Import pst file error

[Blue06]

I am trying to import a pst archive from an about-to-crash HD to a new HD.
But when I try to do that I keep getting the error message: The pst file is
already in use in the current profile." So I tried scanpst and it didn't
find any significant errors but I fixed what was there. Tried again, still
the same message.

How do I recover these e-mails?

 

[Jason]

copy the pst first with Outlook closed then use the copy.

 

[Jason]

copy the pst first with Outlook closed then use the copy.

 

[DL]

You copy the pst's to eg Documents folder of your new hd, or via other
media, with outlook closed.
Then connect to Outlook using File>Open>Data file

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I am trying to import a pst archive from an about-to-crash HD to a new HD.
But when I try to do that I keep getting the error message: The pst file is
already in use in the current profile." So I tried scanpst and it didn't
find any significant errors but I fixed what was there. Tried again, still
the same message.

How do I recover these e-mails?

If the Archive PST is already in use in the current profile, then click
Tools>Options>Other>AutoArchive and see if you've enabled the option to show
the archive folders in the folder list. If not, enable the option and you'll
see them. You can then drag-and-drop of Edit>Copy (or Move) to Folder. You
can also use FIle>Data File Management to see if the Archive PST is listed.

In addition, don't import. With Outlook closed, copy the PST to the
replacement disk and open it from there after removing the old copy from the
mail profile.

 

[Blue06]

Nothing happened when I tried this. I also tried to copy it from the CD
directly into the archive inbox and outlokk blocked acces deeming it unsafe.

Any other ideas.

Best regards,

Blue06

 

[Blue06]

I tried to open the file from the CD but it doesn't provide for using Outlook
to open it. Is that what you mean?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[DL]

Then you either failed to do it correctly, or you didnt look in the Folder,
Tree View, of Outlook, for the new Personal Folders Set you just opened

And no you cannot open a data file located on a cd

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I tried to open the file from the CD but it doesn't provide for using Outlook
to open it. Is that what you mean?

You cannot open a PST on a CD. You must copy the PSt to the hard drive first
to a folder that does not already contain a PST of the same name, remove the
read-only access it will have from being on the CD, then open it in Outlook
with File>Open>Outlook Data File.

 

[Blue06]

OK. I had actually tried this both ways, from the CD which as you said you
cannot do but I had then copied to my HD and tried it from there. Still,
when I do File->Open->Outlook Data File...it pulls up the archive.pst folder,
which now does not have the read-only attribute but when I click Open,
nothing happens.

Then I checked File->Data File Mgmt and it seems to show the same archive
file. But when I highlight it and click Open Folder, it brings up a folder
with a few other small (1-2K) files that I had not seen before and the
archive file is a bit more than 2X the size of what I copied. When I click
on it, I get the error msg about trying to open an Outlook file ...these
files are used by the OS & if you still want to open it choose a program to
open it (which does not include Outlook).

Why should I not try to import? It seems to me that this technique had
worked with my other PC. I did try to do this out of desperation. It seems
that all the on-line guides direct you to do this. Of course, it didn't work
(as far as being able to open it) and maybe that's why the file seems to be
2X the size.

Thanks again for your help. Any other light you can shed would be
appreciated.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Why should I not try to import?

Depends on the purpose of the import. If you're just recovering some old
items, importing is probably OK, but importing doesn't preserve some of the
metadata that link Outlook items, like contacts and calendar, contacts and
journal, and the like. It also doesn't handle items like Distribution Lists
well. Opening a PST preserves the metadata within the PST.

 

[Blue06]

OK, thanks for the explanation. But regardless, I can't open the file or see
the e-mails, which is all I want to retain. I keep retrying the same steps
and the result is always the same. I keep trying File->Open->Data File &
nothing opens, nothing changes, nothing happens. So I re-ran scanpst.exe.
No significant errors were found. Still the same problem. And yet, the file
appears to be there when I look under Data File Mgmt.

I don't get it.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

OK, thanks for the explanation. But regardless, I can't open the file or
see
the e-mails, which is all I want to retain. I keep retrying the same steps
and the result is always the same. I keep trying File->Open->Data File &
nothing opens, nothing changes, nothing happens. So I re-ran scanpst.exe.
No significant errors were found. Still the same problem. And yet, the
file
appears to be there when I look under Data File Mgmt.

If you open the PST and all that it contains is a Deleted Items folder, then
something damaged it, probably when you wrote it to the CD. There is
anecdotal evidence that some CD burning applications don't handle PSTs well.