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I fear Outlook myself, as a technician. It's very universal and very good in many ways but it is more prone to viruses than web based email.

Also, don't you EVER pay for it!!! EVER! Bad ADDer! *spank*

Outlook Express comes free with Windows, and the full version of Outlook comes with various versions of Office, so you should never EVER pay for it!

Especially when there are so many other FREE email and organization programs out there...

I love outlook. I have been using it for about 3 months now. I had been using outlook express for quite a while and had my email filters set up. I was very hesitant to switch over to Outlook because I thought it would be very complicated to set up my filters there on outlook. It was actually pretty simple to import everything from outlook express to outlook.

I also love the outlook calendar. It has great reminders and it's very helpful to me with time management. There are also some programs that can be added on to outlook that help even more.

I just recently bought an electronic organizer too and I sync it with Outlook.

Yes is does come with with Mircosoft Office.

If you are going to use outlook or outlook express for email, make sure you have a anti-virus program on your pc. Also, make sure you keep the Virus definuitions up to date.

Originally posted by Paul S


Also, don't you EVER pay for it!!! EVER! Bad ADDer! *spank*



Oh Paul:D

Originally posted by livingwithadd
Yes is does come with with Mircosoft Office.

If you are going to use outlook or outlook express for email, make sure you have a anti-virus program on your pc. Also, make sure you keep the Virus definuitions up to date.

What she said. I have a word for people who don't update their antivirus programs and definitions. It's not "lazy", "stupid", or "crazy". It's not even "ADD". It's "customer". :D I charge them $50-100 to fix the problem and tell them how not to have it happen again. :D :D :D

I'm on the fence here. I saw the thread and thought initially...is this a referral plug for outlook?? as there was just an ad to buy it.

When Tara explained her reason behind the post, it made so much more sense, and possibly should have been in the initial post.

On the other hand, Tara is quite right in pointing out the stand alone version as an alternative to buying the full office version. A home user may not want to pay $300-$500 for the full office version and may have either MS works, Star office (free!!!) or something else where they don't need to buy the whole office suite. Therfore Paul, there are valid reasons to by it on it's own, and if that is all someone needs, I say go buy it.

I also agree with Tara and her addition of the virus software, but as Paul points out, most people don't keep their updates current and then they get bitten. Charging people is a great incentive to make people think in future about doing something pro-actively as there is a cost in being re-active.

I have my virus software set to auto-update so it gets the virus pattens updates automatically.

Thats my contraversial 2 cents on a cold and not so sunny Wednesday.

Sleepz.

Tara and all,

Have you figured out an EASY way to back up your Outlook mail?

I've tried archiving old mail but then couldn't find it. It's hidden deeply in MS folders.

I just downloaded a program (free trial) that saves Outlook mail for you on CDS or whatever, but my drive is all whacky and won't let me save to D. Or maybe I'm not formatting the disk. Or maybe..

Anyway, the program is Genie Outlook Backup.

Anyone tried it? Or something similar?

Terry

Terry,

With Outlook, you can export (File...import/export) all your data to any location you wish.

Also, you can have your data file anywhere in your computer (Tools/Mail Setup/Data Files) making it easier to find and backup.

Outlook Express, on the other hand, is extremely painful to backup, one of the key reasons I dont use it (other than function & security issues)

HI Andrew,

I'm such a putz; I can't even FIND the files in Outlook, let alone save them in a different place. If I try export, will they all move there, or will a copy remain in my inbox(es)?

What I like about this new software program, once I learn how to use it, is you can schedule automatic backups. My lifeline is my emails and I really need a system for saving them.

Oh, the other neat thing is, when you save them to a CD, you can open it without having to have Outlook on; it is like a snapshot of your real program. I think.

Terry

You can download a free Outlook addin from Microsoft that will backup Outlook. I have it scheduled to back up once a week - I probably should do it more often. You can get it at:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=8B081F3A-B7D0-4B16-B8AF-5A6322F4FD01&displaylang=en

It seems I cannot post the enitre long URl to get the Outlook backup addin. If you go to the MS Office site, the file you need is pfbackup.exe. This is a shorter URL that links to it and gives more detaisl:
http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/preview.aspx?AssetID=HA010875321033

Cool, George. Thx!

The URL you posted is correct, it just gets truncated. When you click the link, it still takes you to the Add-on for Outlook.

George,

I'll have to check this out- thanks! One question I have is, can you open individual backed up emails that have been saved on, say a CD? I need to be able to go through old emails and read them individually if needed.

Other backup programs will only save files and not let you open them unless you export them back into Outlook.

Terry

Terry,

It saves your entire *.pst file. You can use backup to open the saved file. If I am going away, I burn a CD with my backed up *.pst file and use it on my laptop. It looks the same - all your emails, contacts, etc are available. It is an easy way of synchronizing date without setting up a server - you have to be careful you can really screw things up if you overlay the wrong file.

Another nice Oulook plugin is SpamBayes. I no longer have a spam. Early on you have to train it a bit - some spam is missed and some good email is marked as spam but after a couple of days, it worked beautifully. And its free. You can get it at:
http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/

Here are some other Outlook backup & Synch programs:

ABF Outlook Backup is a backup and synchronization tool for MS Outlook. It allows you to backup and restore your messages, address book, settings, accounts, message rules, junk email lists, signatures, and even your Internet favorites
http://www.abf-soft.com/outlook-backup.shtml
==============================================
BackRex Outlook Backup is a backup and restore tool for Microsoft Outlook. It allows you to backup address book, mail folders, mail accounts, contacts, tasks, notes, calendar, journal, message rules, signatures, stationery, and all personal settings.

Outlook Backup can help you to move all your Outlook data from one computer to another, even if it has a different version of Windows and/or Outlook (for example from Outlook 2000 to Outlook XP or vice versa).
http://www.backsettings.com/backup-outlook.html
==============================================
Genie Outlook Backup is an application designed to easily create a backup or archive file for your e-mail folders from Microsoft® Outlook 2000, Microsoft® Outlook XP or Microsoft® Outlook 2003, which may easily be restored when necessary.
http://www.genie-soft.com/products/olb/features.html
==============================================

i like outlook 2003, it is a major revamp from xp and it prevents alot of spam and dose not show html email by default, this prevents you from getting alot of spam

I agree. I'm running the new Office 2003 suite, and love how Outlook 2003 helps organize my mail better. The calendar is better too!

i just got my dad to use Outlook 2003 from netscape

Outlook is spectacularly good for email, and spectacularly atrocious for everything else. Yes, it's a smart to back up your email to a .pst file, if you use Outlook you should schedule an automatic backup every nite.

But for everything else, it's a god-aweful clunky, cluttered mess. If you do use Outlook Calendar, Notes, Tasks, etc... then here's a cute app that can make it a little more fun and user friendly:
http://www.desktopsidebar.com/index.html

Desktop Sidebar, it's one of the features that Microsoft is plugging for their next generation OS .. which is still at least 2 years away.. it's a java app, runs well on my machines (98SE, 2kPRO), can 'auto hide', has skins, but more relevant to this threat, it integrates automatically with Outlook, scrolling your Tasks, Mail, Calendar, New Mail Notification that is Way Cool, and also has live weather (weather channel site), a disk monitor that tells you how much free space you have, some of your Task Manager info displayed so you don't have to hit CTL ALT DEL, integrated Win Medea Player, a Command Line, and a Quick Launch area so you get them out of your taskbar. It works.

Outlook is still a lousy PIM!

For the virus problem, I get free virus software and it updates itself automatically. Its AVG Anit-Virus. Look it up on the internet with a search, and find the site. They have the free version, which is really excellent. I have not had a virus that has not been stopped, in the 2 years I have had this. I never have to worry about updates or fees, either.

As for Outlook, I also think it is a good program. Not an ADD program, but pretty darn good. It syncs with my Pocket PC very nicely too.

Jon

This is a great thread, as I'm always trying to learn how to make my computer safe.

I STILL can't figure out how to back up my Outlook email so that I can open it up from a CD and SEE the messages. So, I'm afraid of deleting the over 3,000 emails sitting on my hard drive. I downloaded one of the programs here that was suggested, but still don't know how to open the saved emails without having to transport them back into Outlook.

I tried Genie, which won't let you do this with Outlook; only OE. I tried another one, Outlook Personal Folders Backup (or is that part of Windows?) and can't seem to make that to work the way I'd like.

Any tips?
Thanks for the heads up on the free virus scan. I may try that on my laptop after the free Norton service expires.

Thanks,
Terry

Terry,

I know that working with Outlook's .pst file can be frustrating -- it's not like some text or .html file that you can instantly view in any state. If you have a CD burner, or a second hard drive, you can choose the location that you want to back up (Export) your .pst file to. Make sure that you already have the target folder created, as the Export wizard only allows you to choose a destination, not create one on the fly.

If you have a Cd burner, schedule a backup, or manually back up to the burner, if it recognizes the burner as writable.. I use InCD which formats the CD-RW to look like a floppy. If it won't write to the burner, you can always drag the exported .pst file from wherever you saved it. Burner -- you need to format your blank CD-RWs first. Then you can use them like a huge floppy.

Sound like you really want to be able to view, examine your email files too, and I highly recommend http://www.x1.com/
X1 , check it out, it's magic. Sort of like having Mac Sherlock for specific PC apps, makes finding and managing Outlook email a snap. Indexes very fast too, much faster than Microsofts own search indexing from the Start>Search menu.

Backing up: I know there' a lot of software out there to simplify the process, but you don't need any for Outlook. Backing up Outlook from the program is simple, a snap. FILE>IMPORT AND EXPORT>EXPORT TO A FILE>.PST FILE ... you get the idea. Just make sure you back up every day, and back up all of the Personal folders and subfolders, there's a checkbox and heirarchical tree. Practice a few times, and you won't need any shareware to do this. Get your burner working, and you're in business.

Terry,

After reading your post again, I'm not sure exactly why you would want to view your Outlook backup files in their raw .pst format. Althought there are some strange Outlook plugins/add-ins out there, the best way to view your pst files in in Outlook!

Here's a way to make it even easier (and it's free) to back up Outlook. Microsoft has a little upgrade program.. that's what it really is.. for the last 3 or so versions of Outlook.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=8B081F3A-B7D0-4B16-B8AF-5A6322F4FD01&displaylang=en
Download and install it. The next time you open Outlook, you'll have a new menu option under your FILE menu. FILE>BACKUP. A simple little wizard pops up and lets you both schedule a backup, and choose a destination drive or folder. It doesn't get any easier.

Also, I don't understand your anxiety about 'deleting' your messages. If you just use Outlook's built in Import Export feature (again, under the FILE menu) it's a no brainer.

Good luck.

Here's Microsoft's "How to back up/restore Outlook" page
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;184817

everyone, even if it is piracy.... i doubt you will be caught..because how would they? how many times do you hear bout someone getting caught? 1 time, 2 time s 3 times? that is so small, the chance of so is like winning a true vacation over the internet. Download the trial version of Panda Platinum. I have registration key. if you so wish, it is really no problem, ive already done it for like 10 people. it is an antivirus and firewall in one.. it will stay with you till the very second it shuts down, and scanss all your email.

I sync my outlook with my web based calendar, email, addresses etc. ( I use yahoo simply because it has a sync tool available to download) the intial set up can be adrag but once its done my stuff is safe. Even if Im at work I can check my schedule to ok appointments etc. I also can send a reminder to my kids emails regarding family issues or their appointments etc (one kid lives in a different city with his dad to go to school), as outlook has that feature. the print out of the schedule can be done in a few different forms, and I found one that fits in my day planner and I use pre punched paper for that print. I am still trying to figure out how to get it to remind me even if I dont have outlook open, but I shall win that one too :D

Also my kids are symptomatic of adhd also so imagine how much this saves us of forgetting important things to tell each other? We do it as we remember and the message is sent to the person.

I use Outlook 2000, and sync to my Palm Pilot using Chapura's Key Suite Add on software. I can sync as many categories as I want with Key Suite - I'm not limited to the 15 that Palm offers.

I've set up Outlook using David Allen's "Getting Things Done" Outlook Papers -- http://davidco.com/

What is nice, I track Projects in Outlook (disguising a "contact" to act like a project). Projects move along by assigning Tasks to them. A Project is a collection of tasks, so to speak -- it is a bigger item that usually spans a length of time. Most of what we call our "life" is a composition of different projects. Identifying projects and keeping them from getting "stalled" is an awesome method of setting goals and seeing them come to pass.

I use Outlook notes for a whole myriad of reference material - like birthdays, printer cartridge info, my kids school phone numbers and teacher names, movies & books I want to see/read, things I might want to buy, and inspirational sayings and anectdotes.

David Allen's whole system works around a weekly review of all your "open loops". With ADD, getting a handle on those open loops is a constant battle. But with Getting Things Done, there is a method to the madness.

Lafnalot, you mentioned you use yahoo--you can have reminders sent to mobile devices or an email address, even set up filters to have specific ones sent. fyi

Outlook 2002 Backing up Personal Files

To locate the Outlook 2002's Personal Files are on your hard drive:

1) Right click the Personal Files

2) click on Properties ... that will give you the path to the file you want to copy...
...That is the particular .pst file you want to backup.



*Note: if you are planning to import files from a CD:

1) copy the .pst file from the CD onto your desktop then

2) right click it, choose Properties, and make sure the read only box is unchecked... other wise Outlook 2002 won't import it.



To import the Personal Files back into Outlook 2002:

1) Open Outlook 2002

2) Click onto File

3) Click onto Import & Export

4) Click Import from another program or file

5) Click on .pst file and browse for its path on the desktop(if that is where you copied it to)

...then follow the rest of the directions

[QUOTE] Sound like you really want to be able to view, examine your email files too, and I highly recommend http://www.x1.com/
X1 , check it out, it's magic. Sort of like having Mac Sherlock for specific PC apps, makes finding and managing Outlook email a snap. Indexes very fast too, much faster than Microsofts own search indexing from the Start>Search menu.
_____________

Hi faceonmars, you might like this free prog will search all files on your hard drive for whatever you specify :

http://www.copernic.com/en/products/desktop-search/

it will allows you search within files, e-mails, and email attachments It executes sub-second searching of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, Acrobat PDFs, and all popular music, picture and video formats. can even search your browser history, favorites, and contacts.It is very handy.