How do I back up my email account settings?

[Kasey156]

My computer manufacturer tells me that I need to reset my computer to factory
settings. That means no Outlook 2007 - I added it later.

I have searched and searched and searched and cannot find ANYWHERE the
information about how to back up email account settings. And no, I can't do
it manually - I don't remember all the passwords, etc.!

Should be simple enough - yet no "wizard" for '07, no file location
information - it seems to be a big secret. Am I supposed to pay $49 for some
MS employee to tell me where the information is located?

 

[Tom [Pepper] Willett]

If you don't remember passwords, I would say you have a problem from the get
go.

: My computer manufacturer tells me that I need to reset my computer to
factory
: settings. That means no Outlook 2007 - I added it later.
:
: I have searched and searched and searched and cannot find ANYWHERE the
: information about how to back up email account settings. And no, I can't
do
: it manually - I don't remember all the passwords, etc.!
:
: Should be simple enough - yet no "wizard" for '07, no file location
: information - it seems to be a big secret. Am I supposed to pay $49 for
some
: MS employee to tell me where the information is located?

 

[Kasey156]

Yes, that is true. I have mental health and emotional problems, and the
coping mechanisms that I use in order to compensate and still fulfill my
duties to the two businesses I work for did not include preparing for this
reformat I'm about to do. I just saved the passwords in Outlook, never
stopping to think that I wouldn't be able to back them up or retrieve them.

All that aside, I just spoke with Dell and they are telling me the same
thing - that even programs advertised on the internet as being able to back
up and retrieve "all" account settings will not retrieve passwords that are
saved into Outlook. Other posts have stated that account settings are saved
into the registry, and without a wizard tool and either a great memory or a
hard copy somewhere, I'm on my own.

I was truly hoping that someone had a solution for me, as opposed to a dig.
I'm actually stressed enough on my own - that's not what I needed help with.

BTW, I'm on XPsp2.

 

[Kasey156]

I just found a program - and no, I can't verify that it's "safe" - but the
trial version gives you the first two letters of each password for each
account in each profile for at least 4 different servers in Outlook

It works on all versions, apparently, although I only tested it on my
Outlook 2007. From those two letters, I am sure that I will be able to
remember and recover the passwords. If not, the full passwords are available
for a fee.

Am I concerned about security? Not at this point - because within 48 hours,
the accounts will all be moved and the passwords changed.

 

[Jocelyn Fiorello]

Nope, no way to back them up that I can find. You will need to get the
settings and passwords from your e-mail service providers. There are lots of
free programs available that will store passwords and other information on
your computer, so make note of them this time...hopefully you won't have to
recreate your accounts anytime soon, but if you do, at least you'll have the
information handy.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I just found a program - and no, I can't verify that it's "safe" - but the
trial version gives you the first two letters of each password for each
account in each profile for at least 4 different servers in Outlook

There are freeware password finders as well. Belarc Advisor may be able to
do it. http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html . This on, as well, is
free and claims to be able to recover webmail passwords:
http://wareseeker.com/Utilities/recover-gmail-password-2.0.1.5.zip/363222
There are also shareware ones that may display more information than the one
you've tried. Here's one that may:
http://www.sharewareconnection.com/passcape-outlook-password-recovery.htm.

Here's the Google search I used:
<http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...account++password&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=>

 

[Kasey156]

Thank you so much Brian! I'll see if there's one that will help out - I am
actually only missing one or two now - one for a pst and ... i think two for
email accounts, one yahoo and one or two aol, but the email accounts are my
son's and hence *not* important to ME *smile*.

 

[Eric Lewis]

I tried Belarc Advisor, an older version I already had, and the newest
version. Neither disclosed passwords - that I could see. I also tried
Lavalys Everest, it too does not show passwords. Both show software
validation keys.