Help with thorough backup

[Woodsy]

Hi there!
I'm doing a major, super backup of my system data. In the past, I've done it in kind of a haphazard way, and ended up losing months worth of email due to my not being diligent about backing up Outlook. In addition, I have to spend hours re-doing all my email rules, email fonts, sig files, etc. So this time I want to back up everything correctly.

I have looked online, but haven't been able to find simple instructions for backing up my outlook rules, etc.
I would greatly appreciate it if someone could help me with backing up:

1.) All of my email, rules, signature files, and configuration (format, fonts, etc.) in Outlook 2002
2.) My "Network Connections" data (i.e. - my Internet connections)
3.) My CuteFTP configuration data.
4.) Any other conguration information I may be forgetting.

I am running Windows XP Professional 2002, with Outlook 2002, etc.

Your help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[renaistre]

I can't help too much, but your email (and maybe some of your email settings, I think) is kept in a file in the directory

C:\Documents and Settings\loginname\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Of course, you need to substitute the correct value for loginname. Application Data is a hidden folder, so you might have to change your folder settings to find the data file. I think it's usually called outlook.pst.

-Evan

 

[WeakButHopeful]

In my opinion Microsoft does a singularly brain dead job of allowing for such an obvious procedure as backup. Any highschool student could tell you the importance of doing good, regular backups but apparently the largest computer corporation in the world sees it as wise to make the process as difficult as possible. Every piece of software they make seems to squirrel away the data in some separate perverse location. It just makes you stand there with your mouth open in amazement.

A quick search on Google turned up this link, which appears that it may help you:

http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm

Personally, I am also using Outlook 2002 (which I got bundled with my PocketPC so I have even more places to backup when you consider their ActiveSync approach) under WinXP. I copy the .pst file to a hold area, and then I have a wide ranging backup that pulls files from all over the hard disk into a WinZip file using a little known facility called the WinZip Command Line Support Add-on (another good reason to support WinZip). See:

http://www.winzip.com/other.htm?wzt

It is rather involved (hey, I'm a programmer) but you can setup a batch file which references one simple text file of file folders and filenames to include, and another simple text file listing file folders and filenames to exclude, and have the whole thing run at a certain time each night by using Windows scheduled tasks. Then, you backup the WinZip file to a CD-R periodically and you have an incremental backup of the important files on your hard-disk.

Of course, as you correctly point out, the hard part is getting that complete list of important file locations. Mine has developed over time, and considers Winamp playlists, Quicken data files, Outlook Express mailboxes (in addition to Outlook mentioned previously), PocketPC files, etc. etc.

I hope this was of some help.

 

[Woodsy]

Thanks guys! Evan, I'll be backing up my .pst file(s) for sure now.
WeakButHopeful, thanks for acknowledging that MS could have made the process a bit more user-friendly. The info on the first link looks good, but I guess I'll hafta make sure that it all applies to Outlook2002?
Some of your post is beyond me, but I appreciate the information. I am doing more research.
I hate trying to use the Microsoft Knowledge Base (great resource, but I am so not up to the level often discussed there), but I guess I'll try another foray through there to try to find out about backing up my configuration stuff.
I try to FDisk and reinstall my OS on a fairly regular basis, every 6 months or so.
It's mainly such a pain re-doing all my Inbox Rules.

Thanks again, guys!

 

[doofus125]

If you are looking to do a full system backup use Norton Ghost......

http://store.yahoo.com/glob2000/synosy20proo.html

$9 including shipping for the whole Norton Systemworks 2003 pro package that includes Norton Ghost.....

 

[Woodsy]

I'll check it out, doofus. Thanks!