Backup Local Mail Folders

These processes will point you to the existing folders and files that are currently storing your mails. You may want to take pre-cautions by making a copy of these files in another folder location.

Mail folders from Outlook Express 6.x

If you are using Outlook Express 6.0 or above, follow the following steps to make copies of all your existing Mail files.

From the Outlook Express Menu, click on Tools > Options > Maintenance and click on the Storefolder button. A dialog box is displayed showing the location of all your mail files.

 

Copy the location and open that directory using Windows Explorer. All the mail related files has the .DBX extension. Make copies of these files to backup your mails.

Mail folders from Outlook 2000/2003

If you are using Outlook 2000 or 2003, the following steps will show you how to export your existing mail items into a .PST file.

From the Outlook menu, click File > Import and Export. Select Export to a File option.

 

Click the Next button. Select the Personal Folder File (.pst) option.

 

Click the Next button. Select your Mailbox and check the Include subfolders option.

 

Click the Next button.

 

Set the folder where you want to save the file to. E.g. My Documents folder, so that it will be easy for you to locate the file later. Click the Finish button.

At the Create Microsoft Personal Folders window, give a descriptive name to the file. E.g. My Backup.

Opening .PST file in Outlook 2000 / 2003

Once the backup .PST file has been generated, you can open it from Outlook.

From the Outlook menu, click File > Open > Outlook Data File. Browse to the location where you stored your .PST file and select it. Click the OK button.

 

The new Backup mailbox is now accessible. You can use it together with your existing mailbox. Mails will continue to be sent and received on your existing mailbox. However, you can also drag and drop / copy and paste mails from your Mailbox to your new Backup mailbox.