Backup and Restore Outlook

[Coffee is good :)]

The main goal of this post it to try to come up with a definitive guide to backing up and restoring
the emails and settings of a customer's Outlook account.

I've never had to backup Outlook files YET, but I've come up with this method to fully restore it: --- look good to you?? ---



AUTOMATIC METHOD:

Fab's AutoBackup - $4.9 euros = $6.3298 US dollars
http://www.fpnet.fr/shop/product_info.php?products_id=28&osCsid=a1f4uil8snfl7qbjpdhoihbqq1



MANUAL METHOD:

Outlook Backup


- Copy all files ending with the file extension .pst
(Outlook Express uses .dbx)
here: C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
or the Outlook Folder in Documents


Scan for integrity using the SCANPST tool:

Search for it or manually find here:

<disk drive>:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\1033\
<disk drive>:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033

The Scanpst.exe file for Outlook 2007 is is typically located in the following folder:
<disk drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

The Scanpst.exe file for Outlook 2010 is is typically located in the following folder:
<disk drive>\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14


Settings are stored in the registry:
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\Outlook"
The rest (PST) is stored in the Aplication Data folder
> Use registry editor to export. Double click the exported file to add it to the registry.


Use Outlook to import the .pst files


>> PST Password Recovery
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/pst_password.html

>> UnDBX – Recover Emails From Outlook Express Databases http://www.technibble.com/undbx-recover-emails-from-outlook-express-databases/

 

[Larry Sabo]

Why bother? Get yourself Fab's Autobackup 3 and let it do all the work. It's portable and the best value you will every find in a utility program.

 

[atlanticjim]

Why bother? Get yourself Fab's Autobackup 3 and let it do all the work. It's portable and the best value you will every find in a utility program.

1+
One reason people come to me is because I am complete. I rely on Fabs every week. It does in a few clicks what would take me an hour or so to complete manually. I don't have to check what programs have to be backed up, I just let Fabs detect them.

 

[Larry Sabo]

I don't have to check what programs have to be backed up, I just let Fabs detect them.

Ouch! That would result in some missing files in my case. Many times the customer has files in places you wouldn't expect, e.g., at root and under specific Program Files entries, so I always walk through it with them after perusing the directory myself. If they aren't present, I look very carefully for what I might be missing.

 

[geekhelp4u]

fabs has an option to include additional items and folders. I do a windows scan/search to include hidden folders for *.pst to make sure they do not have any hidden pst files out there and if so - include them in the fabs backup.

Don't have it handy now but can post it later if anyone wants - I have a script to map the .pst files to outlook once it is open. If you are dealing with a bunch of archives - it beats having to map them one at a time.

 

[Morrison5891]

fabs has an option to include additional items and folders. I do a windows scan/search to include hidden folders for *.pst to make sure they do not have any hidden pst files out there and if so - include them in the fabs backup.

Don't have it handy now but can post it later if anyone wants - I have a script to map the .pst files to outlook once it is open. If you are dealing with a bunch of archives - it beats having to map them one at a time.

I'd love to check out the script! Please share

 

[datadatau]

+1 on the script, would be great to have.

 

[Coffee is good :)]

Why bother? Get yourself Fab's Autobackup 3 and let it do all the work. It's portable and the best value you will every find in a utility program.

So it's basically like the Migration Wizard, but has more options???


One of Fabs features:
· Backup Microsoft Office Outlook PST files (messages, address book and calendar are stored in) <<

 

[mbwalden]

PST recover script

Please do post this script. I'd love to have a copy (saves my typing)

Thanks in advance.

 

[Coffee is good :)]

Why bother? Get yourself Fab's Autobackup 3 and let it do all the work. It's portable and the best value you will every find in a utility program.

BUT, does it backup the registry entry that stores the account info? Isn't that something you need? Without it you'll just be restoring their data?

 

[Larry Sabo]

BUT, does it backup the registry entry that stores the account info? Isn't that something you need? Without it you'll just be restoring their data?

Just download and check out the demo.

 

[Coffee is good :)]

Just download and check out the demo.

Good stuff

Because of it's low cost I will definitely buy it

 

[geekhelp4u]

The key to the script is that it will map all the .pst files in the folder you tell it to. If they have them all over many folders I suggest you ask them if you can consolidate their pst files to one folder. The first script will map the pst files located in a folder called "email" in their My Documents folder on XP. The second script will map the pst files from the default location for outlook 2007 on XP. From this you should be able to customize your own script for your own folders. If need help - ask and I will walk you through how it works.

-- Map all PST files located in XP at C:\Documents and Settings\USERPROFILE\My Documents\email

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objnet = CreateObject("wscript.network")
Set olkApp = CreateObject("Outlook.Application") 
Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder("C:\Documents and Settings\" & objnet.UserName & "\My Documents\Email")
For Each objFile In objFolder.Files
   If LCase(objFSO.GetExtensionName(objFile.Name)) = "pst" Then
     olkApp.Session.AddStore objFile.Path
   End If
Next
MsgBox "Done"

---Map all PST files located in the default outlook 2007 folder on XP

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objnet = CreateObject("wscript.network")
Set olkApp = CreateObject("Outlook.Application") 
Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder("C:\Documents and Settings\" & objnet.UserName & "\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook")
For Each objFile In objFolder.Files
   If LCase(objFSO.GetExtensionName(objFile.Name)) = "pst" Then
     olkApp.Session.AddStore objFile.Path
   End If
Next
MsgBox "Done"