How do I import ".pst" files from Outlook 2000into Outlook 2007?

[The Old One]

I am a naive user and am trying to transfer my Outlook 2000 files to Outlook
2007 which I have on a new computer. Every time I try to import a ".pst"
file into Outlook 2007, a window opens telling me I do not have the
permission required to access the file to be imported even though I am logged
on as the Adminstrator. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Alias]

I am a naive user and am trying to transfer my Outlook 2000 files to Outlook
2007 which I have on a new computer. Every time I try to import a ".pst"
file into Outlook 2007, a window opens telling me I do not have the
permission required to access the file to be imported even though I am logged
on as the Adminstrator. What am I doing wrong?

Don't import your .pst file. Open Outlook and use File/Open/Personal
Data File, browse to your saved .pst file, open it and then move what
ever messages, contacts, calendar items you want to your new .pst file.
Your new .pst file, by the way, can become much bigger than the old one.

Alias

 

[Gordon]

I am a naive user and am trying to transfer my Outlook 2000 files to
Outlook
2007 which I have on a new computer. Every time I try to import a ".pst"
file into Outlook 2007, a window opens telling me I do not have the
permission required to access the file to be imported even though I am
logged
on as the Adminstrator. What am I doing wrong?

As posted here usually at least one a day - do NOT use the import/export
function to transfer data from one Outlook to another.
Copy the pst file to your HDD, do NOT overwrite any existing pst file,
remove any read-only attribute (right-click - properties) then in Outlook do
File-Open-Outlook Data Fuile and navigate to where you pit it. Then you can
copy all the data into the new-format pst file that Outlook has already
created.

Why not importing?
(Courtesy of Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook])

Importing an entire PST may well corrupt your profile and may create a ghost
PST that you can't close. Importing PST's will lose:
1. Custom Forms
2. Custom Views
3. Connections between contacts and activities
4. Received dates on mail
5. Birthdays and anniversaries in calendar
6. Journal connections
7. Distribution Lists

Importing will almost certainly break the connection between your Contacts
and the Addressbook view as well, requiring a new Mail Profile if that
happens.

Opening a PST file will preserve all of these. That is why we do not advise
people to import a native file into Outlook.

 

[DL]

You dont Import
With your old pst located in the Documents folder (in explorer ensure that
any read only flag is off)
In Outlook, File>Open>Data File..........browse to this data file
Then within Outlook copy stuff from the old data file to the new

 

[Dancer7]

OK, I'm an idiot for not looking here first. I apologize. I don't know what
made me think this was going to be a straightforward import/export since I'm
now using Vista rather than XP, but -- well, like I said, I'm an idiot.
Soooooo, I exported my Outlook 2003 .pst files from XP to a USB drive and
tried (ouch!) to import them into Outlook 2007 in Vista. Rather than errors
related to administrative privs, however, I'm getting a message that the .pst
file already exists in Outlook 2007 -- but it doesn't. No contacts, no
personal folders, etc. Now what do I do?

I am a naive user and am trying to transfer my Outlook 2000 files to
Outlook
2007 which I have on a new computer. Every time I try to import a ".pst"
file into Outlook 2007, a window opens telling me I do not have the
permission required to access the file to be imported even though I am
logged
on as the Adminstrator. What am I doing wrong?

As posted here usually at least one a day - do NOT use the import/export
function to transfer data from one Outlook to another.
Copy the pst file to your HDD, do NOT overwrite any existing pst file,
remove any read-only attribute (right-click - properties) then in Outlook do
File-Open-Outlook Data Fuile and navigate to where you pit it. Then you can
copy all the data into the new-format pst file that Outlook has already
created.

Why not importing?
(Courtesy of Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook])

Importing an entire PST may well corrupt your profile and may create a ghost
PST that you can't close. Importing PST's will lose:
1. Custom Forms
2. Custom Views
3. Connections between contacts and activities
4. Received dates on mail
5. Birthdays and anniversaries in calendar
6. Journal connections
7. Distribution Lists

Importing will almost certainly break the connection between your Contacts
and the Addressbook view as well, requiring a new Mail Profile if that
happens.

Opening a PST file will preserve all of these. That is why we do not advise
people to import a native file into Outlook.



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Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

OK, I'm an idiot for not looking here first. I apologize. I don't know what
made me think this was going to be a straightforward import/export since I'm
now using Vista rather than XP, but -- well, like I said, I'm an idiot.
Soooooo, I exported my Outlook 2003 .pst files from XP to a USB drive and
tried (ouch!) to import them into Outlook 2007 in Vista. Rather than errors
related to administrative privs, however, I'm getting a message that the
.pst
file already exists in Outlook 2007 -- but it doesn't. No contacts, no
personal folders, etc. Now what do I do?

Importing should not result in that message. Describe the exact steps you
were taking when you received it.

 

[Dancer7]

OK, with Outlook opened, I first tried to import the .pst file from a USB
drive. Message said "This Personal Folders File (.pst) is already in use in
the current profile." I get the same message when I try to open the file
using the "open data file" command. Outlook tells me it's already there (in
use) -- but I can't find it. No personal folders, no contacts, etc. I just
have duplicate personal folders listed since Outlook apparently created
another each time I tried to import the .pst data. They're all empty, but I
can't delete them either.

 

[Dancer7]

I'm feelin' really stupid (which irks me 'cause I'm not a technophobic
moron), but once I browse to the file and click "copy," then what? It doesn't
ask me where I'd like to copy it to, so I assume it's waiting for a "paste"
command -- but that won't work. What am I missing? After I click "copy,"
nothin' happens.

 

[Alias]

I'm feelin' really stupid (which irks me 'cause I'm not a technophobic
moron), but once I browse to the file and click "copy," then what? It doesn't
ask me where I'd like to copy it to, so I assume it's waiting for a "paste"
command -- but that won't work. What am I missing? After I click "copy,"
nothin' happens.

You have to select something to copy first.

Alias

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

OK, with Outlook opened, I first tried to import the .pst file from a USB
drive. Message said "This Personal Folders File (.pst) is already in use in
the current profile." I get the same message when I try to open the file
using the "open data file" command. Outlook tells me it's already there (in
use) -- but I can't find it. No personal folders, no contacts, etc. I just
have duplicate personal folders listed since Outlook apparently created
another each time I tried to import the .pst data. They're all empty, but I
can't delete them either.

If you click File>Data File Management do you see it?

 

[Dancer7]

(Feeling sheepish, sort of ...) Yes, it's there -- along with the three other
ones I tried to import. What do I do next?

 

[Dancer7]

Brian, I saw "Brian Tillman wrote ..." after this message, but there's no
text ...

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Brian, I saw "Brian Tillman wrote ..." after this message, but there's no
text ...

You quoted the text, so it must have been there. You also answered the
question, so you must have seen the text.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

(Feeling sheepish, sort of ...) Yes, it's there -- along with the three
other
ones I tried to import. What do I do next?

Select one you don't want and click Remove. Repeat until only the default
remains.

 

[Dancer7]

Um, I know that. I highlighted the .pst file from Outlook 2003, right-clicked
it, selected "copy," and ... nothin'. I tried to paste it into the new
default file but that didn't work, tried to drag it in and that didn't work
either. May I just say, while I'm trying to follow all the advice here, that
it just shouldn't be this hard?

 

[Gordon]

Um, I know that. I highlighted the .pst file from Outlook 2003,
right-clicked
it, selected "copy," and ... nothin'. I tried to paste it into the new
default file but that didn't work, tried to drag it in and that didn't
work
either.

Right-click the file, choose Copy. Then using Windows Explorer navigate to
your Documents folder. Right-click, choose Paste.
Right-click on the pst file you have just pasted, choose Properties and
ensure that the Read-Only attribute is unchecked.
Then in Outlook do File-Open-Outlook Data File and navigate to your
Documents folder.
It really IS as easy as that.

BTW for future info - NEVER EVER paste a pst file into the default location
UNLESS it is of a different name to the one already existing.

 

[Dancer7]

Gordon, thanks so much -- for being nonjudgmental as much as for the advice.
Some of the responses here border on the abusive I followed your
instructions to the letter: right click, copy, paste into documents folder,
make sure "read only" isn't checked, open Outlook, file, open outlook data
file, navigate to documents folder, select file, and open. "There are no
items in this view." I cruised some other help groups last night and it's
possible I corrupted the file when I copied it to the USB drive. Actually I
can't remember whether I copied or exported it, but in either case, I may
have killed it. I was able to restore my contacts and calendar entries by
synching my Blackberry The only thing that remains lost now are my
folders. I suppose that's a small thing. Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Gordon]

Gordon, thanks so much -- for being nonjudgmental as much as for the
advice.
Some of the responses here border on the abusive I followed your
instructions to the letter: right click, copy, paste into documents
folder,
make sure "read only" isn't checked, open Outlook, file, open outlook data
file, navigate to documents folder, select file, and open. "There are no
items in this view." I cruised some other help groups last night and it's
possible I corrupted the file when I copied it to the USB drive. Actually
I
can't remember whether I copied or exported it, but in either case, I may
have killed it. I was able to restore my contacts and calendar entries by
synching my Blackberry The only thing that remains lost now are my
folders. I suppose that's a small thing. Thanks so much for your help.

Sorry it didn't work - see here for info on how to backup and restore
Outlook data for future reference:

How to backup and restore Outlook
http://www.howto-outlook.com:80/howto/backupandrestore.htm