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[Get Real!]

How to backup Outlook .PST files on Vista and Windows7

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NB: This tip is for system administrators only.


The problem:

Ms Outlook locks all .pst files while Outlook is open which triggers a bug when trying to copy a .pst across a network which results in your script hanging forever.

Therefore this direct copy won't work...

robocopy "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook" "\\Backup\%username%\Outlook" /e /mir /mt:16 /W:3 /R:0


The solution:

1. First copy the Outlook files to a local directory like the user's TEMP...

robocopy "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook" "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Temp\Outlook" /e /mir /mt:16 /R:0 /W:3

2. And then copy it from the TEMP to the backup drive...

robocopy "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Temp\Outlook" "\\Backup\%username%\Outlook" /e /mir /mt:16 /R:0 /W:3

3. Finally, do a cleanup on the user's TEMP directory...

del /s /f /q C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Temp\Outlook\*.*
rd /s/q C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Temp\Outlook


That's it! If you also need the XP (Xcopy based) solution write here.

[umit07]

Where did this come from GR? Did you have to figure it out for a customer?

[Get Real!]

Where did this come from GR? Did you have to figure it out for a customer?

Yes of course, so I thought I'd share the solution to save others from all the heartache.

[kurupetos]

Will you update to Win10 on Wednesday?

[CBBB]

Will you update to Win10 on Wednesday?

Best to wait for few months until they get all the bugs out of it, unless you have Windows 8, in which case change immediately, it can't be worse!

[B25]

Where did this come from GR? Did you have to figure it out for a customer?

Yes of course, so I thought I'd share the solution to save others from all the heartache.

Can't speak for vista, but windows 7, doesn't need all this.

Goto c drive, windows directory, outlook files and copy straight over. Of course outlook must be closed at this point.

[Get Real!]

Where did this come from GR? Did you have to figure it out for a customer?

Yes of course, so I thought I'd share the solution to save others from all the heartache.

Can't speak for vista, but windows 7, doesn't need all this.

Goto c drive, windows directory, outlook files and copy straight over. Of course outlook must be closed at this point.

Oh man... Microsoft and every other company that has ever written a backup program/utility are gonna sue your arse for putting them out of business!

[Lordo]

why do you bother with psts, they have always been bad news. save your email and attachments into windows folders directly.

or are you into a money making scheme.

[Sotos]

How is Outlook these days? Haven't used it for years since I moved to Thunderbird... last version of Outlook I used was 2003.

[Get Real!]

why do you bother with psts, they have always been bad news. save your email and attachments into windows folders directly.

or are you into a money making scheme.

Lordo and B25, the idea of a backup is to have a duplicate of all important files on another hard drive, not the same one, and the point of having a script file do the backup for you is for automation.

You can’t go to every workstation in a company and copy 100,000 files manually!

A script file ensures automation, speed, accuracy, and uniformity for all users. That’s why I said that this post if for system admins or network managers if you prefer, not home users.