How do I restore an OST file to a different profile?

[Big Daddy]

I am away from our office for an extended period of time. We use
Exchange, but I have my Outlook 2003 client configured to save a copy
of my email offline in an OST file. So where I am, I am using Outlook
exclusively offline with no connection to the server. But my login
profile for Windows 2000 (my OS) got messed up (long story), and I
created a new login profile for myself. So I log into Windows 2000
with a different user name than I used to. My old OST file is in a
directory called this:

C:\Documents and Settings\old_user_name\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft

I have copied the OST file to the new location for my new profile:

C:\Documents and Settings\new_user_name\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft

But when I start Outlook, I can't get it to import/restore data from
this OST file. I also have a PST file and have been able to
import/restore that one just fine by connecting to the PST.

Any ideas?

thanks,
John

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

The .ost file is tied to a secure ID that is Windows dependent. When you changed your logon profile, you broke that connection. The .ost file, is as they say, toast.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Big Daddy asked:

| I am away from our office for an extended period of time. We use
| Exchange, but I have my Outlook 2003 client configured to save a copy
| of my email offline in an OST file. So where I am, I am using Outlook
| exclusively offline with no connection to the server. But my login
| profile for Windows 2000 (my OS) got messed up (long story), and I
| created a new login profile for myself. So I log into Windows 2000
| with a different user name than I used to. My old OST file is in a
| directory called this:
|
| C:\Documents and Settings\old_user_name\Local Settings\Application
| Data\Microsoft
|
| I have copied the OST file to the new location for my new profile:
|
| C:\Documents and Settings\new_user_name\Local Settings\Application
| Data\Microsoft
|
| But when I start Outlook, I can't get it to import/restore data from
| this OST file. I also have a PST file and have been able to
| import/restore that one just fine by connecting to the PST.
|
| Any ideas?
|
| thanks,
| John

 

[Big Daddy]

So there's no way to get to it even if I know the user name and
password of the old profile?
thanks,
John

 

[Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]]

There's no way to get to it unless you want to spend money:

http://www.thomasitsolutions.com/ostconversion.html
Microsoft Exchange .OST File Recovery
http://officerecovery.com/exchange/
Recovery for Exchange

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

So there's no way to get to it even if I know the user name and
password of the old profile?
thanks,
John

you changed your logon profile, you broke that connection. The .ost file,
is as they say, toast.