How to "re-index" my Outlook Data

[Guest]

I screwed up recently and delete my Outlook profile. As a result of this, I
now have a PST file that contains all my data, but no structure. I can
search on the data using lookout and see the items, the associated folder
name etc. i.e. a Contact for Joe Blow can be found, the Folder Field says
'Contacts", but my Contacts folder is empty.

How can I re-index the file to have the various items appear in their proper
folders?

Thanks!

 

[Roady [MVP]]

now have a PST file that contains all my data, but no structure
No, you have an empty pst-file but still a Search Index. IIRC somewhere in
the LookOut options there is a re-index button and otherwise you'll have to
delete the physical cache file. I believe that is kept in your Application
Data\Local Settings folder.

Note that LookOut is an unsupported application which is no longer
developed. Consider using a supported indexer like Windows Desktop Search
instead.

 

[Guest]

Robert,

Thanks for the reply. To be clear, when I open outlook, my folders are not
there. The file appears to be empty, however, my data is still there. If I
search with Lookout, I can see the individual objects and their fields. I
can open them and work with them but I can't seem to figure out a way to
restore my folder structure.

Does that make sense?

Thanks Again!

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Did you reconnect your original pst-file after recreating your mail profile?
File-> Open-> Outlook Data File...

 

[Guest]

Hi Roady,

I did - I've updated the profile and pointed it back to the original file.
Weird...

 

[Roady [MVP]]

And all your data is in that pst-file still when you browse through it? Does
the pst-file properties indicate that there are more folders in there than
that is being shown and that they contain items? If not you might have
connected the wrong pst-file to you mail profile.

 

[Guest]

I believe it does. In order to get the PST file as the default, I've had to
rename it. I can't seem to remove the initial entry in the profile. It points
to Outlook.pst. When I try to remove it, I get a message stating that I
can't remove the default file and to go to the profile to remove it. I can't
remove it from there either!

 

[Guest]

Roady,

I installed Windows Desktop Search Mgr. but was sorely disappointed. Too
Fat and Slow. Not what I'm looking for. Still trying to understand where
the disconnect is between the PST file and Outlook it self. There must be
some way to "restore" the structure..

H

 

[Roady [MVP]]

NEVER rename or overwrite pst-files that are actively connected to Outlook.
You've ended up corrupting your mail profile again. Recreate it again and
then set your original pst-file as the default in the proper way.
See http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/newprofile.htm