Address Book (.pab)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Command bar and menu customizations (.dat)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Navigation Pane settings (.xml).
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.xml

• Registered Microsoft Exchange extensions (.dat)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Outlook contacts nicknames (.nk2)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Rules (.rwz)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Print styles (Outlprnt with no extension)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Signatures (.rtf, .txt, .htm)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Signatures

• Stationary (.htm)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Stationary

• Custom forms
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Forms

• Dictionary (.dic)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof

• Templates (.oft)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

• Send/Receive settings (.srs)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Message (.msg, .htm, .rtf)
  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\My Documents
  

MS Outlook 2007

• Personal Folders file (.pst)

- Windows Vista
drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

- Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Server 2003
drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Note: <Current User> is your Windows name account.
          <drive> is the location where the OS is installed.

• Personal Address Book (.pab)

  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
  

• Command bar and menu customizations (.dat)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook\outcmd.dat
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\outcmd.dat

• Navigation Pane settings (.xml).
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Outlook\profile name.xml
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\profile name.xml

• Registered Microsoft Exchange extensions (.dat)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Outlook Contacts nicknames (.nk2)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Rules (.rwz)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Print styles (Outlprnt with no extension)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Signatures (.rtf, .txt, .htm)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Signatures

• Stationery (.htm)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery

• Custom forms
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Forms
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Forms

• Dictionary (.dic)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\UProof
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\UProof

• Templates (.oft)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

• Send/Receive settings (.srs)
  
  - Windows Vista  
  drive:\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

• Message (.msg, .htm, .rtf)
  
  - Windows Vista
  drive:\<Current User>\Documents
  
  - Windows XP, Windows Server 2003  
  drive:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\My Documents

Backup limitations for locked or open files

Backup4all uses the Volume Shadow Copy service that allows you to back up local open files from NTFS partitions under Windows XP/2003 Server/Vista. Therefore you can back up Outlook without closing it if certain requirements are met:

• computer is running Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server or Windows Vista
• MS Outlook data is not being backed up via the network
• MS Outlook data is located on a NTFS formatted partition
• the VSS (Volume Shadow Service) is running and is properly configured

If any of the requirements above is not met, MS Outlook will need to be closed before backing up the data (otherwise files that are in use will be skipped).

Applies to:

• Backup4all 3 or above
• MS Outlook 2000
• MS Outlook 2003
• MS Outlook 2007
• Windows XP
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Vista

Related searches: backup Outlook, backup pst, MS Outlook 2007 backup, backup Outlook Vista, backup Outlook email

The plugin won't work for versions older than Backup4all 4.1

Is there no way to add the plug in? I just bought a brand new backup drive and it came with 3.0 software

In version 4 of Backup4all, there is a plugin for MS Outlook.

Agree. Isnt there a plugin for this??

Good article. One question though, why isn't there a plugin to streamline the process?