Problems with pst file...

[Mike]

One of the users in our office tried to open Outlook & recieved an error
message that indicated that the pst was gone or corrupt. After running
the Inbox repair tool to no avail, as well as picking up a copies of their
pst from the last week's backups, I'm still unable to do anything with it!
When trying to import it or open it, I get the message "Properties for this
information service must be defined prior to use" & after hitting ok, I
get a message that the file isn't a personal folders file! I have read
several long-winded posts in other forums, which basically have given me
no answer. I am using Window98 & Outlook 2000 in POP3 mode, & using
Ipswitch's Imail server. The file was never copied to a CD & doesn't
have the read-only box checked, either.
Help!

 

[DL]

Are you able to open the backup pst?, though this may depend on how the
backup was done.

What size is the pst?
The pst was'nt stored on a network location?
Does OL open okay with a new pst?
eg from run: outlook.exe /cleanpst

 

[Mike]

The pst file (600MB) was stored on Win2k server & backed up to an AIT tape
everynight.
Outlook runs fine with a new pst.
Have not tried cleanpst. How is this different than scanpst? I'll give it a
try.
Thanks-

 

[Mike]

All this does is open Outlook...

 

[DL]

Clean pst opens OL with a clean, new pst

If by saying pst is on a server you mean it is on a network location, as
apposed to local MS doesnt support the use of a pst over a network
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297019

 

[Mike]

It is on the local computer now.
A copy was being backed up to a server & then to a tape.

 

[DL]

If the origonal pst was on a network location, it may, as the MS kb
suggests, have become corrupted beyond repair.
http://officerecovery.com/outlook/index.htm may help, if running scanpst
several times doesnt.

If the backups were also of the network located pst, they may also be of a
corrupted pst.

 

[Mike]

Why would it have worked fine for so long?

If the origonal pst was on a network location, it may, as the MS kb
suggests, have become corrupted beyond repair.
http://officerecovery.com/outlook/index.htm may help, if running scanpst
several times doesnt.

If the backups were also of the network located pst, they may also be of a
corrupted pst.

 

[DL]

Some find no problem with a pst over a network, however I would'nt want to
rely on it, for the reasons MS give.