can't install my *.pst file to newly installed Outlook 2003

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

George P. - 28 Sep 2006 16:57 GMT

My hard drive crashed and was replaced. I had a backup of my *.pst file but
when I went to replace it following directiions wi th a copy of the file but
I received a message saying that the file was in use. The only file I had
opened was Outlook. If I close Outlook, how would I install the copy? I
tried copying the *.pst file to Outlook's directory but it would'nt copy.

Reply to this Message

Brian Tillman - 28 Sep 2006 20:33 GMT

> My hard drive crashed and was replaced. I had a backup of my *.pst
> file but when I went to replace it following directiions wi th a copy
> of the file but I received a message saying that the file was in use.
> The only file I had opened was Outlook. If I close Outlook, how
> would I install the copy? I tried copying the *.pst file to
> Outlook's directory but it would'nt copy.

With Outlook closed, place the backup PST in any folder on your hard drive
that does NOT contain another PST of the same name. Remove the read-only
attribute, if the PST had been on CD. Open Outlook. Click
FIle>Open>Outlook Data File. Browse to the PST you just put on disk, select
it, and click OK. You now have access to all the data it contains.

Signature

Brian Tillman

Reply to this Message

George P. - 29 Sep 2006 03:04 GMT

Hi Brian,

Thank you for the response. When I go to the Outlook Data File, I find two
Outlook files in there. One is a directory with about four names and
telephone numbers in it that I started before I knew how to bring back my old
*.pst. The other is an Outlook archieve file that I must have put in there
earlier in an attempt to activate the *.pst file. I tried to delete these
files but the system tells me that they are in use. If I close Outlook, how
do I access them to delete them?

> > My hard drive crashed and was replaced. I had a backup of my *.pst
> > file but when I went to replace it following directiions wi th a copy
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> FIle>Open>Outlook Data File. Browse to the PST you just put on disk, select
> it, and click OK. You now have access to all the data it contains.

Reply to this Message

Brian Tillman - 29 Sep 2006 13:37 GMT

> Thank you for the response. When I go to the Outlook Data File, I
> find two Outlook files in there. One is a directory with about four
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> they are in use. If I close Outlook, how do I access them to delete
> them?

Do you see them in File>Data File Management? If so, you should be able to
select them and click Remove to remove them from your mail profile. Stop
Outlook and you should be able to delete the files in Windows Explorer. If
you can't remove them, click Tools>E-mail Accounts>Next and examine the
"Deliver new messages to the following location" drop-down at the lower
left. Does one of the files appear there?

Signature

Brian Tillman

Reply to this Message

George P. - 29 Sep 2006 13:58 GMT

> > Thank you for the response. When I go to the Outlook Data File, I
> > find two Outlook files in there. One is a directory with about four
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> "Deliver new messages to the following location" drop-down at the lower
> left. Does one of the files appear there?

Reply to this Message

George P. - 29 Sep 2006 14:06 GMT

Reply to this Message

Brian Tillman - 29 Sep 2006 18:59 GMT

> I see the two files (archieve and *.pst) in Data File Management but
> when I highlight them, I can't remove them.

"archieve" or "archive"? Do you really see an asterisk for one?

If you see actual file names in this dialogue, they are in use and, of
course, can't be (and shouldn't be) deleted. If you want to start over with
a new mail profile containing no PST or a new one you create, you can do
that from Control Panel's Mail applet. Use Show Profiles, then Add.

> I stopped Outlook,
> brought up the Explorer but I don't see those files listed anywhere.

They are usually in hidden folders. Start Windows Explorer and enter the
following in the Address Bar:

%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Click Go. I suspect you'll see them.

> I went to Tools, e-mail accounts but I don't see a Next. I do see
> the "deliver new messages, etc." but those two files are not listed.

In order to see the "Delivery new messages" drop-down, you must have clicked
Next because that's how you get there.

> Listed are Personal Folders (highlighted) and Archieve.

Well, then, these are the two data files you saw in Data File Management,
with the first one being where youre messages are delivered. What you see
in the drop down is the display name (matching what shows in Outlook's
folder list), not the file name. The Data File Management dialogue shows
you the Windows file name.

> If I click
> on New Outlook Data File, I see "Office Outlook Personal Folders
> File (.pst) and I see a file entitled "Outlook 97-2002 Personal
> Folders File .pst". I didn't know if I should try to delete either
> file but I doubt that the system will let me.

The New>Outlook Data File dialogue allows you to create a new Unicode-format
(the first form you mention) PST or an old ANSI-format PST (compatible with
Outlook 97-2002). In general, unless you need to port the PST between
Outlook versions, you should choose the former.

Signature

Brian Tillman

Reply to this Message

George P. - 29 Sep 2006 23:58 GMT

> > I see the two files (archieve and *.pst) in Data File Management but
> > when I highlight them, I can't remove them.
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
> Outlook 97-2002). In general, unless you need to port the PST between
> Outlook versions, you should choose the former.

I went to the suggested link: %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook . There were two files in there. One was "Archieve"
which I was able to delete. The other read "outlook" which I was not able to
delete. When I bring up Outlook and go to Contacts, I still see the few
names that I typed in before attempting to bring back the old .pst file.
When I go to "open" and then "data management file", I see the file or logo
"Outlook" but I can't delete it.
I don't want to start a new outlook contact file as I have over a hundred
contacts with addresses, phone numbers, etc. Is there a way to eliminate
this file with the few names and addresses and then transfer my .pst file
into the proper area?

Reply to this Message

Brian Tillman - 03 Oct 2006 20:47 GMT

> I went to the suggested link: %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application
> Data\Microsoft\Outlook . There were two files in there. One was
> "Archieve" which I was able to delete.

Then it was not open in a mail profile.

> The other read "outlook"
> which I was not able to delete.

Naturally not. That is your Outlook PST, the one you saw in Data File
Managerment. It's where your mail is delivery and it holds you calendar,
tasks, contacts, etc.

> When I bring up Outlook and go to
> Contacts, I still see the few names that I typed in before attempting
> to bring back the old .pst file. When I go to "open" and then "data
> management file", I see the file or logo "Outlook" but I can't delete
> it.

Of course not. It's your delivery location.

> I don't want to start a new outlook contact file as I have over a
> hundred contacts with addresses, phone numbers, etc. Is there a way
> to eliminate this file with the few names and addresses and then
> transfer my .pst file into the proper area?

Use File>New>Outlook Data File to open the PST containing the data you want,
then use File>E-mail Accounts>Next to change your delivery location to that
PST. Stop and restart Outlook.

Signature

Brian Tillman

Reply to this Message

George P. - 30 Sep 2006 01:01 GMT

Reply to this Message