How to Backup Outlook Express Email and Address Book

Outlook Express email backup is an indispensable contact manager feature in the event that you accidentally erase important backup outlook email and outlook address book data. Many users take the time and effort to backup important files and computer settings, but still forget to backup their email messages. This tutorial will show you how to backup and restore your email data on MS Outlook 5 version or later.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Open Microsoft Outlook Express and click the Tools button located at the top of the window. Once the Tools menu opens, select Options.

2. Click the Maintenance tab in the Options menu and then select Store Folder. After that, you will need to select the folder location and hit Ctrl + C to copy the folder’s pathname. Next, close out of the dialog box by clicking Cancel twice.

3. Click the Start button located at the bottom-left corner of the screen. Once the Start menu opens, click Run. Click the text field and hit Ctrl + V on your keyboard to paste the previously copied location. Click OK to display the content of the location.

4. Select the Edit button at the top of the screen and click Select All. After doing that, click Edit again and select Copy. Close the window.

5. Next, create a folder on your hard drive that will contain the backed up data. Give it an easily identifiable name so that you can easily locate it later on.

6. Double-click on the new folder. Click the Edit button located at the top of the window. Click Paste. Now, all of your Outlook Express messages will be copied to the backup folder.

7. See our related eHow on how to restore your backed up email and address book: http://www.ehow.com/how_4874631_restore-outlook-email-address-book.html

8. Restoring your backup data involves a simple process.
   *Open Outlook Express and click File and then Import.
   *Select Messages and then select the appropriate email client from the Select Program window. Click Next to continue.
   *Click the radio button labeled Import mail from an OE6 store directory. Click OK after doing this.
   *Select Browse and locate the folder you previously created. Click OK and then Next.
   *Click All Folders and then Next. Once Microsoft Outlook Express imports the data, click Finish to compete the process.

Tips & Warnings

• Outlook is the default email client that comes standard with the Windows operating system, and is designed to facilitate email backup.
• Backed up data can be either restored in its entirety, selectively, or at the folder level.
• If you have a single drive partition, your Outlook Express data will be found in the My Documents folder. If this is the case, all you have to do is backup your entire My Documents folder. If it is not in the My Documents folder, then the Outlook Express email backup feature will come in handy.

Resources

• How to Restore Your Outlook Email Address Book
• Even More Technology Articles
• Yet More Technology Articles