.pst questions

[Donna in Idaho]

When I search for .pst files - here's what I find:

On the desktop, internet files folder, I have the following 5 files:
Archive backup, Archive, Outlook Backup, and Outlook Archive Backup all
dated 9-22-04

In the Local settings, appl data, MS, Outlook folder I have the following 7
files:
Archive dated 2-7-06; Archive 1 backup, Archive 1, Backup, Outlook backup,
and Outlook all dtd 4-15-06; Archive backup dated 2-3-06

I would like to clean all of this up so I know where my outlook backups are
going, but I'm not quite sure where to start.

A couple months ago Outlook froze up when I was trying to send emails using
an add-on ProWrite. I guess the old files in the Outlook folder are before
then. I'm assumiing that I can delete all of the files in the desktop
folder.

I read the info at www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm. It
says that to configure outlook with a new pst-file location, you need to
copy to the new location the outlook files. Since I have so many of them, I
don't know which ones to copy to the new location.

 

[JohnF]

Be sure you display "details" when using Windows Explorer to look for files.

Also, in Windows Explorer, go to <Tools> <Folder Options> <View> and verify
these settings:

- Remove checkmark next to "Hide extensions for known file types".
- Do check "Show hidden files and folders"
- Do check "show th efull path in the title bar"

By displaying details, you'll be able to sort file, for example, by date. Do
this sort to identify working pst files.

Don't delete any files justn because they're in the desktop folder. Check
the dates. Even open them, at least long enough to study them from within
Outlook.

JolhnF

 

[Brian Tillman]

I would like to clean all of this up so I know where my outlook
backups are going, but I'm not quite sure where to start.

Start by starting Outlook and finding which, if any, of those PSTs its
using. You don't state your Outlook version, so I'll assume Outlook
2002/2003. Click File>Data File Management and look at which of the PSTs
Outook has connected.

Then, open each remaining PST with File>Open>Outlook Data File to see if it
contains anyting you wish preserved. When you've examined one, you can
close it, either from File>Data File Management or with right-click>Close in
the Outlook bar or Navigation Pane. If it does contain something you want,
you can either drag and drop it to your existing PST or simply leave it
connected as-is.

 

[Donna in Idaho]

Thanks, Brian. Yes, I'm using Outlook 2003 - forgot to list that info.

Donna