Problems importing Outlook backup files to a new computer

[Guest]

I'm using Office 2003, which I've successfully loaded onto my new PC. (It's
running Vista Business, whereas I had XP on the old one -- if that's
relevant.) In Outlook, when I try to import the .pst files I'd backed-up and
copied to the folder in Application Data/Microsoft/Outlook, a few old emails
in my archive files are imported, but nothing else: no other emails, nor the
calendar, contacts and tasks. It's a big .pst file 1.2GB. I've installed all
possible updates. I need Outlook in order to work, so this is driving me
bonkers and any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks for your
time.

 

[DL]

Importing is not the correct way to deal with a native OL data file
Within OL, File>Open>Data File ......open your 'old' data file

 

[Guest]

Thanks for getting back to me. However, I've tried opening the old data file
by choosing Outlook from the list of programmes, but when I do that, I get a
message saying the operation has failed.

 

[DL]

You have to open within OL and not via explorer
ie start OL then open, from OL

 

[Guest]

I've tried doing that, and I get a message that reads: 'An error has occurred
in the script on this page. Line 298. Char. 1. Error Access is denied. Code 0
URL; outlook://Personal%20Folders/' It then asks if I want to continue
running scripts on this page, and whether I answer yes or no makes no
difference. I hope this makes sense to you. Thanks for your help.

 

[Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]]

See if this helps:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx
Reconnect your old Outlook data file

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Still Cadillacin' - www.badnewsbluesband.com

 

[DL]

In edition to Hal's post;

Your OL is running ok with no problems, yes
When you go to File>Open>Data File.....browse to, select your old data file,
this is when you get the error, yes?

That being so, close OL, locate scanpst.exe, open it and run it against your
old OL data file. If it reports errors, that it fixes, run it again.
Next select the mail applet in the control panel, add a data file and select
your old data file. Close the mail applet.
Open OL, it opens without errs? your old data file should be attached and
you should be able to browse old data. Is this so?

 

[Guest]

Many thanks to both of you for trying to help me but, sadly, things have gone
from bad to worse and I am now unable to run Outlook at all.

First of all, I got the dreaded 'MAPI32.DLL error' message. I looked that up
in other discussion groups and I've tried diligently working my way through
the various solutions. Viz, I renamed the file with the 'OLD' extension:
nada; I tried running fixmapi.exe: niente. I've tried uninstalling and
reinstalling and rebooting and restoring my laptop so many times, my fingers
are beginning to bleed....

And, by the way, when I click on the mail applet in control panel, I get a
message saying 'You need more memory or system resources...' which is clearly
ridiculous and, when I do close the one window currently open, nothing
happens.

Should this be relevant, I'm using a ThinkPad T61 with Windows Vista and a
60-day trial version of Office 2007 pre-installed. I suspect, having read
numerous other posts concerning variations on my Outlook nightmare, that my
problems began when I installed Outlook 2003 before removing the trial 2007.
However, there was a time when I could get Outlook to run successfully, so
I'm not entirely sure why the above MAPI32 related problems have arisen. I'd
prefer not to restore the laptop to factory settings, but perhaps that's the
only option.

I look forward to hearing your solutions.

 

[DL]

Failing to uninstall the trial, first, may well be the root cause of your
issues.
Do you have a vista cd, with which you can run the Vista equivelent of sytem
file checker? - I dont use Vista so I assume such exists

 

[Guest]

I gave up and I'm now in the middle of a restore-to-factory-settings
adventure. After which I'll uninstall OL 2007 before installing 2003, and
then follow all the advice you and Hal have kindly given me. Fingers
crossed....

Sorry to be so pc-illiterate, but what is a system file checker? And, no I
don't have the CD, I'm using the system restore thingy within the Lenovo
system.

 

[DL]

System file checker existed in win2k and winxp, you ran it and if it found
corrupt or missing system files they were restored from the win cd.
Thats it 'loosley'

 

[Guest]

Ok, I've now reinstalled Outlook 2003, and followed the instructions in the
'Reconnect your old data' page. Naturally, OL wouldn't open my backup file
when I selected it. So, next I ran scanpst.exe twice, as directed. And now
I've reached the wall that is the mail applet in Control Panel.

In 'Mail Setup Outlook', I click on Data Files which, allegedly, will allow
me to change settings for the files OL uses to store email messages. I get
through to two files, the default OL pst, and my backup pst. However, next to
the default pst it reads 'Mail delivery l...' (I can't see any further) which
is what, I presume, I want to transfer to my backup file. But I can't do
that. I've opened the folders and looked at the settings, but nothing (here)
appears to allow me to, as promised, change the mail delivery settings.

This is getting very exhausting!

 

[DL]

'Mail delivery....' means this is your data file that is set as default for
your mail delivery/receive store
It further means that you 'backup' data file is attached to OL

Open OL, expand the Folders View, you should have two Personal Folders, one
of which will be your origonal 'backup data file'

 

[Guest]

Yippee! It's working! I don't believe it. Thank you so much for your help. I
can't tell you what a relief it is. Thank you thank you thank you....

 

[DL]

youre welcome

Yippee! It's working! I don't believe it. Thank you so much for your help.
I
can't tell you what a relief it is. Thank you thank you thank you....