Ways for an efficient PST file management in Outlook:

PST files are the backbone of Outlook. All Outlook mailbox data is stored in PST files. So, for proper functioning of Outlook mail client, PST management becomes a necessity.
If Outlook is connected with Exchange, in that case OST files are stored on local system and EDB files reside on Exchange server. OST files are exact replica of all outlook mailbox data that is stored on Exchange server in EDB files.
In this article I am discussing some ways to deal and manage Outlook PST files.

You may require the Backup PST files if:

• You need to restore your data in case of PST corruption, data loss or some other reason
• You need to move your Outlook data i.e. transfer data from one computer to another computer or transfer data from one hard disk drive to another hard disk drive.

Follow the given steps to backup a PST file:
1. Exit Outlook application.
2. Click Start> Run. Then run the command “control panel” to open Control Panel
3. Now, choose User Accounts  from Pick a category screen
4. Double-click the Mail icon then, Click Show Profiles.
5. From the listed profiles select your profile, and then click Properties.
6. Click Data Files.
7. Go to Name section. Here you will find your Personal Folders Service (by default it is named as Personal Folders), Select it. Click Settings, and then note the path and file name that appears.

Note: If you don't find any Personal Folders Service then, it means that you haven’t yet enabled the Personal Folders, in such case you need to create a pst file.
It might be possible that you have multiple Personal Folders Service in your profile; in that case you will have to backup each pst file separately.

8. Close all open windows.
9. Now, copy the Personal Folders (noted in step 7) to your desired location or any storage device.

The above steps will create a copy of your whole PST file data. If you like to backup only selected or desired folders form mailbox data stored PST file then, you can export the desired items to a new PST files and omitting the others that are not required.

Follow the given steps to export data from a PST file:

• Go to File > Outlook Options then, click Advanced.
• Click Export to open the Import and Export Wizard.
• Click Export to a file option.
• Click Next.
• Select Outlook Data File (.pst).
• Click Next.
• Select your desired folder/folders that are to be exported to new pst file.
• Click Next.
• After selecting the folders to be exported, click Browse to choose a location where the new PST file is to be saved.
• Type a desired name for your new pst file in the File Name box.
• Click OK.
• Click Finish.

Note: The above steps are for Outlook version 2010.

For earlier versions of Outlook, follow the given steps:

1. Open Outlook application.
2. Go to File > Import and Export.
3. Select the option Export to a file.
4. Click Next.
5. Select Personal Folder File (.pst).
6. Click Next.
7. Select the desired folder which is to be exported to new PST file.
8. Click Next.
9. Now, Click Browse to select the location for saving the new .pst file.
10.  Type a desired name for the new file in the File Name box.
11. Click OK.
12. Click Finish.

Using the above steps you can backup your PST file data. In case the PST file gets corrupt or data is lost due to some reason then, you can restore the Outlook mailbox data from the backup PST file.

Follow the given steps to import PST file into Outlook 2010:
1. Go to File >Open then, click Import.
2. Select the option Import from another program or file from the Import and Export Wizard.
3. Click Next.
4. Click Outlook Data File (.pst)
5. Click Next.
6. Browse the desired file that is be imported into outlook
If you remember the exact path of the pst file then, you can also type the path and the name of the .pst file instead of using Browse.
7. Click Next.
8. Select the folder that you want to import or select the top of the hierarchy if you want to import everything in the .pst file. However you can also make a selection by checking the items to be imported and un checking those which are to be omitted
9. Click Finish.

Note: If you want to import a PST file that is stored on a removable device then, don’t forget to clear the Read-Only attribute while copying the PST file to your system hard drive.

To import pst file data into earlier Outlook versions, follow the given steps:
1. Open Outlook application.
2. Go to File > Import and Export.
3. Select the Import from another program or file option.
4. Click Next.
5. Select Personal Folder File (.pst)
6. Click Next.
7. Browse the pst file that you want to import or Type its path and name and then click Next.
8. Select the folder that you want to import or select the top of the hierarchy if you want to import everything in the .pst file.
9. Click Finish.

These steps will import the selected PST file data into Outlook. Now, you can access it in Outlook and continue to work with it.

While creating backup of Outlook PST file, Outlook Address Book or contact list may not contain your all e-mail addresses and contact information. So, if you want to backup all your e-mail addresses and contact information then, make sure that you include the Personal Address Book in your backup process that is stored with a .pab extension on your hard disk drive.

If we talk about the need for creating additional or backup pst files then, the very first thing that comes in mind is PST file corruption. If the PST files get corrupt then, you can not access your valuable mailbox data stored within it. In such case you can restore the Outlook mailbox data from the backup PST file.

But if you don’t have any back up PST file then, you will require some PST repair method to extract and access data from the corrupt PST file. Microsoft provides a PST repair utility ScanPST.exe that is available free of cost. With the help of ScanPST.exe, you can easily repair the corrupt PST if the corruption level is minor. But this utility has some limitations and fails to recover the corrupt PST file data if corruption level is major and in several other cases too. In such case you have to search some alterative PST recovery solution to efficiently repair the corrupt PST file data.