| Microsoft Outlook is an email client (Mail User Agent | | | | may never know when the outlook files (or any |
| to some) which I'm sure you know what it does. If | | | | other important files for that matter) gets |
| not, let me try to explain it as simply as possible. | | | | accidentally deleted, formatted or corrupted. |
| Email clients are programs or application's which | | | | Computer Maintenance |
| retrieves emails from the web server and downloads | | | | Although this should already part of your routine, it |
| it onto your desktop. | | | | bears reminding again. You should maintain your |
| Now with that out of the way, did you know that | | | | system by defragmenting, running scandsk and so on. |
| you can lose your mails because of your email client? | | | | This is basic maintenance for your computer as it can |
| This is a big deal as email is now a large part of | | | | help prevent file system problems. It also enables |
| communication both in the corporate world and the | | | | your system to run smoothly and prevent system |
| private/home user. | | | | slowdown. |
| How can you lose your emails? | | | | Here is a slew of other maintenance tips for you to |
| When you use email clients, you risk losing your email | | | | look into |
| just like any other data on your desktop. Here is a | | | | Outlook housekeeping |
| list: | | | | Yes, even in outlook, you need to do some basic |
| - - Virus attack | | | | maintenance. This is done to prevent your .PST file |
| - - Corrupted partitions/volumes | | | | from getting corrupted. |
| - - Deletion/Format | | | | Before outlook 2003 (and in earlier versions of |
| - - Hard Disk Crash | | | | outlook 2003), the .PST file limit was set at 2GB. If |
| - - Theft/natural disaster | | | | the .PST file size exceeded this limit, it would be very |
| In Microsoft Outlook versions 2003, 2002, 98 and 97, | | | | difficult, if at all possible, to retrieve any data from |
| once Outlook's PST file size goes above 2gb, your | | | | the .PST file as it would get corrupted. |
| emails, or rather, the PST file, gets corrupted. | | | | When you are doing housekeeping, you are trying to |
| - - PST corruption | | | | keep this limit down and at the same time, helps in |
| Installation of anti-virus/anti-spyware | | | | organising you mails so that they are easier to |
| Prevention of viruses, spyware and basically all | | | | retrieve when you need to read them again. |
| malware is important as they cause your system and | | | | How do you do that? Simple. |
| programs to become sluggish, unstable and perform | | | | Delete all the old mails that you do not need, and |
| undesirable operations. | | | | remember to empty the trash. Categorise all your |
| And since when you use Microsoft outlook, your | | | | mails accordingly. For example, all your work folders |
| emails will get affected as the mails on the server | | | | should be in a separate folder from you personal |
| gets downloaded onto your computer. | | | | emails and so on. |
| - - Install anti-virus/anti-spyware and update | | | | Create a NEW pst file |
| frequently | | | | Another way to keep control of your PST file size is |
| Anti-virus/anti-spyware is available widely and should | | | | to create another .PST file. Of course, don't create a |
| often be updated for the latest updates and patches. | | | | new .PST file for the sake of creating one. |
| Use it to scan you computer, and to scan ALL emails | | | | Have separate .PST files for business and personal |
| if they contain attachments. | | | | mails. To create this a new .PST file, simply open |
| Never download anything directly to your computer | | | | outlook and follow these steps: |
| unless you are certain of the reliability and credibility | | | | - 1.Go to File menu, to New, and then click Outlook |
| of its source. | | | | Data File |
| For a detailed view of how to remove viruses, refer | | | | - 2. In the next window, you should see two options. |
| to this article on removing viruses | | | | Simply choose Office Outlook Personal Folders file. In |
| Backup | | | | Outlook 2003, there is an option to increase |
| The most reliable way to prevent the loss of your | | | | compatibility with older outlook versions, choose the |
| Outlook emails is to backup your PST file. To do this, | | | | Outlook 97-2002 Personal Folders File option. Click Ok |
| simply copy your PST to another storage media | | | | - 3. Then choose an appropriate location to save |
| (such as your thumb drive) or another drive on the | | | | your new .PST in. Choose a location, and the type in |
| same computer. | | | | the filename of your new .PST file. |
| The PST file can be found by simply opening the | | | | And there you have it. A new .PST file, all ready for |
| search function (go to start menu and you can find | | | | use. |
| the search function there) and copy and paste this | | | | In actual fact, prevention of lost Outlook mails is not |
| term into the search box " .pst " without the double | | | | hard. However, you need to be constantly maintaining |
| quotes. | | | | your system and backing up your mails which take |
| Wait for the search finish. The default .pst file name | | | | up precious time. It is a necessary step to take to |
| is outlook.pst. Then just copy and paste the .pst file | | | | prevent you from losing all your precious emails. |
| onto your backup media. Backup frequently, as you | | | | |