Opening Outlook PST file

[Paul1912]

Please help. I am trying to copy my work PST files to my home computer and am
not having much luck. I have several issues:
1. When I try to open the PST file by double clicking it, it gives me an
error message "Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. The Command line argument is
not valid. Verify the switch you are using."
2. When I go to outlook and try to open the data file, it does not see the
file as a valid PST file - even though it is (as I copied it from my work
computer).
3. When I try to open another work PST file in outlook I get a different
message "File access is denied. You do not have the permission to access the
file"

Any light you can shed on my issue would be extremely appreciated!

 

[Brian Tillman]

Please help. I am trying to copy my work PST files to my home
computer and am not having much luck. I have several issues:
1. When I try to open the PST file by double clicking it, it gives me
an error message "Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. The Command line
argument is not valid. Verify the switch you are using."

You can't open a PST by double-clicking it from Windows Explorer.

2. When I go to outlook and try to open the data file, it does not
see the file as a valid PST file - even though it is (as I copied it
from my work computer).

How you copied it is very important. Please describe the exact process.

3. When I try to open another work PST file in outlook I get a
different message "File access is denied. You do not have the
permission to access the file"

You must copy the PST to the hard drive, remove the read-only attribute
(right click it in Windows Explorer, choose Properties, and uncheck the
"read-only" checkbox), then open it in Outlook with FIle>Open>Outlook Data
File. Do NOT overwrite any PST of the same name when you place it on the
harcd drive.

Any light you can shed on my issue would be extremely appreciated!

Keep in mind as well, that ANYTHING in that PST belongs to your company, NOT
to you. What you are doing may be illegal. Check with the company's
attorney for clarification on whether or not you are allowed to take that
data home.

 

[Paul1912]

Thanks for the quick repsponse Brian.

I saved the PST file to my hard disk, and backed it up to DVD using the Nero
Suite. I subsequently restored it onto my home machine ensuring the same
filename is used.

The file has the Read-only option unchecked.

Any thoughts as to why I am unable to open it?

Thanks

Paul

 

[Brian Tillman]

I saved the PST file to my hard disk, and backed it up to DVD using
the Nero Suite.

The PST was already on the source PC's hard drive. Why did you "save" it
again? How did you save it? When you burned it to the DVD, was Outlook
closed?

I subsequently restored it onto my home machine
ensuring the same filename is used.

As long as you did not overwrite any PST of the same name, you should be OK,
but what do you mean by "restored"? Describe the process exactly.

The file has the Read-only option unchecked.

And you put it on the hard drive before trying to open it, correct?

Any thoughts as to why I am unable to open it?

If the message says you don't have permission, then either the file is still
read-only or its ownership/security settings are incorrect for its new
location. If it's a different message, like "not a valid PST", then the
process you used to transfer the PST has damaged it and you will need to
retransfer the file. All you need to do is, while Outlook is closed, copy
the ORIGINAL PST being used by Outlook on your PC at work to the transfer
medium, take that meium home, copy the PST on it to some folder OTHER THAN
the default folder Outlook would use, make sure it's not read-only, then
start Outlook and open it there with FIle>Open>Outlook Data File.