A Checklist for Backing Up MS Office 97 or 2000 Files

Prior to reformatting your hard drive, you can use this checklist to back up Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, and Internet Explorer

The following is a list of files to back up only Microsoft Office core programsÆ data and settings files. Other programs are not included. FrontPage and PhotoDraw files are not included, though these programs may be included with your Microsoft Office installation. The instructions do NOT tell you where to place them when your PC has been restored; this is up to you to determine.

If you are comfortable, you may want to sort through the templates to ensure that you only get those templates that you created and not the templates that come with the program. Of course, the easiest way to sort them would be by the modified date.

Word files:
Documents: *.doc
Templates: *.dot (particularly normal.dot, which stores certain settings)
Excel files:
Workbooks: *.xls
Templates: *.xlt
Toolbar: *.xlb
PowerPoint files:
Presentations: *.ppt
Shows: *.pps
Templates: *.pot
Access:
Databases: *.mdb
Other files: *.mde, *.mda
Miscellaneous:
AutoCorrect entries: *.acl
Dictionaries: *.dic
DonÆt forget files that may be linked to any of the above files that you have created, such as clipart, movies, sound files
Outlook
Personal folders: *.pst
Internet account files: *.iaf
Outlook Bar Shortcuts: *.fav
Internet Explorer
Favorites: Copy the C:\windows\favorites folder

The files for Outlook Express vary by version. I suggest you go to Technet: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/support/searchkb.asp and use ôback upö as the keywords.

If anyone can add to the list, particularly for Front Page and/or Photodraw, please let me know immediately!