When most people think about backing up data, they think only of the data files in business applications such as Word, Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, and so on. But they're neglecting one very important source of stored data: their email.

You probably have an email address book that you would hate to lose, right? And you might have some email messages you've received that should be preserved as well. The Backup or Restore Wizard does not back up your email, so you need to back it up yourself.

Backing Up Microsoft Outlook Data

If you use Outlook as your primary email application, the easiest way to back up your data is to make a copy of the Outlook.pst file, and then save it somewhere safe. Different versions of Outlook store the Outlook.pst file in different places, but in the latest version of Outlook you'll find it here:

Documents and Settings\{your name}\Local Settings
\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst

You can also back up individual parts of the Outlook data file, if you don't want everything.

For example, to back up only your Contacts list (where email addresses and other contact information is stored), do the following in Outlook 2003 (other versions are similar but the steps may be slightly different):

1. Select File > Import and Export.
2. Select Export to a File, and then click Next.
3. Select the format in which you want to back up, and then click Next.

If you're backing up so you can reimport into Outlook if you lose your data, select Personal Folder File (.pst). This is the Outlook data format.

4. In the Export Personal Folders dialog box, select the Contacts folder, and then click Next.
5. In the Save exported file as box, enter the path and file name to back up to (or Browse for it).
6. Click Finish.
7. If you chose to back up in Personal Folder File format, an additional box appears; click OK to accept the defaults.

Restoring Data to Outlook

If you copied the entire Outlook.pst file, do the following to restore it:

1. If needed, install Outlook on the computer where the data file should be restored. It must be the same version or later as the one from which you backed up.
2. Start Outlook to allow it to create a new, blank Outlook.pst file, and then exit.
3. In a file management window, overwrite the new copy's Outlook.pst file with your backed up one.
4. Restart Outlook. All your original data will appear there.

If you exported only certain data from Outlook, as in the preceding section, restore it like this:

1. In Outlook, select File > Import and Export.
2. Select Import from another program or file, and then click Next.
3. Select the file type, and then click Next.
4. Select the file to import (use Browse if needed), and then click Next.
5. If you're importing from a Personal Folder File, an additional box appears where you can select the folder(s). Do so.
6. Click Finish.

Backing Up Outlook Express Addresses

You can export addresses from Outlook Express to either a Microsoft Exchange Personal Address Book or to a text file. If you back up to a personal address book format, the exported addresses will work with other programs that use Exchange format. If you back up to a text file, you create a comma-separated text file that can be copied to disk and stored as a backup. (That's what you want in this case.)

To export the addresses as a text file, follow these steps:

1. Select File > Export > Address Book. The Address Book Export tool appears.
2. Click Text File, and then click Export.
3. A prompt appears for a file name. Enter the file name and location (or Browse), and then click Next.
4. Leave the default field selections marked, and then click Finish.
5. Click Close.

If something happens to your computer and you have to reload Windows or reinstall Outlook Express, you can retrieve your stored addresses by importing from the file you exported. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Select File > Import > Other Address Book.
2. On the list of formats, select Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Import.
3. Click Browse to locate the file containing the addresses, click OK , and then click Next.
4. Leave the default field selections, and then click Import.
5. Wait for the import to finish, click OK, and then click Close.