Note: It is important to back up e-mail files on a regular basis. Here is some backup information that may be helpful to you.

Viewing hidden files and folders:

Microsoft Outlook provides a Personal Folders Backup download. It backs up Outlook 2003 .pst files, which store everything for Outlook.

Microsoft Outlook 2003 may contain the following data store and configuration files that need to be backed up. Some of these files might be hidden folders.

To view hidden files and folders:

Click Start, and then click My Computer.

From the Tools menu, click Folder Options, click the View tab, and then click the Show hidden files and folder option.

For Windows 2000/XP:

Double-click My Computer on your desktop.

From the Tools menu, click Folder Options, click the View tab, and then click the Show hidden files and folder option.

Note: Your Outlook configuration may not include all of the following files. Some files are created only when you customize Outlook features.

File

Drive

Outlook data files (.pst)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Offline Folders file (.ost)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Personal Address Book (.pab)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Offline Address Books (.oab)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Command bar and menu

customizations (.dat)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Navigation Pane settings (.xml)

This file includes Shortcuts,

Calendar, and Contact links.

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.xml

Registered Microsoft Exchange

extensions (.dat)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Outlook contacts nicknames (.nk2)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Rules (.rwz)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Note: If you upgraded from a version of Outlook prior to Outlook 2002, you may have a .rwz file on your computer hard disk drive. The file is no longer needed and the rules information is now kept on the server for Microsoft Exchange e-mail accounts, and within the personal folders file (.pst) for POP3 and IMAP e-mail accounts. You can delete the file.

If you use the rules import or export feature, the default location for .rwz files is:

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents.

Print styles (Outlprnt with no extension)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Signatures (.rtf, .txt, .htm)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Signatures

Stationary (.htm)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Stationary

Custom forms

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Forms

Dictionary (.dic)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Proof

Templates (.oft)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

Send/Receive settings (.srs)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Message (.msg, .htm, .rtf)

drive:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Doc