Outlook Add-in: Personal Folders Backup December 10, 2009
Posted by computertrainer in Outlook Tips.Tags: Outlook backup
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I have struggled with ways to help you find the components of Outlook to copy them for backup and finally decided the easiest of all ways is to use a tool – the Personal Folders Backup download.
This tool creates backup copies of your .PST files at regular intervals, in Outlook 2000 and later versions, making it easy to keep all of your Outlook folders safely backed up. Remember, it does no good to create a backup on the same hard drive as the original files. You’ll want to get an external hard drive to be the location for all backups.
Go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=8B081F3A-B7D0-4B16-B8AF-5A6322F4FD01&displaylang=en to download this tool.
If your Outlook is on an Exchange Server, then the IT group will be performing backups for you.
If you have questions, please contact me.
Back Up Internet Favorites and Bookmarks December 1, 2009
Posted by computertrainer in Internet, Windows.Tags: back up Favorites, internet bookmarks, internet favorites
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I have bookmarked some great websites and do not want to lose the easy access to these site if something should happen to my computer … so I back up the Favorites folder(s) when I back up My Documents and other important files/folders.
But, where are the Favorites stored on your computer? It depends on the version of Windows you use. Below I have listed your options.
To find where your Favorites are stored using Windows 2000 and XP, double-click My Computer, double-click the C: Drive, double-click Documents and Settings, double-click on your username folder. You should then see your Favorites folder.
- Windows 2000 and XP: C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Favorites
If you use Windows Vista, click the Start button, click the name of your computer, under Folders, you should see Favorites.
- Windows Vista: C:\Users\User Name\Favorites
Finally, if you are still using older versions of Windows, the folder is in your Windows folder.
- Windows 98 and Windows Millennium: C:\Windows\Favorites
Back up the Template Folder November 23, 2009
Posted by computertrainer in Windows, Word Tips.Tags: Backup Templates, Template folder
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If you create any templates (with the .dot, dotx, .xlt, xltx, .ppt, pptx extensions), they are automatically saved outside of the My Documents structure.
Since Windows 2000 came out, the path to the Templates folder is hidden so the first step is to unhide the folder so you can back it up.
- Open either My Computer or My Documents (in Vista it is Computer or Documents)
- Click on Tools on the Menu Bar
- Click on Folder Options …
- Click on the View tab
- Click on the Show hidden files and folders radio button
- Click OK
In Windows Vista, the default path to the Templates folder is:
C:\User\User’s name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates
In Windows XP, the default path to the Template folder is:
C:\Documents and Settings\User’s name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
In Windows 2000, the default path to the Templates folder is:
C:\Documents and Settings\User’s name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
In Word, you can also find the location by using Word’s tools:
In Windows 2000 or Windows XP:
Click the Tools menu, Options, File Locations tab. Double-click the location that reads User Templates.
In Windows Vista:
Click the Office Button, Word Options, Advanced Group on left, then General Group on right, File Locations box. Double-click the location that reads User Templates.
What do you Back Up? Or do you? November 16, 2009
Posted by computertrainer in Windows.Tags: Back up, copy files
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Do you routinely create a back-up copy of files on your PC? What files are on your PC that you just cannot lose?
If you work in a business and store your files on a network drive, then your IT Department will be backing up the network files for you. Even then, you will have files on your C:\ drive that are not being backed up.
Below is a list of some of the files you should be thinking about … and then create a back-up plan so IF something happens to your PC, then you do not lose all these files.
- My Documents (Documents in Windows Vista)
- My Pictures (Pictures in Windows Vista)
- Templates
- Fonts (that you have downloaded)
- Drivers, updates and patches for software/hardware/applications
- XLStart (for Excel)
- Outlook.pst or Outlook Express’s WAB file
- E-mail addresses, folders, categories, even e-mails
- Outlook signatures
- Outlook rules
- Outlook archives
- Custom dictionary
- Music files you purchased and downloaded from the Internet
- Videos – may be “back up” copies or uploaded video camera footage you just don’t want to lose
- Health records
- Bank and financial records (may be in Quicken or QuickBooks)
- Software you purchased and downloaded from the Internet (you don’t have the CD)
- Internet Favorites
- Internet connection information – ISP phone number if using a modem
Over the next weeks, I’ll let you know where come of the files might be on your computer so you can copy them to a location away from “My Computer”.
Have I forgotten anything? Let me know.
Safely Delete a Worksheet in Excel November 12, 2009
Posted by computertrainer in Excel Tips.Tags: delete worksheet, Excel
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If you would like to delete a worksheet in Excel, you should first be sure that the worksheet is empty or does not contain any data that you want to save!
NOTE: There is NO UNDO for the deletion of a sheet.
To test for an empty worksheet:
- Click in cell A1 on the worksheet
- Press Ctrl + End
If you are still in A1, then the sheet is empty.
If you are in any cell other than A1, then there is or has been data in the sheet.
If you cannot see the data, then use the method described in the post “Safely Delete a Column or Row in Excel” (posted on 11/12/09) to find the data and then determine if it is okay to delete the sheet.
Read “Permanently Remove Empty Rows/Columns at the End of an Excel Spreadsheet” (posted on 7/28/09) if you don’t find any data and want to understand what has happened.
To delete the worksheet:
- Right-mouse click on the sheet tab
- Select Delete
Safely Delete a Column or Row in Excel November 12, 2009
Posted by computertrainer in Excel Tips.Tags: delete column, delete row, Excel
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Before you delete either a column or row in Excel you should be certain that it is empty. Just because you don’t see data on your screen does not mean that there is something in the column or row elsewhere in the worksheet.
To test to see if the column is empty:
- Click in row 1 of the column you want to delete
- Press Ctrl + Down Arrow
If you arrive at the bottom of the sheet (row 65,536 in Excel 2000-2003 or row 1,048,576 in Excel 2007), then the column is empty
Ctrl + Up Arrow will take you to row 1 in an empty column
To test to see if a row is empty:
- Click in column A of the row you want to delete
- Press Ctrl + the Right Arrow
If you arrive at column IV in Excel 2000-2003 or Row XFD in Excel 2007, then the row is empty
Ctrl + Left Arrow will take you to column A in an empty row
After testing and finding the column or row is empty, then it is safe to remove the column or row. The easiest method to delete the column/row is to Right-mouse click on the Column Letter or Row Number and then select Delete.
Add a Comment in a Cell’s Formula October 26, 2009
Posted by computertrainer in Excel Tips.Tags: comment, Excel
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If you want to add a comment to a cell with a formula but do not want the traditional Comment (see Add a Comment to a Cell posted on 10/22/09), then follow these steps to add the comment at the end of your formula.
You will not be able to see that there is a comment to the formula unless you click the cell that the formula is in. You’ll see the comment on the Formula Bar.