Error "not a personal folder file" when trying to import pst file

[Becky Chandler]

Dell made a back up of our emails because we had to reinstall the operating
system. This is with MS Outlook 2007 wih Business Contact Manager and I have
Windows Vista. I am using the procedure to try to import this back into
outlook and it says "it's not a personal folder file". I don't know if the
folder is corrupted but what should we do? Run the Inbox Repair tool? This
was saved by the Dell technician so it should not be a corrupted pst file.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

First, you never transfer Outlook data by importing it.
You open the data file. File > Open > Outlook data file.
If you cannot open it, then indeed Dell did not create a valid file. I would
not have the confidence that you do that a Dell technician knows how to
create a valid Outlook data file. If it was created by exporting, for
example, it is very likely not a valid file.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

In addition to Russ' remark; where are you restoring from?
If from CD/DVD or any other read only medium, you'll have to transfer the
pst-file to your hard disk and remove the Read Only file attribute.

See http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm