Backup Outlook 2010 & How To Restore An Earlier Version

I’ve been using Microsoft Outlook 2010 since it was released and really like the interface. There are so many features that I’ll not experience them all. This article will show you how to do a backup of your Outlook 2010 (it’s definitely different), as well as show you how to restore a previous .pst or other Microsoft office document file from an earlier time period.

Export Your Outlook File To A Backup

The old familiar export/import commands used with Outlook 2007 and earlier are gone. I looked and looked for how to export my .pst file and found it doing a web search. So I wanted to post this in case someone else goes looking.

Click on the ‘File’ tab and roll down to ‘Open’ (yes, not intuitive at all).Then select ‘Import’.

Then things started looking familiar with the Import and Export Wizard familiar interface coming up next. Since I was backing up, I selected ‘Export to a file’ and then at the next screen selected ‘to an Outlook .pst file’.

Then the next screen is where you select your inbox and subfolders (if you want them).

Then you can choose to rename the generated name of the backup and also choose where you want your backup. Since it’s a backup, it’s probably a good idea to NOT store it alongside your current .pst file. Now your backup is complete.

Microsoft Outlook PST Backup Tool NOT Available for 2010

When I was researching how to backup Outlook 2010, I found several sources that said that Microsoft’s downloadable .pst backup tool was not available for Outlook 2010. Hopefully, they will  have one at some point. They do point out that there are backup tools available built right into Windows 7 that can help with that.

When Things Go Very Wrong-Restore An Earlier Version

I’ve heard of people losing some of their Outlook mail folders and always wondered how it could happen. Sometimes, they are moved inadvertently, sometimes accidentally deleted, sometimes it’s a mystery! Well, it happened to me! I noticed that some client and other folders directly under my Inbox were missing recently. I thought somehow I’d moved them and I’d be able to find them.

The next day, I did an extensive search throughout my various folders and email accounts I have coming into Outlook 2010 – no luck! I started doing some web searches to see what others said about it. I was going to try something, but wanted to make a backup first. That’s when I found out how to backup my .pst file with the above instructions.

I knew my folders were there on a certain date, but how to get that date back? Well, Windows 7 and Vista (not sure about XP), have a very handy restore feature. To get to it, simply go to the file (or even a folder), in Windows Explorer, right-click on the file and a box will pop up with many options. Select ‘Restore previous versions’ and the below box will pop up. Then select the file you want to restore.

Warning – your later file will be overwritten with the file you’re restoring and this action can not be undone. So be sure it’s what you want to do, or save your current file as a different name and put it somewhere else.

So I selected the Outlook file from the last date I knew they were there. Now, I did lose all my emails for a couple of days. However, I did make a copy of my .pst file just in case I have a need to retrieve it. To do that, I’d make another email account, import the file and get the ones I wanted, then I could delete that account.

How Can I Be Sure I Can Restore From An Earlier Point

This is actually a setting that is defaulted to be set as below, so you don’t need to worry about turning this setting on.

From Windows 7 Help Section – Previous versions are automatically saved as part of a restore point. If system protection is turned on, Windows automatically creates previous versions of files and folders that have been modified since the last restore point was made. Typically, restore points are made once a day. If your disk is partitioned or if you have more than one hard disk on your computer, you need to turn on system protection for the other partitions or disks. Previous versions are also created by Windows Backup when you back up your files.

The restoration of previous versions of files also works with any Microsoft document. So if you updated a document and wished you hadn’t, go to the latest version of the file in Windows Explorer and right-click and restore an earlier version.

This is a handy tip to remember.

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• October 1, 2010 -- Explore the File Menu In Microsoft Outlook 2010