In my previous post I have shown you how to configure your pop3 mailbox (or several) and also IMAP mailboxes. You may also remember that IMAP mailboxes are the safest as all the mail remains on the mail server. Now I am going to show you how to go about saving outlook express mailboxes.
If your hard disk fails and you lose all your data then with IMAP all you mail is safe. Allm you have to do is recreate your mailbox and then all your mail is available from the mail server. But what about if you have a “POP3” mailbox which I suspect most of you have.
Well never fear there is a way of “backing” up your outlook express mailbox(s).
But did you know you can do this in such a way as to make it is easy to save all your pop3 mailboxes and of course your address books as well.
This little trick can be used to save all your critical files that you may need to recover if you have a hard disk failure.
Before I show you how to save your mailboxes I suggest using file manager you create the following folders.
C:\critical saves\outlook express\mailbox name1
———————————\mailbox name2 etc
Now I am going to show you how to save all your mailboxes automatically into these folders.
Follow these instructions.
1. Open up outlook express.
2. Click on “tools” then “options” The following window will appear.
3. Select the “maintenance” tab
4. The maintenance window will appear as shown below.
5. Click on the “Store Folder” button.6. The following window will show the current location of your mailbox. This is normally situated under your account folder which in turn is situated under the “Documents and Settings” folder.
7. Click on the “Change” button
8. You will get a folder window similar to that below. Drill down to the “Critical Saves” folder down to the mailbox folder you created at the beginning of this post. You will see that I have actually got four folders one for each of my pop3 mailboxes. Select your mailbox folder and click OK.
9. You will then go back to the previous window which will show the directory/folder string that you selected. Click on “OK”
10. A message will appear telling you that the changes will not be affected until you restart Outlook Express. What are you waiting for restart outlook express.
11. When you start up outlook express you may see a window briefly appear as it copies all the folders form you mailbox to their new location.
12. Reapt the above procedure for each of your POP3 mailboxes if you have more than one. Remember to switch to the mailbox before you start.
So what happens now.
From now on all your mail will be saved in this new location. All you have to do is copy all the mailbox s to an external device (I suggest a memory stick. They are quite cheap these days)
The “critical saves” folder can be used to save any other (e.g. browser “favourites” ) Then all you have to remember is to save this one folder, (I suggest weekly).
Restoring your mailboxes is a simple matter of copying back the “critical saves” folder onto your new hard disk. Recreating your outlook express mailboxes and then in the maintenance tab point the newly created mailboxes back o the “critical saves “ folder.
Hope this has helped you to understand saving outlook express mailboxes.
Wilf Gerrard-Staton.