Backup/Export Accounts in Outlook 2002

you can just make a copy of your .pst files in outlook. They contain all of your personal data in outlook. I use a freeware backup program to schedule regular backups. The .pst files are usually located in C:\Documents and Settings\your account name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook. remember to turn on viewing hidden files under tools -->folder options.

for some reason (security? come on!) e-mail accounts are not stored in the pst file. pst files can be encrypted so i don't see why email accounts are not included. besides, the content of your emails might be more sensitive than your email account password. It seems that in older versions of Outlook account info was stored in a separate file which could be backed up - why isn't this so anymore?

e-mail account info (at least in Outlook 2003) is stored in the registry under this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\Outlook\9375CFF0413111d3B88A00104B2A6676

Right click on this key in regedit and export it. When you need to restore your accounts, navigate to this key in the registry and delete it to avoid conflicts. Then double click on your previously exported reg file to restore it.

i wasted hours looking for a solution in the help files and on the internet. i only managed to figure this out using sysinternal's regmon (http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Regmon.html).

i don't have the "M$ suxx" attitude - i enjoy using Outlook - but this is user-unfriendly to say the least. backing up your account info is a basic feature IMHO.