PST Export

[Jordan]

Can EXPORTED PST files be imported or read by anything?
I did put up a previous message regarding the fact that
it keeps saying that they are not personal folders, but I
also cannot get anything to read them, older versions of
Outlook, any other office products, etc...

I thought I had been backing up my Outlook for years
using the export function, now I am concerned that the
files are now useless?

They are so important to me. Is there anything I can do?

Thank you in advance,

Jordan

 

[Jocelyn Fiorello [MVP - Outlook]]

They can only be read by Outlook -- there *might* be a third party tool out
there these days as well, but I wouldn't trust them with my data ;-)

I don't know if I've seen your earlier post or not. Can you please explain
the procedure you are using to try to open the files in Outlook? (You
should be able to open them from the File menu.) The files must be on your
hard drive or similar read/write media (I don't think CD-RWs count), and the
files cannot be read only either.

--
Jocelyn Fiorello
MVP - Outlook

*** Messages sent to my e-mail address will NOT be answered -- please
reply only to the newsgroup to preserve the message thread. ***


In

 

[DL]

Your last post was answered, can you not find it? or did you misunderstand?

 

[Jordan]

DL,

Got your message.

I did not simply copy the .pst from Outlook 2002 and then
2003. I did not realize that was the way to backup. I
thought that the logical way was to use the file, export,
export to .pst function. Thus all of my backups for
about 2 years now were made using that function. The
current exported version is about 678Meg.

It seems that I cannot import it back into any Outlook
client (2002 or 2003). I always get the 'this is not a
personal folders file'. It is associated properly (has
an office icon next to it). I tried using the repair
tool and just for testing, tried using the 2gig barrier
tool, all giving the same message. I even tried to
import it into access or excel, with no luck. I have
tried version that were exported with and without the
compressible encrytion option. Even though I used the
export to .pst function, everything tells me it is not a
personal folders file. I tried using the file, open data
file option, tried setting the file as an archive, all
with the same error. I have ensured that I own the file
and that it is not read-only.

I am concerned that for the last two years I have been
using the export function only to find that it may not
really have a purpose? Shouldn't I be able to import
a .pst that was exported? It sounds logical? Have I
lost two years worth of Outlook data (boy, it scares me
just to type that).

Any help is so appreciated. This problem is really a
killer.

Jordan