Strange characters in received plain text messages from China.

[Josi]

For some time now, all plain text messages I receive from China have question
marks (?) in between alinea ans sometimes Chinese characters.
I work with Outlook 2007 SP1 on Windows XP Home SP2.
This phenomena is restricted to plain text messages received from China.
I already completely reinstalled both Windows and Office, imported my pst
files from a separate backup (using Windows Backup pst) without avail. The
problem remains.
When I look at the same plain text messages in Outlook Express, there is no
problem with them.
Can anyone help?

 

[Pat Willener]

Reinstalling Windows and Office because of some email encoding problem
seems a bit of overkill

Also, you should never use Import to merge PST file data.

Now you should give use some information:
- what encoding are these messages sent in? (Format | Encoding)
- is your Outlook running in Unicode mode? For more information see
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/en-us/library/3b044eb9-c789-48a3-883c-f100dccf94391033.mspx

 

[Josi]

Thanks Pat. You're the only one reacting to this problem so far. I can not
get any help on this unless I pay the big bucks for Microsoft assistance in
this country (Belgium).
If you could see the garbled and confusing state (text layout) of all my
e-mail correspondance with China, you might understand why I decided
reinstalling.

Can you please elaborate on your advise never to usi Import to "merge" PST
file data? I think the answer is there somewhere because when I reinstalled,
the problem had gone, but it resurfaced after I has imported my PST files
again.
All my PST data however is not older than Office 2003, so it automatically
should all have Unicode.

As to your questions:
1. Encoding of the garbled English messages from China are both Simplified
Chinese (GB2312) and Traditional Chinese (Big)
2. My Outlook 2007 is running in Unicode mode

Another surpising remark: I run the same software configuration on my
laptop, with the same PST file data, without any problem (?) However, I did
not import any PST data from the external backup source anymore since I had
the problem on my desktop because I suspected the problem was in the PST
backup data.

 

[Pat Willener]

Let's first get the Import/Export thing out of the way. Import/Export is
really meant to import/export from/to non-Outlook data formats. Some of
the original data is omitted/lost during the import/export process; this
is why the regulars in this newsgroup always strongly advise against the
use of import/export between Outlook PST files.

If you have a PST file backup (taken while Outlook is not running), then
you can simply open it with Outlook (File | Open | Outlook Data File).
If you feel you need to merge these data with another PST file, use
drag-and-drop to copy/move items or folders between PST files. Use
right-click drag-and-drop to select between Move and Copy.

So, if you use the original backup PST file, the problem with the
garbled messages disappears?

 

[Josi]

I backup my Outlook pst files on a daily basis to an external HD using
Microsoft Personal Backup pst wich integrates with Outlook. I have been doing
this for a number of years (on Outlook 2003 and 2007). I occasionally (after
reinstalling on a new pc or laptop) put back the pst backup data by importing
them directly into Outlook using the Outlook Import pst files tool. I never
had any problem before.
Are you telling me that I should not use Microsoft Personal Backup pst? So,
how do I backup pst files? are there any other commercial backup programs to
handle pst data backup?

As to my ongoing problem:
When I reinstalled Windows and Office this time, and before importing the
pst data backup, I noticed that the problem had dissapeared. I received some
messages from China, and they were completely normal. It was only after
importing my original pst backup data in to the newly installed Outlook that
suddently the problem reappeared.

 

[Josi]

Just to let you know that I tried out your advised method for taking back
backup pst data into Outlook via Outlook (File/Open/Outlook Data) and it
works. Immediately and effortless. I have been doing this the wrong way (and
far more time consuming) via Import for many years.
But it does not change anything to the coding problem.

 

[Josi]

I found this Microsoft Outlook Help Article:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA101659691033.aspx that gives an
accurate description of the problem/phenomena and how to fix it, however only
for Offline Folders File/Exchange Server, while I have the problem with PST
in a POP account. I'm not using Exchange Server.
The problem description is however identical to what happens to my encoding:
PST data file causes Outlook to switch to non-Unicode mode.
All my PST data files are of the new type, created under 2003/2007, non of
them are created under 97-2002.

 

[Pat Willener]

Unicode Mode is not only for Exchange users, Outlook 2003 can be forced
to run in Unicode mode. You use gpedit with OUTLK11.adm to force
Unicode Mode, but I cannot find the appropriate documentation right now.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ork2003/HA011402301033.aspx suggests
that having a Unicode PST file with a POP/SMTP account will run Outlook
in Unicode mode.

Is it possible that (again) the dreaded Import has de-unicoded the data
from the backup file?

P.S. I think the Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders Backup tool is fine;
I just have never used it. I just make a copy of the original PST file
(Outlook must be completely closed for this backup to be usable), and in
case I need to restore, I just copy the backup back to its original
location.

 

[Josi]

I have come to the same conclusion in the meantime (after eliminating all
other options by trial): the Import must have de-unicoded the pst data, and
there is just no way to undo this. To be sure (and find a remedy) I should
talk to Microsoft here, but they are billing 299 euro + 21% vat (540 US$) per
assistance request. Just cant afford it right now. I'll continue puzzling.
Thanks for your valued support anyhow.

 

[Pat Willener]

If you still have the original backup file, can't you just redo the
whole process in the correct way?

I don't know your exact configuration, but I imagine that you have a new
PST, with the imported backup data, and perhaps some new messages that
have arrived since the import?

If so, I would do the following
- create a new 2003-type (Unicode) PST file
- copy (drag-and-drop) all data from your backup file into the new one
- copy )drag-and-drop) all new messages from the previous PST file

It may even be easier by just starting with a copy of the backup file.