Backing Up Outlook Express

[gordythegouge]

Is there a freeware utility out there that backs up your Outlook Express e-mails, contacts etc., so that you can be up and running in minimum time after a re-format?

[andsome]

Simply open OE and click File/Export/Address Book WAB, and save it to a floppy or CD.

[Alan2273]

Andsome that will only back up your contact addresses not your e-mails.

This tutorial will show you how to back up your e-mails.

It is the one three quarters of the way down the page.

http://www.sitedeveloper.ws/tutorials/outlook.htm

[-pops-]

Files & Settings Transfer Wizard should do it. Look for its details in Help & Support.

[D4\/!d]

Files & Settings Transfer Wizard should do it.

Yep :) That's what I use. Works a treat :P

[andsome]

Sorry, didn't read the question carefully enough.

[gordythegouge]

Thanks everyone!

[Chris]

Outlook Express is easy...

Mail/News accounts you'll have to do yourself...

@ECHO OFF
VERIFY ON
IF NOT EXIST "F:\Outlook Express" GOTO ER1
:START
ECHO.
ECHO	  @================ M E N U ==================@
ECHO	  =										   =  
ECHO	  = 1. Backup Outlook Express to Pen Drive	=
ECHO	  =										   = 
ECHO	  = 2. Restore Outlook Express from Pen Drive =
ECHO	  =										   =
ECHO	  = 3. Backup Address Book to Pen Drive	   =
ECHO	  =										   =
ECHO	  = 4. Restore Address Book from Pen Drive	= 
ECHO	  =										   =
ECHO	  = 5. Open Folders for Manual Copy
ECHO	  =										   = 
ECHO	  = 6. Quit the Menu!						 =  
ECHO	  =										   =
ECHO	  @================ M E N U ==================@
SET CHOICE=
ECHO.
SET /P CHOICE=Enter the number of the action you would like to perform:
IF NOT '%CHOICE%'=='' SET CHOICE=%CHOICE:~0,5%
IF '%CHOICE%'=='1' GOTO 1
IF '%CHOICE%'=='2' GOTO 2
IF '%CHOICE%'=='3' GOTO 3
IF '%CHOICE%'=='4' GOTO 4
IF '%CHOICE%'=='5' GOTO 5
IF '%CHOICE%'=='6' GOTO 6
ECHO.
ECHO "%CHOICE%" is not a valid action...
ECHO.
GOTO START

:1
ECHO.
ECHO Backing up Outlook Express to Pen Drive...
ECHO.
ECHO Deleting..
rmdir /s /q "F:\Outlook Express"
ECHO Copying...
xcopy /s /v /e /q /i /y "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\[unique identifier]\Microsoft\Outlook Express" "F:\Outlook Express"
ECHO.
ECHO Backup Outlook Express to Pen Drive...Done!
ECHO.
PAUSE
EXIT

:2
ECHO.
ECHO Restoring Outlook Express from Pen Drive...
ECHO.
ECHO Deleting...
rmdir /s /q "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\[unique identifier]\Microsoft\Outlook Express"
ECHO Copying...
xcopy /s /v /e /q /i /y "F:\Outlook Express" "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\[unique identifier]\Microsoft\Outlook Express"
ECHO.
ECHO Restoring Outlook Express from Pen Drive...Done!
ECHO.
PAUSE
EXIT

:3
ECHO.
ECHO Backing up Address Book...
ECHO.
ECHO Deleting
del "F:\wab.exe"
ECHO Copying...
xcopy /s /v /e /q /i /y "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\wab.exe" "F:\"
ECHO.
ECHO Backing up Address Book...Done!
ECHO.
PAUSE
EXIT

:4
ECHO.
ECHO Restoring Address Book...
ECHO.
ECHO Deleting...
del "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\wab.exe"
ECHO Copying...
xcopy /s /v /e /q /i /y "F:\wab.exe" "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\"
ECHO.
ECHO Restoring Address Book...Done!
ECHO.
PAUSE
EXIT

:5
ECHO.
START "" "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express"
START "" "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\[unique identifier]\Microsoft\Outlook Express"

:6
EXIT

:ER1
ECHO.
ECHO Pen Drive NOT found!!!!!
ECHO Connect the drive and try again...
PAUSE
EXIT

[deuces wild]

Easy?

[andsome]

Easy?

That's what he said. :) As soon as I see the pink code thing above, I panic.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

You can download it from the ZIP file link above the pink...

[D4\/!d]

Outlook Express is easy...

Well no one has d/l'd it yet..!! ;)

[EDIT: well ok. A few have started now]

Chris, I think you will need to explain yerself more difficult

My files are not in the same place as yours. How can the bat file be edited..??

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

My files are not in the same place as yours. How can the bat file be edited..??

Right-click on it, then select Edit - it will open in Notepad.

[Chris]

Outlook Express is easy...

Well no one has d/l'd it yet..!! ;)

[EDIT: well ok. A few have started now]

Chris, I think you will need to explain yerself more difficult

My files are not in the same place as yours. How can the bat file be edited..??

First decide where the backup is going to be placed...

Then edit as follows...

Between the quotes enter your backup location.

IF NOT EXIST "F:\Outlook Express" GOTO ER1

Replace as follows:

[username] - Replace with your XP username

[unique identifier] - This will be a unique number and it will look like this: {07877A6A-A984-4917-8A52-D7973E6FF6E6}

To get this mumbo-jumbo open Outlook Express; Click Tools, Options, Maintenance, Store Folder.....a little window will popup and it's probably best to copy what is contained in the box.

:1
ECHO.
ECHO Backing up Outlook Express to Pen Drive...
ECHO.
ECHO Deleting..
rmdir /s /q "F:\Outlook Express"
ECHO Copying...
xcopy /s /v /e /q /i /y "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\[unique identifier]\Microsoft\Outlook Express" "F:\Outlook Express"
ECHO.
ECHO Backup Outlook Express to Pen Drive...Done!
ECHO.
PAUSE
EXIT

:1
ECHO.
ECHO Backing up Outlook Express to Pen Drive...
ECHO.
ECHO Deleting..
rmdir /s /q "F:\Outlook Express"
ECHO Copying...
xcopy /s /v /e /q /i /y "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\[unique identifier]\Microsoft\Outlook Express" "F:\Outlook Express"
ECHO.
ECHO Backup Outlook Express to Pen Drive...Done!
ECHO.
PAUSE
EXIT

Replace as follows:

[username] - Replace with your XP username

[unique identifier] - This will be a unique number and it will look like this: {07877A6A-A984-4917-8A52-D7973E6FF6E6}

:5
ECHO.
START "" "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express"
START "" "C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\[unique identifier]\Microsoft\Outlook Express"

If you read the specifics of the batch file, you WILL recognise some of the paths to certain locations, it's just a case of editing them to suit your needs.

It is possible to use a variable whereby you would only be required to enter only a few things as opposed to going through the whole lot....but errr that would be too easy :P

[Chris]

REM EDIT BELOW THIS LINE ONLY
REM ================================
REM
SET IDENTITY={D7C9049B-1D6B-4F64-A1BF-9A5BE3F82392}
SET BACKUPLOC=F:
REM
REM=================================
REM EDIT ABOVE THIS LINE ONLY

SET IDENTITY=

To find the identitiy copy and paste this into the Run box on your start menu:

"%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\" [inc. Quotes]

There will be a folder with its unique name copy the name and paste it as shown above next to SET IDENTITY=

SET BACKUPLOC=

Choose a drive letter for your backups...

That's IT!! :D

[Chris]

Hmm...

Copying wab.exe does not actually backup the address book does it?

Confirm please...

[-pops-]

Why all this fannying about?

A selective transfer from the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard (as intimated above) will do the job perfectly well - as has been confirmed by D4\/!d.

[Chris]

There's several ways to London -pops-

[AlanHo]

I no longer use OE - I prefer Outlook because it is easier to back up all Outlook files, Emails, Contacts etc by simply backing up just one large >csv file.

In the past I found This Site to be a useful guide to backing up OE