having trouble importing a saved pst file into Outlook 2002

[Citycooke]

I operate XP and have installed Office Small Business 2002 (Outlook 2002). I
had this previously installed on my PC, and reinstalled it all after a crash.
Before i reinstalled everything, i made a copy of my entire Outlook database
into my PC, and then copied it onto a mass storage device. The .pst file
size is about 450k. I then copied this file back to the hard driver prior to
reinstall. I have tried reinstalling this file into the newly installed
Outlook 2002, initially it wouldn't allow me to with an error message, then
after running the .pst file repair, it would install but no data was found.
The file size remains at 450k but Outlook hasn't installed my previous files.

 

[DL]

A 450k data file contains no data, it would seem that you failed to either
copy the correct pst, or that your method of copying was at fault

 

[Citycooke]

Sorry for this, the file size is - 451 MB (473,490,432 bytes). Will this
contain the data? Many thanks

 

[Gordon]

Sorry for this, the file size is - 451 MB (473,490,432 bytes). Will this
contain the data? Many thanks

Sounds about right.


And how are you "re-installing" the file?

 

[Citycooke]

I have tried several ways, following the microsoft web site information;

Way 1: Open Outlook, got to File, Open, Outlook Data File, then find the
backup file on my C: drive. This option installs 'Recovered Personal
Folders' in the Outlook Folder List, but the only file within this is the
Deleted Items icon. Needless to say there's nothing in either file.

Way 2: Import the file using the Import/Export route in Outlook. Foloowed
all the way through, identify folder, nothing is imported.

Way 3: I have run the file repair programme (can't remember the name of it)
that is located on the system, this identied two issues and resolved them,
but still no data i'm afraid.

What should i do now?

 

[Gordon]

I have tried several ways, following the microsoft web site information;

Way 1: Open Outlook, got to File, Open, Outlook Data File, then find the
backup file on my C: drive. This option installs 'Recovered Personal
Folders' in the Outlook Folder List, but the only file within this is the
Deleted Items icon. Needless to say there's nothing in either file.

Way 2: Import the file using the Import/Export route in Outlook. Foloowed
all the way through, identify folder, nothing is imported.

Way 3: I have run the file repair programme (can't remember the name of it)
that is located on the system, this identied two issues and resolved them,
but still no data i'm afraid.

Copy the pst file to your Documents folder. Right-click on it, choose
Properties and check that the Read Only attribute is off.
Open Outlook.
Do File-Open-Outlook Data File and navigate to where you put it.
Then you can either copy the data to the existing pst file, or set the
old file as the default.

This is posted in all the Outlook groups on an almost daily basis....

 

[Citycooke]

Please stay with me on this Gordon!!
OK, done as you asked, but still no data installing. I do get the
'Recovered Personal Data' and the 'Deleted' icons appear in the Outlook tool
bar on the left, but nothing is in either of them.

 

[Gordon]

Please stay with me on this Gordon!!
OK, done as you asked, but still no data installing. I do get the
'Recovered Personal Data' and the 'Deleted' icons appear in the Outlook tool
bar on the left, but nothing is in either of them.

Two possibilities. One, you have corrupted the Outlook Mail profile with
all the restorations, imports etc etc. Create a new profile by doing
Control Panel-Mail-Show Profiles-Add. Open Outlook using that profile
and open the pst file in that.
BTW if you are getting a "Recovered Personal Data" icon in the Outlook
Folder pane then you are doing something wrong.

If that still doesn't show any data then the second thing that could
have happened is that the pst file has become corrupted. With Outlook
closed, run scanpst on the pst file. (Not sure of the location in Office
2002 but it should be something like %Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office10\. Do this multiple times if necessary until no faults
are reported. Then try opening the file again.

HTH and good luck!

 

[Citycooke]

Thank you Gordon; still not joy completed both tasks.

The Inbox Repair Tool reported no errors, says that 4 folders were found,
items found in this file 0.

Can i send the file through for you/someone to analyse?

Thank you

 

[Gordon]

Thank you Gordon; still not joy completed both tasks.

The Inbox Repair Tool reported no errors, says that 4 folders were found,
items found in this file 0.

And you are ABSOLUTELY sure that it is 400+ MEGABytes in size?
It sounds to me as though the file contains no data....

 

[Citycooke]

Yes i am 100% sure, the file size is more than 400+ megabites.

 

[Gordon]

Yes i am 100% sure, the file size is more than 400+ megabites.

Sorry to go back on this, but how did you make the copy or backup of the pst
file in the first place?

 

[Citycooke]

no problem, thank you assisting;
OK, from Outlook, File, Import/Export, Export to a File, Personal File
Folder (.pst), then select the folders i wanted to back up, (included
Contacts, Inbox (including sub folders)), then selected the C. drive as the
file save location. I remember it taking about 30-minutes or so to complete,
which i thought was slow, however my system had been running very slow for a
while and hence the reason i decided a complete re-install would be the best
thing to do.

 

[Gordon]

no problem, thank you assisting;
OK, from Outlook, File, Import/Export, Export to a File, Personal File
Folder (.pst), then select the folders i wanted to back up, (included
Contacts, Inbox (including sub folders)), then selected the C. drive as
the
file save location.

That process is not designed for moving Outlook data from one Outlook to
another. I would hazard a guess that in doing that you may well have
irretrievably corrupted the pst file.
Do you still have access to the old machine or HDD with your data on? If so
just COPY the pst file (with Outlook closed) and then on the new machine do
File-Open-Outlook Data File.
If you don't have access, then you may have to resort to a professional
recovery service which will be EXPENSIVE. (Depends on how much your data is
worth to you....)
For future info:

How to backup and restore Outlook

http://www.howto-outlook.com:80/howto/backupandrestore.htm

 

[Citycooke]

thank for your all your assistance. I have completely reinstalled my system,
therefore i haven't got access to the orignal .pst file. All i have is the
copy that i made. Again i do thank you for your time and expertise.
DC

 

[Gordon]

thank for your all your assistance. I have completely reinstalled my
system,
therefore i haven't got access to the orignal .pst file. All i have is
the
copy that i made. Again i do thank you for your time and expertise.
DC

Sorry I can't be of more assistance.....