Please, I need help - Reinstalled, cannot access my Outlook data

[Guest]

PC died. Reinstalled XP Prof, Office Prof w/Outlook 2002. (Previously
upgraded to 2003 Outlook but cannot locate disks.) Also had copied all files
in C:\Documents and Settings\MyName\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook which included Outlook <Office Data File>. Is this my
".pst" file?

Anyway, when i try to access Outlook, there's no data, nothing there. Tried
going to File/Open/Outllook Data File and expanding to All Files, but when I
click on "Office 199kb Office Data File" Error message: The file you chose is
not an Outlook data file. You must select a new file of this type."

I forgot to mention my versions are:
WindowsXP Professional Version 5.1 Build 2600.xpxp_sp2>gdr.050301 : Service
Pack 2)

Internet Explorer Version 6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519 Update
Versions ; SP2

MS Outlook 2002 (19.6515.6817) SP2

Any help appreciated, please be kind...Thank you

 

[Guest]

Make sure you are able to view file detail and extensions using Windows
Explorer so that you know what files you are looking at: right-click on My
Computer, scroll to Explore, click on View > Details. Then click on Tools >
Folder Options > choose the View Tab > Check Show hidden files and folders >
Uncheck Hide file extensions for known file types. Click Apply and then click
Like Current Folder. Acknowledge the prompt, then click OK.

The next thing you need to determine is if your PST is from Outlook 2003. In
that case you can't open it in Outlook 2002 (XP) because the new PST format
is not compatible with earlier versions of Outlook. You can read more on that
here:

http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/downgradefromoutlook2003.htm

 

[DL]

May depend how you copied & where you are trying to open it from
1) If this is an OL2003 format pst it is not backward compatible with
earlier version OL
2) If you copied and are trying to open from CD you cannot
3) If restoring from cd to hd you need to remove read only flag
4) If you restored and in doing so overwrote any existing pst its likely
corrupted
5) If none of the above apply then probably the origonal copy process
corrupted it
By default named outlook.pst; 199kb size doesnt appear to be a valid pst,
leastways not one that contains data.