To manually create a backup of Outlook data...

* These steps work in "real" Outlook (yellow icon, part of the Office suite)
and not Outlook Express (white icon, a simple e-mail program included in Windows XP)

- Open Outlook
- File > Import and Export
- Pick "Export to a file" > Next
- Pick "Personal Folder File (.pst)" > Next
- Select the very top of your mailbox tree, then check the box "Include subfolders" > Next
- Browse... to select a location for the file; If you have a mapped network drive, 
   removable disk, or USB memory stick, this is a good place to save the file.
   Give it a name that includes today's date and/or your username for future reference.
- Click Finish, wait for Outlook to perform the export
   (this may take several minutes depending on the size of your mailbox)