PST cannot be located

[Larry Stroup]

I am uswing OL 2003. I had an archive file open in outlook list of folders
on left side of OL window. I deleted the underlying pst file. Now I cannot
"close" the folder in OL because it cannot file the file to close and get rid
of the icon. What can I do to get rid of the old and useless icon in the OL
window?

 

[neo]

If you can't remove the data file entry via the mail applet in the control
panel (remember Outlook is closed when trying this), you would have to
create a new mail profile and then delete the old one. Don't try copying
the existing mail profile as all that will do is copy over the bum registry
key that is pointing to the dead PST.

 

[Jeff Garry]

What I do is copy & save the .pst file located in:- C:\Documents and
Settings\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\.pst. To a
'remote' backup location i.e. memory stick.
The .pst file contains all the contents of your Outlook folders (Inbox etc)
& Contacts. Then if you ever have to reinstall all the contents of your hard
drive, you can import them back into Outlook or add them via the 'Data File
Managent' dialogue in the 'File' drop down menu.

 

[Gordon]

Then if you ever have to reinstall all the contents of your hard
drive, you can import them back into Outlook

NEVER use the Import function to open an Outlook data file.

(Courtesy of Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook])

Importing an entire PST may well corrupt your profile and may create a ghost
PST that you can't close. Importing PST's will lose:
1. Custom Forms
2. Custom Views
3. Connections between contacts and activities
4. Received dates on mail
5. Birthdays and anniversaries in calendar
6. Journal connections
7. Distribution Lists

Opening a PST file will preserve all of these. That is why we do not advise
people to import a native file into Outlook.

 

[JR Hester]

Larry,

I, too, suffered this dilemna. The only solution I found was--
create an archive file ( or use an existing one).,
Close Outlook
Navigate to the location of the archive
rename it to match the deleted file,
and place it in the same folder as it existed before.

Now reopen Outlook and hopefully you will not get that file not found message.

Close the archive,
Then delete.

HTH