| Most small companies and home users don't | | | | The Outlook Express mail rules are stored in |
| need to buy an expensive solution for data | | | | the registry, in the |
| backup. They can simply copy important files | | | | "HKEY_CURRENT_USERIdentities" key. To save |
| to a CD or DVD, and if an information loss | | | | this data, from menu select: Registry | |
| occurs, they can get it back easily. | | | | Export Registry File. Save the file to a name |
| | | | like "rules.reg". |
| If it is simply to copy documents, photos and | | | | |
| other files, not the same is for emails, | | | | 4. Address Book |
| attachments, address book, stationery and | | | | |
| other related information from your Outlook | | | | The backup of address book is easy to do. It |
| Express email client. | | | | is stored in files with WBA extension. To |
| | | | find the location where address book is |
| This article will explain how everybody can | | | | stored, you should open Outlook Express and |
| create a manual Outlook Express backup copy | | | | from menu select File | Export | Address Book |
| (because Outlook Express don't offer a built | | | | and select the comma separated text file as |
| in backup function) This email program is | | | | your output format. Click Export, select the |
| usually installed with the Windows operating | | | | folder where the backup will be saved and set |
| system and is probably among the most | | | | the name for the backup file. After that |
| commonly used email programs today. | | | | click Next and choose the fields you want to |
| | | | include in your backup. Click Finish and your |
| 1. Backup email messages | | | | backup will be ready. |
| | | | |
| In Outlook Express, emails are stored in | | | | 5. Stationery |
| files with DBX extension. The easiest way to | | | | |
| find these files is to open Outlook Express | | | | The Outlook Express stationery location is |
| and from menu select Tools | Options | | | | | stored in a registry key. To find it, you |
| Maintenance and click the Store Folder | | | | should open RegEdit, find |
| button. Here you can find the path to the | | | | "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftShared |
| folder containing your emails. | | | | ToolsStationery" key and look at "Stationery |
| | | | Folder" value. There you will find the path |
| This procedure works for all kind of email: | | | | to stationery folder. To save the stationery, |
| SMTP / POP3, IMAP, MAPI, or even the Hotmail | | | | you should copy all files from that folder. |
| Account (some messages might be stored only | | | | |
| at the Hotmail server). | | | | If you think that manual backup is too hard, |
| | | | you can use a backup software tool, which can |
| To save all your emails and attachments you | | | | make the job much easier. Outlook Express |
| should copy all the DBX files from the | | | | Backup Expert is one product that can be used |
| folder. | | | | to easily create Outlook Express backups. It |
| | | | can save your emails, attachments, address |
| 2. Account settings: | | | | book, signatures, blocked list, mail rules, |
| | | | stationery, accounts and settings. The |
| Details about your mail and news accounts are | | | | biggest advantage to use automatic email |
| stored in the registry. To find them, start | | | | backup software is the schedule function, |
| RegEdit and select the | | | | which will create backups at specified time |
| "HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet | | | | intervals, without user action. The downside |
| Account Manager" key from the left panel. To | | | | of using a automatic email backup utility is |
| save this data, from menu select: Registry | | | | | that it costs money, usually about 20-30 USD |
| Export Registry File. Save the file to a name | | | | as one time payment, while the manual backups |
| like "accounts.reg". | | | | are of course, free. |
| | | | |
| 3. Mail Rules | | | | The conclusion is that email backup is a |
| | | | critical operation for every user. |