Windows XP Outlook Express Backup...

There is a way to back up Outlook Express 6 using the program itself. However it does not do all you would expect from a FULL back up and it is certainly NOT an easy or simple approach Microsoft have taken...

So there are several programs available, via the Internet, to make the whole process of backing up your valuable data an easy one.

My personal favourite and the one I am going to recommend here is David Guess's OEBackup. Whilst it will not win any awards for how it looks - this program is packed with many useful utilities to help make your life a little easier!

So pop over to the  OEBackup  page and download the program.

As you are using Windows XP (after all this is a an XP site) you already have the required Visual Basic 6 run time files installed. So you can go ahead and download the "Partial Installation" Zip file if you wish. This is the one I am using - there are no help files but the program is very easy to use.

Create A Backup Folder

After installing the program on your PC and then starting her up - you will need to create a Backup Folder as your first task. To do this:

Step 1)  Go to the Tools option on the main menu toolbar.

Step 2)  Now select Backup Folder

Step 3)  Then Make a New Backup Folder

A new window will appear like the one in the screenshot below.

Outlook Express Backup

NOTE: Now it is possible to create this folder, that will contain all the back up files you are about to create, on the local drive or a networked/mapped drive. OEBackup does not currently support writing to a CD-R/RW

Step 4)  As you can see in the screenshot I have selected the root of the C:\ Drive.

Step 5)  Next I clicked on the "Create New Backup Folder Button" and in the new window that pop's up, typed in the name of the folder I wanted to create - "OE Backup"

Step 6)  This then appears in the box marked "Backup Folder" (at the bottom of the screenshot.)

Step 7)  The next step was to navigate down the list in the "Folder List" and select the newly created folder "OE Backup" so it looks dark blue.

Step 8)  Then to finish I clicked the "Set Selected Folder As Backup" button, then hit the "Close" button.

Make The Outlook Express Backup

Now all I have to do is click the "Quick Backup - Backup the Selected Identity Now" button ( as in the screenshot below) and the following are placed into the previously created folder.

• All .DBX files
   
• Address Book
   
• Internet Account Manager Settings
   
• All OE and User ID Subkeys.

This screenshot below, shows some of the files that are created in the Backup folder:

And that is pretty much it! I personally would now copy this folder I have created onto a Zip Drive for safe keeping!

When it comes to restoring any of the data the Tools menu has many options available to you depending if you want a full restore or just specific data, like the address book.

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Kind Regards

Marc Liron
marc@updatexp.com

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This page was last updated 8th September 2003