Recovering Outlook.pst file from external drive

[Discoduck]

I have got a SERIOUS problem. I back up often, to an external hard
drive.
Normally I keep a copy of "outlook.pst" in "My documents" on the
external as well. Furthermore I keep program files on my external.
Recently I had to reformat my laptop hard drive. I have done this
before then I reinstall everything (usually via CD but in this case I
did from the external drive which MAY have caused the problem).

So I reinstall Outlook via the external hard drive, thinking it would
save me time. All seems well, but when I go to import the Outlook.pst
file from the external, IT IS GONE. Let me be clear, there is NO
doubt in my mind it was there. None.
I THINK upon installing Outlook XP via the external drive, it somehow
deleted it (but no, it is not in my recycle bin).

So what Can I do? 12 years of contacts-gone!!!

 

[F.H. Muffman]

I have got a SERIOUS problem. I back up often, to an external hard

drive.
Normally I keep a copy of "outlook.pst" in "My documents" on the
external as well. Furthermore I keep program files on my external.
Recently I had to reformat my laptop hard drive. I have done this
before then I reinstall everything (usually via CD but in this case I
did from the external drive which MAY have caused the problem).
So I reinstall Outlook via the external hard drive, thinking it would
save me time. All seems well, but when I go to import the Outlook.pst
file from the external, IT IS GONE. Let me be clear, there is NO
doubt in my mind it was there. None.
I THINK upon installing Outlook XP via the external drive, it somehow
deleted it (but no, it is not in my recycle bin).
So what Can I do? 12 years of contacts-gone!!!

Well, on the one hand, if its not there, no one here is going to be able
to help you. A hard drive restoration service might, but the more you use
the drive, the less the chance you'll be able to recover it, assuming it
really is not there. You will pay for this priviledge of having your data
recovered. A lot.

On the other hand, I'd make sure that you're searching hidden and system
files and folders. Or a dir /s *.pst from the root of the drive.

 

[Pat Willener]

Well, on the one hand, if its not there, no one here is going to be able
to help you. A hard drive restoration service might, but the more you use
the drive, the less the chance you'll be able to recover it, assuming it
really is not there. You will pay for this priviledge of having your data
recovered. A lot.

On the other hand, I'd make sure that you're searching hidden and system
files and folders. Or a dir /s *.pst from the root of the drive.

If you have put it there, it should be there. Installing things from
that HD will not go and delete your PST file. Follow the previous
poster's advice and search for all *.PST files. When you have found it,
do *not* import the file, but open it with Outlook (File | Open |
Outlook Data File).

If you have really deleted it by accident, try to find it with a
recovery tool such as http://www.recuva.com/

 

[F.H. Muffman]

I have done this

Installing things from that HD will not go and delete your PST file.

You know, that raised something I forgot to ask about. How exactly did you
install from the external HD? Do you have a flat file copy of the Office/Outlook
CD on the drive?

 

[Discoduck]

x-no-archive:

You know, that raised something I forgot to ask about.  How exactly did you
install from the external HD?  Do you have a flat file copy of the Office/Outlook
CD on the drive?

I copy the contents of the CD to a folder on the external HD (same
place I backed up Outlook.pst). When I attach the external HD via
USB, and installed the program "MS Outlook" from the mentioned folder,
it took away the backup which was on the same drive. I know it
doesn't sound logical, but it did indeed do this (similar programs
have done similar things-for example "Symantec" products) . I know it
WAS there as I remember trying to copy over it, and it wouldn't let
me as the file I copied on my PC was "in use" and wouldn't permit me
to replace the back up (ie outlook.pst) on the hard drive. But since
then I've formatted my PC hard drive so I think the external drive has
a bigger chance of having it somewhere.

 

[Discoduck]

Well, on  the one hand, if its not there, no one here is going to be able
to help you.  A hard drive restoration service might, but the more you use
the drive, the less the chance you'll be able to recover it, assuming it
really is not there.  You will pay for this priviledge of having your data
recovered.  A lot.

On the other hand, I'd make sure that you're searching hidden and system
files and folders.  Or a dir /s *.pst from the root of the drive.

yeah, tried all that. No luck.

 

[Discoduck]

x-no-archive:

If you have put it there, it should be there. Installing things from
that HD will not go and delete your PST file. Follow the previous
poster's advice and search for all *.PST files. When you have found it,
do *not* import the file, but open it with Outlook (File | Open |
Outlook Data File).

If you have really deleted it by accident, try to find it with a
recovery tool such ashttp://www.recuva.com/- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hey there, tried that with no luck. But IT DOES take away that .pst
file if installed from the same drive. There is NO doubt in my mind
it was there and I did NOT have a chance to delete it. In fact I
compared the two "My documents" folder (where I keep the Outlook.pst)
on both the External and PC and they were identical).
Off to the recovery route I guess.
Thanks for your time.

 

[F.H. Muffman]

I have done this

I copy the contents of the CD to a folder on the external HD (same
place I backed up Outlook.pst). When I attach the external HD via
USB, and installed the program "MS Outlook" from the mentioned folder,
it took away the backup which was on the same drive. I know it
doesn't sound logical, but it did indeed do this (similar programs
have done similar things-for example "Symantec" products) . I know it
WAS there as I remember trying to copy over it, and it wouldn't let
me as the file I copied on my PC was "in use" and wouldn't permit me
to replace the back up (ie outlook.pst) on the hard drive. But since
then I've formatted my PC hard drive so I think the external drive has
a bigger chance of having it somewhere.

Well, I'll be 100% honest, there's no way I believe that installing the softare
from drive X to drive y would do anything to files on drive X. Even more
so knowing that the PST wasn't even stored in the default location and you
had removed everything that would have included pointers to the non-standard
location.

The file is either still on the Hard Drive somewhere or something else deleted
it.

If you want to prove it did it, reproduce it and then provide exact steps
to repro the issue.