question about contacts list after having imported a pst file into a newly reinstalled system

[albert]

I just rebuilt my OS and all programs [Win XP Pro, Office 2002]
completely -- using a brand new HD.

I have everything patched and up to date, including IE7. From the old HD,
which will be a backup in this machine, I imported my PST file - and all
went smoothly except for one glitch. In my old install of Outlook, I had a
number of subfolders under the Contacts folder [keeping various groups
organized that way]. Those names in the root Contacts folder were those I
emailed most frequently.

The subfolders still appear exactly the way they are supposed to be when
viewed in Outlook's Folders view. But. When I start a new email
message, and click on the "To"' field, I get a "Select Names" window with
two options in the "Show Names from the:" box --- "Outlook Address Book"
[which is empty], and under that "Contacts". But none of my other contact
subfolders appear beneath "Contacts". In my former installation, all of
those subfolders were available to me in the "Show Names from the:" box.

I'd like to have those folders and names available in the Select Names
window.

If my question is not phrased clearly here, I can post a screen capture, if
that will help.

TIA

albert

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Importing is never the correct way to transfer Outlook data. Next time, just
open file and use it.
If you're lucky, the only information you lost this time is the connection
between your subfolders and the Outlook Address Book. That should be easy to
re-establish in the properties of each folder.

 

[albert]

Thanks Russ.

Your response tells me what not to do in the future, and suggests what I
should do now. I will fix what I unintentionally broke. Before I go at
it, a couple of further questions occur to me, based on your recommendation:

1 -- since my original PST file still resides on the old drive, and is only
24 hours old at this point -- i.e., essentially the heart, contact-wise, of
what I want, I could then re-use it? [saving my newer, post-rebuild email
messages and saving them to a folder on my PC is not a problem]. If I
reuse the older PST located on the old drive, will Outlook automatically
create its working copy on my new drive [in its appropriate location --i.e.,
under my identity inside Docs and Settings inside Application Data \etc.] ?
Or will it simply work out of my old drive [which I do not want it to do].
Will it then overwrite the new one I have created [which isn't a problem for
me at this early moment]?

2 -- I pictured a PST as a form of database with internal links. So how
come it cannot be easily and completely transported? [as one could do with
an Access DB, or an Excel xlt]??

Once again, thanks for your original help, and TIA.

albert

Importing is never the correct way to transfer Outlook data. Next time,
just open file and use it.
If you're lucky, the only information you lost this time is the connection
between your subfolders and the Outlook Address Book. That should be easy
to re-establish in the properties of each folder.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I just rebuilt my OS and all programs [Win XP Pro, Office 2002]
completely -- using a brand new HD.

I have everything patched and up to date, including IE7. From the old
HD, which will be a backup in this machine, I imported my PST file - and
all went smoothly except for one glitch. In my old install of Outlook,
I had a number of subfolders under the Contacts folder [keeping various
groups organized that way]. Those names in the root Contacts folder
were those I emailed most frequently.

The subfolders still appear exactly the way they are supposed to be when
viewed in Outlook's Folders view. But. When I start a new email
message, and click on the "To"' field, I get a "Select Names" window with
two options in the "Show Names from the:" box --- "Outlook Address Book"
[which is empty], and under that "Contacts". But none of my other
contact subfolders appear beneath "Contacts". In my former
installation, all of those subfolders were available to me in the "Show
Names from the:" box.

I'd like to have those folders and names available in the Select Names
window.

If my question is not phrased clearly here, I can post a screen capture,
if that will help.

TIA

albert

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Outlook will use whatever data file you tell it to. As I said, you simply
open that file in Outlook and set it to be the default for that profile. If
you do not want that file to remain on the old hard drive, just move it to
your current drive before you open it.
Take a look at these pages for info on Outlook data backup or transfer:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks Russ.

Your response tells me what not to do in the future, and suggests what I
should do now. I will fix what I unintentionally broke. Before I go at
it, a couple of further questions occur to me, based on your
recommendation:

1 -- since my original PST file still resides on the old drive, and is
only 24 hours old at this point -- i.e., essentially the heart,
contact-wise, of what I want, I could then re-use it? [saving my newer,
post-rebuild email messages and saving them to a folder on my PC is not a
problem]. If I reuse the older PST located on the old drive, will
Outlook automatically create its working copy on my new drive [in its
appropriate location --i.e., under my identity inside Docs and Settings
inside Application Data \etc.] ? Or will it simply work out of my old
drive [which I do not want it to do]. Will it then overwrite the new one I
have created [which isn't a problem for me at this early moment]?

2 -- I pictured a PST as a form of database with internal links. So how
come it cannot be easily and completely transported? [as one could do
with
an Access DB, or an Excel xlt]??

Once again, thanks for your original help, and TIA.

albert

Importing is never the correct way to transfer Outlook data. Next time,
just open file and use it.
If you're lucky, the only information you lost this time is the
connection
between your subfolders and the Outlook Address Book. That should be easy
to re-establish in the properties of each folder.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I just rebuilt my OS and all programs [Win XP Pro, Office 2002]
completely -- using a brand new HD.

I have everything patched and up to date, including IE7. From the old
HD, which will be a backup in this machine, I imported my PST file -
and
all went smoothly except for one glitch. In my old install of Outlook,
I had a number of subfolders under the Contacts folder [keeping various
groups organized that way]. Those names in the root Contacts folder
were those I emailed most frequently.

The subfolders still appear exactly the way they are supposed to be when
viewed in Outlook's Folders view. But. When I start a new email
message, and click on the "To"' field, I get a "Select Names" window
with
two options in the "Show Names from the:" box --- "Outlook Address
Book"
[which is empty], and under that "Contacts". But none of my other
contact subfolders appear beneath "Contacts". In my former
installation, all of those subfolders were available to me in the "Show
Names from the:" box.

I'd like to have those folders and names available in the Select Names
window.

If my question is not phrased clearly here, I can post a screen capture,
if that will help.

TIA

albert

 

[albert]

Russ,

Another thank you.

The links you provided are excellent, and give me a better grasp of what I
am doing.

[and will, of course, lead me to more questions -- a marker of good
information, btw]

albert

Outlook will use whatever data file you tell it to. As I said, you simply
open that file in Outlook and set it to be the default for that profile.
If you do not want that file to remain on the old hard drive, just move it
to your current drive before you open it.
Take a look at these pages for info on Outlook data backup or transfer:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks Russ.

Your response tells me what not to do in the future, and suggests what I
should do now. I will fix what I unintentionally broke. Before I go
at it, a couple of further questions occur to me, based on your
recommendation:

1 -- since my original PST file still resides on the old drive, and is
only 24 hours old at this point -- i.e., essentially the heart,
contact-wise, of what I want, I could then re-use it? [saving my newer,
post-rebuild email messages and saving them to a folder on my PC is not a
problem]. If I reuse the older PST located on the old drive, will
Outlook automatically create its working copy on my new drive [in its
appropriate location --i.e., under my identity inside Docs and Settings
inside Application Data \etc.] ? Or will it simply work out of my old
drive [which I do not want it to do]. Will it then overwrite the new one
I have created [which isn't a problem for me at this early moment]?

2 -- I pictured a PST as a form of database with internal links. So how
come it cannot be easily and completely transported? [as one could do
with
an Access DB, or an Excel xlt]??

Once again, thanks for your original help, and TIA.

albert

Importing is never the correct way to transfer Outlook data. Next time,
just open file and use it.
If you're lucky, the only information you lost this time is the
connection
between your subfolders and the Outlook Address Book. That should be
easy
to re-establish in the properties of each folder.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I just rebuilt my OS and all programs [Win XP Pro, Office 2002]
completely -- using a brand new HD.

I have everything patched and up to date, including IE7. From the old
HD, which will be a backup in this machine, I imported my PST file -
and
all went smoothly except for one glitch. In my old install of
Outlook,
I had a number of subfolders under the Contacts folder [keeping various
groups organized that way]. Those names in the root Contacts folder
were those I emailed most frequently.

The subfolders still appear exactly the way they are supposed to be
when
viewed in Outlook's Folders view. But. When I start a new email
message, and click on the "To"' field, I get a "Select Names" window
with
two options in the "Show Names from the:" box --- "Outlook Address
Book"
[which is empty], and under that "Contacts". But none of my other
contact subfolders appear beneath "Contacts". In my former
installation, all of those subfolders were available to me in the "Show
Names from the:" box.

I'd like to have those folders and names available in the Select Names
window.

If my question is not phrased clearly here, I can post a screen
capture,
if that will help.

TIA

albert