PST File Disaster!

[spondee]

All Outlook items are contained in the .pst file - including Contacts.
There is no need for a separate export of contacts. Also, if the .pst
file
is copied and opened using File->Open->Personal Folders File, all
custom
forms ARE retained. (from reply to my message on 5/14/04)

My HD Failed. Installed new one. PST file I had so carefully backed
up and saved in several places, DOES NOT WORK!!!

When I imported it into (new install) Outlook, all I got was my
folders, no mail, calendar, no contacts, no tasks!!!

A real disaster...

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Why did you import?

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. Due to
the (insert latest virus name here) virus, all mail sent to my personal
account will be deleted without reading.

After furious head scratching, (e-mail address removed) asked:

|| All Outlook items are contained in the .pst file - including
|| Contacts.
| There is no need for a separate export of contacts. Also, if the .pst
| file
| is copied and opened using File->Open->Personal Folders File, all
| custom
| forms ARE retained. (from reply to my message on 5/14/04)
|
| My HD Failed. Installed new one. PST file I had so carefully backed
| up and saved in several places, DOES NOT WORK!!!
|
| When I imported it into (new install) Outlook, all I got was my
| folders, no mail, calendar, no contacts, no tasks!!!
|
| A real disaster...

 

[spondee]

What else are you supposed to do??? I still have that PST file!!!
How do I get my data into Outlook (2003)???

 

[Brian Tillman]

What else are you supposed to do???

File>Open>Outlook Data File. Browse to the PST, select it, and click OK.

 

[spondee]

I did that, PST File appears to be 'empty' when I 'viewed contents'
folders were all listed, contents were '0'.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I did that, PST File appears to be 'empty' when I 'viewed contents'
folders were all listed, contents were '0'.

It would appear, then, that your careful copying of your PST wasn't quite as
careful as required. I don't know how you did the copying, but if Outlook
wasn't closed when you did it, or the process you used to copy did not
complete successfully, the symptoms you see are certainly possible.

You said you copied the PST to several places. Are all copies bad? If so,
I think you're out of luck. Go to Microsoft's Office download area and get
PFBACKUP.

 

[spondee]

There was nothing returned at MS Office downloads: Go to Microsoft's
Office download area and get
PFBACKUP.On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 10:06:06 -0500, "Brian Tillman"

 

[spondee]

K. I transferred contents of OLD Hard Drive to NEW one. (It's ALL in
a folder on new HD). Where/How do I access Outlook files on that HD?

When I opened Outlook from that folder; It contained none of my files!

With search, I found 4 outlook.pst files; all 265kb, even the one on
my external back up drive...

And several archive.pst files (one 5xxkb),

Is it possible that OUTLOOK is not working correctly??? As all I get
when I open these .pst files are MY FOLDERS

THE QUESTION NOW IS: why are my calendar, tasks, etc in these
files??? (Admittedly I really didn't have much; I'm NOT IBM OR
MICROSOFT, file size could have been 265kb. But I need what I had!)

And even MORE anger making; I asked here in this forum REPEATEDLY if I
was 'backing' up Outlook properly...

Sigh, I DID have a Ghost copy but I deleted it. Would it be worth it
to me to try to get one of those 'undelete' programs???

 

[Brian Tillman]

There was nothing returned at MS Office downloads

Two seconds at http://office.microsoft.com/ found the link:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010875321033.aspx