When importing .pst it only sets up archive folder, noting in it,.

[Guest]

When trying to backup message files (Outlook 2002) I exported them to desktop
as archives (pst). I then deleted them from file list in Outlook, and after
trying to import them back in they turned up as blank archive folders in
Outlook, no messages. However, on the desktop they remain large files (26
megs), which leades me to beleive the messages are still there. Am I wrong?
If I'm not, how would I recover the messages?

 

[Brian Tillman]

When trying to backup message files (Outlook 2002) I exported them to
desktop as archives (pst).

Theer are two misconceptions in your first sentence. The first
misconception is that you should ever export to a PST. If you want to save
your messages, close Outlook and just copy your PST to another folder (or to
your Desktop). All done. The second misconception is that archives have
anything to do with backups and that only archives are PST. ANY message
store in Outlook (except if connected to an Exchange server) is a PST,
whether it's your delivery location, an archive, a backup, or any other
active message store. When working with Outlook the word "archive" has a
specific meaning and it's not "backup".

I then deleted them from file list in
Outlook, and after trying to import them back in they turned up as
blank archive folders in Outlook, no messages.

This is another problem. You don't recover mesasges from a PST by importing
from the PST. You just open the PST. Start Outlook, click
File>Open>Outlook Data File, browse to the PST, select it, and click OK.
All done. Exporting and importing can lose data.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Brian, I understand now, but when I tried to open the pst file like
you said:

File>Open>Outlook Data File, browse to the PST, select it, and click OK.

An archive folder appears in Outlook with nothing in it except for a deleted
items sub-folder also with nothing. Does this mean I have infact lost my
messages that I thought I had saved?

 

[Brian Tillman]

An archive folder appears in Outlook with nothing in it except for a
deleted items sub-folder also with nothing.

That's because you have the display name for that PST set to "Archive"

Does this mean I have
infact lost my messages that I thought I had saved?

Unless SCANPST.EXE can detect any errors and fix them, you're out of luck.