# How do I backup Outlook files onto CD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 3, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781 "2003-03-03T17:13:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pablito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@Pablito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pablito)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/1 "2003-03-03T17:13:09Z")
That’s pretty much my question, simple as it is. I did a search and couldn’t find anything helpful on this. My problem is that when I try to drag the folders (containing lots of individual emails, contacts, calendar, notes, tasks, and the like) onto the CD drive window, it only copies the shortcut to the folder, not the contents of the folder as well. I know about the ‘backup’ feature in in Outlook, but having the files backed up there won’t help if I have to wipe my hard drive. Can someone give me an easy way to write these files onto my backup CD? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Xerxes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d2c977/32.png) [@Xerxes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xerxes)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/2 "2003-03-03T17:44:44Z")
What about file/export? You can create a single .PST file which you can burn onto CD, and import again if you ever lose your hard-drive… ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/3 "2003-03-03T19:39:14Z")
Search your hard drive for any files ending in .dbx The files that come up will match your Outlook folder names and may be very large in size. Back these up. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/4 "2003-03-03T19:59:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jpeg Jones \* > \*\*Search your hard drive for any files ending in .dbx > > The files that come up will match your Outlook folder names and may be very large in size. Back these up. \*\* .dbx files are only used by Outlook _Express_. Outlook puts all email, contacts, calendar items, etc. into the user’s .pst file (unless used with Exchange, but that’s another kettle of fish). Burning it to a CD is a good way to back everything up. Email account settings will also need to be saved. The method for doing this varies depending on the version of Outlook and the way it’s set up. As to the OP’s problem, it would help to know what CD burning software is being used. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/5 "2003-03-03T21:39:42Z")
If Outlook Express : [http://www.outlook-express-backup.com/](http://www.outlook-express-backup.com/) If Outlook 2000: [http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/pfbackup.aspx](http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/pfbackup.aspx) > **[Developer tools, technical documentation and coding examples](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/?url=%2Ftechnet%2Fprodtechnol%2Foffice%2Foffice2000%2Fdownloads%2Fofsetwiz.asp)** > > The home for Microsoft documentation and learning for developers and technology professionals. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/6 "2003-03-03T22:30:30Z")
Here’s another option : [http://www.backsettings.com/backup-outlook.html](http://www.backsettings.com/backup-outlook.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/7 "2003-03-03T22:39:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number \* > **.dbx files are only used by Outlook _Express_.** Then how come I’m using Outlook 2000 (not Express) and I have .dbx files? ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/8 "2003-03-04T01:44:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jpeg Jones \* > \*\*Then how come I’m using Outlook 2000 (not Express) and I have .dbx files? \*\* Got me. Ever used OE on that machine? All the file extension lists I can find on google indicate that .dbx is used for DATABEAM bitmap images, Formula Graphics projects, Microsoft Visual Foxpro Tables, ICE Cache Explorer Data files, and mailboxes in OE 5 and higher. No references to Outlook. [http://filext.com/d.htm](http://filext.com/d.htm) [http://www.file-ext.com/d.html](http://www.file-ext.com/d.html) Searching [Technet](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;kbhowto&sd=TECH&ln=EN-US&FR=0) for _.dbx_ under Outlook 2000 yields no results, but there are several articles for Outlook Express. If you right-click **Personal Folders** , hit **Properties** and click the **Advanced** button, what’s listed on the second line next to **Path**? ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-backup-outlook-files-onto-cd/158781/9 "2003-03-04T01:55:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jpeg Jones \* > \*\*Then how come I’m using Outlook 2000 (not Express) and I have .dbx files? \*\* Perhaps from a previous installation of Outlook Express ? Installing Outlook 2000 does not uninstall Outlook Express. Although I use Outlook 2000, Outlook Express still exists and all the .dbx files on my comp are associated with Outlook Express only. Do a search for .dbx files on your computer and see which folders they reside in. That said, the .dbx file format is not exclusive to Outlook express. It is a database format and may be used by other applications. It is also a Microsoft Visual Foxpro Table file format as well as a DataBeam Image file format. If you don’t have Outlook Express installed, but would like to view the contents of the .dbx files you could try this program : [http://www.mailnavigator.com/read\_dbx\_file.html](http://www.mailnavigator.com/read_dbx_file.html)