Outlook.pst vanished

[hellsbells]

I have a problem with Outlook 2003. It's a program I don't use very
much, mainly to store contacts and to occasionally check one pop
account. The last time I opened it was last week. Earlier I wanted to
launch it again to add a few more contacts when it gave me the message
"The file C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft
\Outlook\Outlook.pst could not be found." and then refused to open. I
opened the folder and there were only the following files:

outcmd.dat 2KB
Outlook.NK2 1KB
Outlook.xml 5KB
Outlook.srs 3KB

I searched the whole C: drive for *.pst with no luck.

Has anyone an idea what could have happened here? I really can't
remember having 'done' anything in the past few days that would have
wiped these files. I'm not too worried about the messages, but I'd love
to get my contacts back.

Thanks
Laurent

 

[Brian Tillman]

I have a problem with Outlook 2003. It's a program I don't use very
much, mainly to store contacts and to occasionally check one pop
account. The last time I opened it was last week. Earlier I wanted to
launch it again to add a few more contacts when it gave me the message
"The file C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft
\Outlook\Outlook.pst could not be found." and then refused to open. I
opened the folder and there were only the following files:

outcmd.dat 2KB
Outlook.NK2 1KB
Outlook.xml 5KB
Outlook.srs 3KB

Those files aren't in the same folder you mentioned. The files above are in
%AppData%\Microsoft\Outlook while the PST's default location is
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook. Just
enter this latter path in Windows Explorer's address bar and press Go.

I searched the whole C: drive for *.pst with no luck.

You have to enable searching hidden files and folders.

 

[hellsbells]

Those files aren't in the same folder you mentioned. The files above are in
%AppData%\Microsoft\Outlook while the PST's default location is
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook. Just
enter this latter path in Windows Explorer's address bar and press Go.

Ooops, my mistake ;o) In that folder there is just one file - extend.dat
and nothing else.

You have to enable searching hidden files and folders.

I always have hidden files & folders and system folders enabled when I
run a search.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Ooops, my mistake ;o) In that folder there is just one file -
extend.dat and nothing else.

If there are no other PST files anywhere on your PC, then you're probably
out of luck unless you can find an undelete tool to locate it (did you check
your wastebasket?). See if http://www.officerecovery.com/freeundelete/ can
help.

 

[hellsbells]

If there are no other PST files anywhere on your PC, then you're probably
out of luck unless you can find an undelete tool to locate it (did you check
your wastebasket?). See if http://www.officerecovery.com/freeundelete/ can
help.

No luck with the utility. But thanks for the link, I'm sure it will come
in handy otherwise ;o)

It looks like the only way to get my *.pst files back is to run the
repair function of Office. Oh well, that'll teach me to keep backups.

 

[Brian Tillman]

It looks like the only way to get my *.pst files back is to run the
repair function of Office. Oh well, that'll teach me to keep backups.

No need to run the repair function, since that's not the way PSts are
created. In Outlook, click File>New>Outlook Data File. Browse to the
folder where you want the PST (or accept the default), give it a name (or
accept the default) and click OK. Now you have a new PST. Make it your
delivery location at the bottom left of the window you get when you click
Tools>E-mail Accounts>Next