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Working with Outlook Data Files
(Personal Folders)
Outlook Data Files, previously known as
Personal Folders are files containing folders which
store Outlook data on your hard disk. You can add an
Outlook Data File (Personal Folders) to your Outlook
User Profile and create a personal folder file. These
files have a .pst extension.
One of the advantages of using Outlook
as an Exchange client is you can keep your mail
messages, contacts and all mailbox data on the Exchange
server. This has a number of advantages. It relieves you
from worrying about backing up the data, makes it easy
to move to a new computer, and makes it easy to access
your mailbox from any computer you might utilize
temporarily.
You might choose to create an Outlook
Data File as a secondary storage location, for archival
storage of messages and other data you no longer need to
keep on the Exchange server.
If you previously used Outlook to access
Internet Email from your ISP or other POP3 mail
provider, you may have an Outlook Data File on your
computer that contains all the email you have saved, as
well as your calendar, contacts, to-do list,
etc.
You can access this data alongside your
new mailbox, and drag-and-drop items from your Outlook
Data File to your new mailbox on the
server.
Instructions for creating and using
Outlook Data Files vary depending on which version of
Outlook you're using. In Outlook XP they are referred to
as Outlook Data Files. In Outlook 2000 they are referred
to as Personal Folder files.
In Outlook XP:
To open an existing Outlook Data File:
- Start Outlook
- From the File menu, choose Open,
Outlook Data File
- Navigate to your existing .pst file
and click Open.
You may need to search your disk for
*.pst files to locate your existing Outlook Data
File.
To add a new personal folder file to a
user profile:
- Start Outlook
- From the File menu, choose New,
Outlook Data File.
- Confirm the file name and location
for the new file.
In Outlook 2000:
To open an existing personal folder
file:
- Start Outlook
- From the File menu, choose Open,
Personal Folders File (.pst)...
- Navigate to your existing .pst file
and click Open.
You may need to search your disk for
*.pst files to locate your existing personal folders
file.
To add a new personal folder file to a
user profile:
- On the Tools menu,
click Services.
- On the Services
tab, click Add.
- In the Available
information services box, click Personal
Folders.
- Click OK.
- Specify the file name and
location for your personal folder file.
- Click Open.
- In the Name box,
enter a name for the personal folder file.
- Select the options you
want.
For Help on an option, click
Help.
Additional Reading:
There are a number of excellent articles
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base about working with
personal folders. These may answer your
questions:
Working With Personal Folders
How to Back Up, Restore, or Move Outlook Data (Internet Mail Only configuration)
How to Back Up, Restore, or Move Outlook Data (Corporate/Workgroup configuration)
How to automatically backup your personal folders file
How to Move Messages to Exchange Server in Outlook Express
How to move your personal folders
How to Move Your Personal Folders File to a Network Server | 
