Outlook Files

[Guest]

Someone told me that if you are using Outlook to send and receive messages,
that windows will actually save all emails in and out of the computer. Does
anyone know if this is true and can anyone tell me how a person would find
where these files are kept. I've looked in the Outlook folder, under Program
Files and couldn't tell if it was in there. I'm trying to figure out where
the copies of all these emails would be and how I can access them. thanks.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Someone told me that if you are using Outlook to send and receive messages,
that windows will actually save all emails in and out of the computer. Does
anyone know if this is true

It certainly is, and will stay until you delete it.

and can anyone tell me how a person would find
where these files are kept. I've looked in the Outlook folder, under Program
Files and couldn't tell if it was in there.

You won't find it there because it isn't there. User data shouldn't be
stored in the Program Files structures. It's in the My

I'm trying to figure out where
the copies of all these emails would be and how I can access them.

thanks.

Pretty much any non-web-based email program, including Outlook, will have a
"Message Store" where messages are kept.

In the case of Outlook - not Outlook Express - files are stored in one file
which by default is Outlook.pst. It can take a trick to find it. Outlook
Express uses .dbx files.

In Outlook 2003, choose File, Data File Management and the location will be
displayed. In Outlook Express, choose tools, Options Maintenance, then
click the Store Folder button. there's a popup with the location. For
Windows Address Book, open the book and choose Help, About and the location
will be shown. .

Microsoft helpfully places the message stores for both Outlook and Outlook
Express, plus the Windows Address Book file in hidden folders in the My
Documents\<account name>\ structure.

Outlook by default puts the PST file here:
c:\program files\<account name>\local settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Outlook Express does this:
C:\Documents and Settings\<account name> \Local Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{Identifer}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

While Windows Address Book does this:
C:\Documents and Settings\<account name>\Application Data\Microsoft\Address
Book\<account name>.wab

All of these locations are hidden, by default. To see them, open Explorer
and choose Tools, Folder Options, View, then Show Hidden Files and Folders.

You will need to know these locations if you're backing up the message
stores, as you should. Note that Outlook must be fully closed during
backups or the message store will often *not* be backed up.

HTH
-pk