Lost Domain/User Profile

[Stu Berman]

Help! I have a laptop and a desktop running on my home network
(workgroup HOME). I was having trouble sharing files between them and
someone suggested to me converting my laptop (an old work computer
belonging to DOMAIN CONTROL) from belonging to a domain to belonging
to a workgroup. I made the change on the laptop and now I can share
files, but unfortunately, I can no longer access all of the
information stored under the domain profile. All of the files under
Documents and Settings seems to be OK, but the HUGE missing component
is my outlook.PST file. There is no question it's still on my hard
drive somewhere based on the space remaining on my hard drive, but
doing a search for all .pst files on my hard drive yields a total
blank. Is there any way I can access/find my PST file?

Thanks a million!
Stu

 

[Richard McCall [MSFT]]

Stu
If you rejoin the domain with the laptop then you will be able to access
the PST. It is store in your documents and settings folder. Once your
machine is a member of the domain log in with the local admin.
I am assuming that you are running w2k. Go to control panel system, User
Profiles. Now since the machine is again a member of the domain you will see
your domain account. Highlight it and select Copy To. In the dialog Change
the permitted to use to the new local account you are using in a workgroup.
once this is complete you can login as the new local account and the outlook
setting and pst should be there. Otherwise you will have to take ownership
of your old Documents and Settings folder and then search for the PST.

 

[Stu Berman]

Richard,

Thanks for the reply. Only problem is I no longer work at the company
whose domain I belonged to. So the question is how do I "rejoin the
domain with the laptop"? Is there any other way I can recover the
Outlook.pst file? How can I "take ownership of the old Documents and
Settings folder and then search for the PST."?

Thanks!
Stu

Stu
If you rejoin the domain with the laptop then you will be able to access
the PST. It is store in your documents and settings folder. Once your
machine is a member of the domain log in with the local admin.
I am assuming that you are running w2k. Go to control panel system, User
Profiles. Now since the machine is again a member of the domain you will see
your domain account. Highlight it and select Copy To. In the dialog Change
the permitted to use to the new local account you are using in a workgroup.
once this is complete you can login as the new local account and the outlook
setting and pst should be there. Otherwise you will have to take ownership
of your old Documents and Settings folder and then search for the PST.

--
Richard McCall [MSFT]

"This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights."

Help! I have a laptop and a desktop running on my home network
(workgroup HOME). I was having trouble sharing files between them and
someone suggested to me converting my laptop (an old work computer
belonging to DOMAIN CONTROL) from belonging to a domain to belonging
to a workgroup. I made the change on the laptop and now I can share
files, but unfortunately, I can no longer access all of the
information stored under the domain profile. All of the files under
Documents and Settings seems to be OK, but the HUGE missing component
is my outlook.PST file. There is no question it's still on my hard
drive somewhere based on the space remaining on my hard drive, but
doing a search for all .pst files on my hard drive yields a total
blank. Is there any way I can access/find my PST file?

Thanks a million!
Stu