Stealth .pst???

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Gregory
  • Start date Start date
J

John Gregory

Problem: .pst file shows no change in date modified:

I've gotten myself confused about .pst files again. My ultimate task is to
share the one on my WIN98SE machine through NetFolders but I'm trying to
make sure I have a clean copy to work with since the original has a small
glitch in it (which didn't show up in the copy I sent to my new machine; a
WINDOWS XP Home Edition).

I'm using Outlook 2000 SP-3 (9.0.06627) from among the suite of programs in
Office 2000 Professional. I believe I simply copied the .pst file from the
old machine to the new then merely opened the file through Outlook.

Q1) Should this have been Imported instead of merely chosen from the .pst
list of available files (it was the only one at the time.)?

Everything appeared to operate smoothly. In fact, the one glitch I had,
duplicate listings in the Contact window when searching for someone when
only one record really existed) is gone. So I decide the time was right to
transfer the clean copy back to the WIN98SE machine and set up the Net
Folder so both can share the file. That's when I discovered that the date
modified reported in the Find window during searches shows the file hasn't
been modified since the day I copied it to the machine.

Puzzled, I checked the WIN98SE machine. Sure enough, that .pst file bears a
date matching the date Outlook gets used. Both are used daily. So I searched
the WIN XP machine again for all .pst files. It's the only one. yet Outlook
is running fine, giving me reminders, filtering my mail, and finding
addresses upon demand. I'm stumped. Now I think perhaps my understanding of
that .pst file was wrong.

Q2) Why would the copy on the WIN98SE machine should a modification date
matching the date Outlook is used while the date under "Modified" on the WIN
XP machine remains the date I initially began using the copy? It's as
though there's a hidden file in use and it isn't being pulled up with .pst
searches.

Q3) Could this have something to do exclusively with running Outlook 2000 in
a WIN XP environment? I've read some threads here of strange behavior with
OL 2000 .... but it's operating so normally now. I simply can't find the
file!
 
Inline -

John said:
Problem: .pst file shows no change in date modified:

I've gotten myself confused about .pst files again. My ultimate task
is to share the one on my WIN98SE machine through NetFolders but I'm
trying to make sure I have a clean copy to work with since the
original has a small glitch in it (which didn't show up in the copy I
sent to my new machine; a WINDOWS XP Home Edition).

I'm using Outlook 2000 SP-3 (9.0.06627) from among the suite of
programs in Office 2000 Professional. I believe I simply copied the
.pst file from the old machine to the new then merely opened the file
through Outlook.
Click to expand...

Unless you told Outlook on the new machine to use "your" PST file, it would
be using the one it created when it was started the first time.

Do you have data in Outlook on the new computer that you want? I'm not
clear, from your description. Presuming you don't, close Outlook. Wherever
your PST file is (the "real" one), I'd suggest renaming it to yourname.pst.
Do a search for *.pst, and be sure to tell Windows to search in
hidden/system folders as well - it's in a hidden folder in WinXP. Delete or
rename the "wrong" outlook.pst file. Open Outlook, and when it says it can't
find the PST file, direct it to yourname.pst. Close Outlook, open it again,
and it should have it....
Q1) Should this have been Imported instead of merely chosen from the
.pst list of available files (it was the only one at the time.)?
Click to expand...

No, importing isn't the best way to go, if you didn't have anything in the
second computer's Outlook that you wanted....
 
OL was told to use the copy I placed on the new machine... or so I thought.
However, when I go top the Personal Folders - Outlook Today screen, right
click "Personal Folders" in the Folder List, select "Properties for Personal
Folders", go to the "Advanced" sectiion of the General tab, and read the
path for the name "Personal Folders".... I get a path different from where I
put the copy of my old .pst. It reads: C:\Documents and Settings\John\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\mailbox.pst.

Hummmmm. I guess this tells me I've apparently IMPORTED my old file into the
mailbox.pst file....
Q1) is this right?
This is beginning to make a little more sense. That's why the .pst file I
copied isn't showing a change in date modified every day... it isn't being
used!!!
Q2) Is this right?
So how do I square myself away?
Q3) Export the file in Personal Folders ... the one with the "mailbox.pst"
location... somewhere under a new name? (I assume the Export function gives
me the option toname the file something else?)

Your comment on Hidden files lead me down this path of discovery. I'm
grateful for the education thus far ... even if this isn't the solution yet.
Hope it's as simple as I suspect it may be. I apprecaiate the help.



"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
 
Back
Top