Preserving data: full format proposed..

[BugMeister]

I'm going to do a format soon, but I need some guidance on how to preserve my current Office data..
anyone know an easy way to retain the stuff, like contacts in Outlook and previous e-mails rec'd and sent, etc..?

the format will be a severe one - everything will be wiped - and I mean absolutely everything.. there will be no partitions left and the system will be restarted from basics..

- I'm starting again from a full re-install of the OS and Office, etc upward..

 

[Kari]

The folder C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook contains the PST-files that store you emails, calendar, contacts and tasks, plus additional settings files (I assume you are using Office 2007 or 2010).

Copy the content of this folder to another drive / partition. After Outlook is re-installed on fresh Windows setup, copy and replace these files back to their correct location.

Kari

 

[BugMeister]

thanks for than one, Kari

I'm not looking forward to having to re-install everything, but it's got to be done
- another SSD is being installed, so my rig will be finalised, at last..
I've been holding-off on a lot of things because I was waiting for a replacement SSD (one went bad on me, I'm afraid..)

I was intending to run 2xSSD's in RAID0 for the OS, etc
- but I've since discovered that one of them doesn't have TRIM, so that makes it a bit risky..

- still, at least I'll be looking at a stable rig
- which I shall proceed to use to the full..!!

 

[Kari]

Good luck!

BTW, you know RoboCopy? I use it to make a daily copy of my Outlook folder. My emails, contacts and calendar are really important to me, I wouldn't not like to lose them.

Kari

 

[BugMeister]

I did your copy routine (above) how do I get the saved info back into Outlook?

 

[Kari]

Just copy the files back to C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook. Outlook most be closed when you do this.

 

[BugMeister]

it didn't work.. I've lost all my outlook folders, so all previously received and filed mail has gone..

- I've managed to get my e-mail connection to IP sorted, though.. it took me a while, but now my inbox has 395 e-mails in it..
..every e-mail I've sent since I joined them has been forwarded back from their server!!

- but where did all of my folders go - are they somewhere amid that appdata save I did, and can I still retrieve them..??

 

[Kari]

- but where did all of my folders go - are they somewhere amid that appdata save I did, and can I still retrieve them..??

I can not understand! Did you do as I advised here? If yes, your PST and other Outlook files are there where you stored (copied) them. Just move them back to AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook.

Kari

 

[BugMeister]

thanks for taking the time to assist, Kari - very helpful of you, my friend..

I copy/pasted the whole contents back into the Outlook folder, this is what it looks like now:


- it looks as though some of the files may have been duplicated, as there are suffixes attached to their names
- the ones dated 23/03/2010 are presumably the ones I need to access.. (??)

- should Outlook be pointing to any particular file(s), if so how do I make the connection, and which files would be safe to delete..??

 

[Kari]

From the pst files with same name, the last (and bigger) one is what you want.

If outlook does not automatically read pst's, you can do this:

This is how you import a PST file, if you are using Outlook 2003 or 2007:

How to import .pst file data into Outlook

You can use the backup copy of your .pst file to restore your Outlook data if the original .pst file is damaged or lost. Everything that is saved in the .pst file is returned to Outlook.

Follow these steps to restore, or import, your data into Outlook:
If the .pst file that you want to import is stored on a removable device, such as a floppy disk, a portable hard disk drive, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape cassette, or any other storage medium, insert or connect the storage device, and then copy the .pst file to the hard disk drive of the computer.

When you copy the .pst file, make sure that the Read-Only attribute is not selected. If this attribute is selected, you might receive the following error message:
The specified device, file, or path could not be accessed. It may have been deleted, it may be in use, you may be experiencing network problems, or you may not have sufficient permission to access it. Close any application using this file and try again.

If you receive this error message, clear the Read-Only attribute, and then copy the file again.

• Open Outlook.
• On the File menu, click Import And Export. If the command is not available, rest the pointer over the chevrons at the bottom of the menu, and then click Import and Export.
• Click Import from another program or file, and then click Next.
• Click Personal Folder File (.pst), and then click Next.
• Type the path and the name of the .pst file that you want to import, and then click Next.
• Select the folder that you want to import. To import everything in the .pst file, select the top of the hierarchy.
• Click Finish.

If you are using Outlook 2010, do this:

• Open File menu
• Click Open
• Click Open Outlook Data File
• Browse to folder where the .pst file is located
• Click Open

Kari

EDIT:
VERY IMPORTANT!

I've just noticed I have a very serious typo in my first answer to you, a typo that can cause loss of stored emails. I told I assume you are using Outlook 2007 or 2010, when it should have been 2007 or 2003!

From your screenshot I can see your PST's are there, it's a relief, but I want to warn others reading this thread:

Outlook 2003 and 2007 store the PST files where I told. But 2010 Beta stores only the PST files of IMAP accounts in that folder; the PST's of POP accounts are stored in C:\Users\Your_Username\Documents\Outlook Files.

If you have Outlook 2010, to backup all your Outlook information, settings and mails you need to copy both of the mentioned folders:

• C:\Users\Your_Username\Documents\Outlook Files
  
  [*]location of PST files for POP accounts​
• C:\Users\Your_Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
  
  [*]location of PST files for IMAP accounts plus additional settings and configuration files​

I understand the mentioned typo is worst possible, and can cause loss of emails. I am very sorry I didn't check the post better when posting.

Kari

 

[BugMeister]

Kari, you are both a gentleman and a scholar..!!

- thank you so much for your patience, my friend..

If I could, I would award you 50 rep points..

 

[Kari]

Thank you, BugMeister.

But I made a bad typo, Mother of all typos in my first post in this thread. Please read what I added to my last post after you've read it: http://www.sevenforums.com/microsof...ing-data-full-format-proposed.html#post655165

The EDIT: VERY IMPORTANT part at the end in that post explains the mentioned typo and how it could cause loss of emails. I'm in panic here, thinking what if somebody just lost emails because of me, my typo!

 

[tw33k]

thanks for than one, Kari

I'm not looking forward to having to re-install everything, but it's got to be done
- another SSD is being installed, so my rig will be finalised, at last..
I've been holding-off on a lot of things because I was waiting for a replacement SSD (one went bad on me, I'm afraid..)

I was intending to run 2xSSD's in RAID0 for the OS, etc
- but I've since discovered that one of them doesn't have TRIM, so that makes it a bit risky..

- still, at least I'll be looking at a stable rig
- which I shall proceed to use to the full..!!

Even if both drives supported TRIM you wouldn't have it available in a RAID array.

 

[BugMeister]

maybe later, eh?
SSDs & RAID = NO TRIM? - Overclockers Forums