How PST files work

[Guest]

I am running outlook 2003 and am working on a new installation. Somehow I
have 4 personal file folders when I start up outlook. I delete all my PST
files, trying to start from scratch, but when I start outlook again, it asks
where my outlook pst file is, browses, and asked to "open or create" my
outlook.pst file. I try to create a blank one, but when it comes up, there
are my 4 personal file folders. Do I need to remove office and reload it? I
thought the PST files held all the file folders. How can i get rid of 3 of
the 4 personal file folders? Where is it getting this information (obviously
must not be from the pst files). Thanks in advance for any knowledge that
you may be able to impart.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You "delete" your PST files? How do you do that? There is no such option in
Outlook.
You close PST files.
If you can't close them, then you corrupted your profile and must create a
new one. Take care not to corrupt the new profile the same way you did the
first. You did not post enough information for us to tell what you did
wrong, but I suspect you migrated your data incorrectly. Tell us what you
did to create this mess, and if you don't know how to create a new profile,
read the instructions:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829918&Product=out2003

 

[Guest]

I am not sure how I have 4 Personal File Folders, but I deleted my profile
and am starting anew. I suffered a hard disk crash, and was simply trying to
get my files over from a backup (which was a straight copy from the PST
files). I have been reading different threads, and think I have a plan of
attack. We will see!
--
Mark

You "delete" your PST files? How do you do that? There is no such option in
Outlook.
You close PST files.
If you can't close them, then you corrupted your profile and must create a
new one. Take care not to corrupt the new profile the same way you did the
first. You did not post enough information for us to tell what you did
wrong, but I suspect you migrated your data incorrectly. Tell us what you
did to create this mess, and if you don't know how to create a new profile,
read the instructions:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829918&Product=out2003

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am running outlook 2003 and am working on a new installation. Somehow I
have 4 personal file folders when I start up outlook. I delete all my PST
files, trying to start from scratch, but when I start outlook again, it
asks
where my outlook pst file is, browses, and asked to "open or create" my
outlook.pst file. I try to create a blank one, but when it comes up,
there
are my 4 personal file folders. Do I need to remove office and reload it?
I
thought the PST files held all the file folders. How can i get rid of 3
of
the 4 personal file folders? Where is it getting this information
(obviously
must not be from the pst files). Thanks in advance for any knowledge that
you may be able to impart.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You probably migrated your file incorrectly. Importing a PST file will
always corrupt your profile like this.
Make sure you open your old file set it as the default in your new profile.
Never import it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am not sure how I have 4 Personal File Folders, but I deleted my profile
and am starting anew. I suffered a hard disk crash, and was simply trying
to
get my files over from a backup (which was a straight copy from the PST
files). I have been reading different threads, and think I have a plan of
attack. We will see!
--
Mark

You "delete" your PST files? How do you do that? There is no such option
in
Outlook.
You close PST files.
If you can't close them, then you corrupted your profile and must create
a
new one. Take care not to corrupt the new profile the same way you did
the
first. You did not post enough information for us to tell what you did
wrong, but I suspect you migrated your data incorrectly. Tell us what you
did to create this mess, and if you don't know how to create a new
profile,
read the instructions:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829918&Product=out2003

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am running outlook 2003 and am working on a new installation. Somehow
I
have 4 personal file folders when I start up outlook. I delete all my
PST
files, trying to start from scratch, but when I start outlook again, it
asks
where my outlook pst file is, browses, and asked to "open or create" my
outlook.pst file. I try to create a blank one, but when it comes up,
there
are my 4 personal file folders. Do I need to remove office and reload
it?
I
thought the PST files held all the file folders. How can i get rid of
3
of
the 4 personal file folders? Where is it getting this information
(obviously
must not be from the pst files). Thanks in advance for any knowledge
that
you may be able to impart.

 

[Guest]

Hey Russ - Yep, that's it. I was trying to import, huge mistake. I finally
deleted my profile, and just opened the other outlook files (pst), and
everything came in perfect...works great just as you say.

--
Mark

You probably migrated your file incorrectly. Importing a PST file will
always corrupt your profile like this.
Make sure you open your old file set it as the default in your new profile.
Never import it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am not sure how I have 4 Personal File Folders, but I deleted my profile
and am starting anew. I suffered a hard disk crash, and was simply trying
to
get my files over from a backup (which was a straight copy from the PST
files). I have been reading different threads, and think I have a plan of
attack. We will see!
--
Mark

You "delete" your PST files? How do you do that? There is no such option
in
Outlook.
You close PST files.
If you can't close them, then you corrupted your profile and must create
a
new one. Take care not to corrupt the new profile the same way you did
the
first. You did not post enough information for us to tell what you did
wrong, but I suspect you migrated your data incorrectly. Tell us what you
did to create this mess, and if you don't know how to create a new
profile,
read the instructions:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829918&Product=out2003

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I am running outlook 2003 and am working on a new installation. Somehow
I
have 4 personal file folders when I start up outlook. I delete all my
PST
files, trying to start from scratch, but when I start outlook again, it
asks
where my outlook pst file is, browses, and asked to "open or create" my
outlook.pst file. I try to create a blank one, but when it comes up,
there
are my 4 personal file folders. Do I need to remove office and reload
it?
I
thought the PST files held all the file folders. How can i get rid of
3
of
the 4 personal file folders? Where is it getting this information
(obviously
must not be from the pst files). Thanks in advance for any knowledge
that
you may be able to impart.