An Introduction to Ms-Outlook & Outlook Express Environment

Ms-Outlook used PST Files to store information same as Outlook Express used DBX files to store all information. Before proceeding for DBX and PST files, let me clear out the basic difference between Outlook Express & MS-Outlook. Although these two applications shares a common architectural philosophy but don’t have a common code base. The main differences between these two applications are explained below:-

Functionality: - MS-Outlook is enriched with the features of emails, personal calendars, group scheduling, task, and contact management. While Outlook Express is enriched with features of newsgroup & email only.

Technical Support: - MS-Outlook has full support for voice mail where as this feature is not supported in Outlook Express. Ms-Outlook can be used with Exchange Server, or any other standards-based communication system that supports MAPI while this is not supported in Outlook Express.

May be a question will get arise in your mind!! How can we access our information using these two applications?

In the starting of the article, I have already mention that In Ms-Outlook & Outlook Express, information is stored in form of files named as DBX files (Outlook Express) & PST files(Ms-Outlook). But both files are working in a different ways. Here are all differences:

DBX FILES: - DBX files are Outlook Express Database file used to store email messages, newsgroups, & folders. These files are introduced in Version5 with Outlook Express. Outlook Express has its own file structure with .dbx extension. Outlook express email application has name corresponding to their mailboxes like inbox.dbx, sentitems.dbx, Drafts.dbx, Folders.Dbx .

File Size: - The maximum file size for DBX file is 2 GB. Due to less file size, it may be difficult to send music files, videos, photos etc through the use of this file.

Location of Files:-. Every Application has a default location to save file associated with them. In the same way, Location of DBX File is:

C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{……..}\Microsoft\Outlook Express.

PST FILES: - Microsoft Outlook is a standalone application which provides us the features of storing our emails, calendars, to-do list, notes, and other outlook data in PST File Format. PST is an outlook data file abbreviated as Personal Storage Table.

File Size:-When concept of PST file is introduced, its predefine size was 2 GB .According to the users need, now PST files can save up to 50 GB data easily.

Location of File:- The location of PST file depends on the version of windows used by the user.

Windows 7 & Windows Vista: - drive:\Users\user\App Data\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

Windows XP:-drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft

\Outlook

Conclusion: Above are some basics & necessary points that explain the difference between Ms-Outlook & Outlook Express, which can be very helpful to understand the overall structure of these two Microsoft Email Clients.