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How to Import and Export Outlook PST Data in a Few Easy Steps

Backing up Outlook PST data is important since most of your mail messages, contacts, tasks, journals and many other important items are stored in these PST files. If your PST files are fairly large, you could just take a back up of the data that you believe is most important to you by creating a new backup PST file. This is typically termed as exporting Outlook PST data. For example, including all the Drafts, Deleted Items Folder and Sent Mail, your PST files might become fairly large. On the other hand, all your important information may be stored in just a few Outlook folders. You could choose to export just those folders that contain this important information and omit all other folders during the back up. This way, even if there is any damage to the main PST file, you can always carry out a pst repair and restore all your vital data from the exported folders.

The back up copy of your PST files is extremely handy in restoring all the Outlook data even if the main PST file gets damaged due to virus attacks, software problems or hardware malfunctions. All the PST data that you have exported into the backup copy can be easily returned to Outlook. Here are the important steps that you will need to take if you find that the main PST file you are working with is damaged or lost.

" If you have stored your PST file on a removable device like a zip disk, CD-ROM or a portable hard disk, then the first step of pst repair would be to connect this device to the computer. When it has been activated, you can browse to the location of the back up copy of the PST file. Now simply copy this PST file onto your computer. You have to make sure that before you start the copying process, the 'Read-Only' attribute of the file has been cleared since you may not be able to carry out the copy process otherwise.
" From the main File menu, you can go to the Import and Export command. You can see a list of options here. Now, click on Import from another program or file. You may again be shown a list of options. Click on Personal Folder File (PST file) and select the back up file that you would like to import. Of course, if you are carrying out a complete pst repair, then you will need to select the top of the hierarchy. In this manner, you will be able to import just the folders that you want to restore or the entire PST file.

There are times when the storage device that you have used to store the back up copy of the PST file such as a zip disk or CD-ROM becomes damaged and you are not able to carry out a recovery process using the back up copy. Powerful software such as Advanced Outlook Repair can repair files even on corrupted media and help restore Outlook PST data.