Any way to restore my contacts list after a computer crash?

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Didn't mean to. I was just curious about the actual problem that caused you
to post your question. It's an interesting error and I'd love to know what
caused it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I didn't start the thread Dr.--I just jumped in to get a little expert
advice that the thread helped to trigger.

You're splitting hairs in my opinion.

No hard feelings though, and thanks for your help.

--

Regards

Just look at the thread. You posted nothing about an error message
concerning a PAB. You must have expected me to commit some other thread
to memory.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I don't quite follow you, but I think I have fixed things for now.

Thanks again.

--

Regards


But the above never appeared in this thread. You just jumped in and
started asking about the files in your default Outlook location.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Remember this?

(I cannot find the .PAB file in Outlook's Navi pane. I tried to
delete
the file from its current location, but *Outlook does not want to open
without knowing where it is*. Well, Outlook eventually opened after I
went through the prompts in an effort to find the .PAB file--Even
though
Outlook never found it. I have since restored this folder back to
where
it used to be, along with the .PST folder.)

Sorry, but you misread the above, or you would have understood.
---------------------------------------
I have no idea why I am getting a prompt for a .PAB file, unless, as
you say, I configured my profile that way. I just installed Office a
few months ago, and I have much to learn.

Anyway, thanks for your help and the links Russ...I'll see if I can
take it from here.


--

Regards
So new information keeps trickling in. You never mentioned you were
getting a prompt for the PAB. Why are you? You must have configured
your profile to use a PAB at some point. Outlook never does that on
its own. Do you have any reason to be using a PAB?
Actually, creating a new profile will solve both problems. Make sure
you do it from acratch and give it a different name. When you do,
make sure you set it to use your current PST file, not the new one it
will create. You can also migrate your autocompletion cache by
renaming it to match your new profile's name. To create a new profile
for Outlook 2002 and 2003:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312354
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
How can I stop Outlook from requesting the .PAB file, every time I
open it (Outlook)? It asks for it after I send it to the recycle
bin.

As for fixing the corrupt .pst file situation--I guess it's best to
create a new profile first, and then delete the old profile?

--

Regards
I didn't have any questions. You did.
You aren't using a PAB You can delete that file. The PST file and
the NK2 file are both in use by Outlook. Leave them alone.
In case you're interested, you also have a corrupt profile which
has 2 references to the same data file. It doesn't hurt anything.
You'd have to create a new Outlook profile from scratch to fix it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I think I finally found the root folders you were referring to. I
have two personal folders in the left pane--One has a house icon
associated with it, and the other one has a file box icon. Both of
these folders have what appears to be the same thing in them
(inbox, outbox, etc.) and my mail is in both inboxes.

Here is the path I found for the first Personal Folder in the
navigation pane--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Personal Folders.pst

And the second Personal Folder--C:\Documents and
Settings\Owner\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Personal
Folders.pst

I cannot find the .PAB file in Outlook's Navi pane. I tried to
delete the file from its current location, but Outlook does not
want to open without knowing where it is. Well, Outlook
eventually opened after I went through the prompts in an effort to
find the .PAB file--Even though Outlook never found it. I have
since restored this folder back to where it used to be, along with
the .PST folder.

Did I answer your questions?

--

Regards
message Then only one of these is your PST file, obviously. The NK2 file
is your autocompletion cache. The PAB file is a legacy file for
Contacts that Outlook has not used for years (and I doubt you
are). Your Contacts are stored in your PST file now.

The root folder is simply the top folder in the Navigation Pane.
It will usually be called "Outlook Today" or "Personal Folders"
depending on how you configured your folder. In its properties,
click on "Advanced" to see the name and location of the PST file
you are currently using.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
mailbox.PAB-- Outlook. NK2-- Personal Folders.PST (It's
funny--Each one opens with "unknown application" in the
properties box)

I am only using one POP account.

Can you steer me to the root folder?

--

Regards
message Then I assume you mean files. What is their file extension?
It would not be unusual for you to have created more than one
set of Outlook Data Files. Each Outlook profile usually has a
different file. To see which you are using, just examine the
properties of your root folder in Outlook.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Outlook 2003 Pro

--

Regards
message Where and in what version of Outlook do you see these three
"folders?"
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
The reason I ask, is because I have 3 folders that look
alike, but have different properties (Mailbox, Outlook, and
Personal Folders). This doesn't look right to me.

--

Regards
message Not quite sure what you're asking, but yes, all Outlook
data is stored in one file. It has a PST extension.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
message Pardon the highjack, but is all this info found in just
one file? (The file with the Office icon)

--

Regards
in message The file you need is your Personal Folders file (*.pst)
It's where all the mail, calendar, contacts etc are
stored.

Take a look at these pages for info on Outlook data
backup or transfer:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx


--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
in message
My computer crashed. I had to reload Outlook and, of
course, all of my
contacts are gone. Are these stored in a file somewhere
that may still be on
my computer somewhere?

 

[rustyfender04]

My apologies then.



To tell you the truth, I'm not completely sure how this error got started.
I had uninstalled Outlook back in March, due to lack of resources to run it
efficiently. But I before I did that, I had moved the .pst file over to D
drive.--I later on decided to delete the .pst file.



After getting a memory upgrade, I reinstalled Outlook a few days ago, but it
did not want to open without knowing where the .pst file was on D drive. I
was a bit shocked that it would remember that after I had uninstalled the
program and deleted the file--Maybe the uninstall didn't go correctly or
something?



My memory is a little vague about what I did next, but I remember going
through some prompts, in order to create a new file. And I'm not sure how
my new file wound up in--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook. I think the correct (default) location
is--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\*Local Settings*\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook. (I am running XP Home w/SP2)



I'm guessing that it was a combination of operator/ program error that
caused my problems. I have another thread in the Outlook/ Installation
forum addressing a problem with the Import Export wizard. Some of the files
in the MSOcache folder were corrupted-Not sure how that happened, but it has
since been fixed.




--

Regards

Didn't mean to. I was just curious about the actual problem that caused
you to post your question. It's an interesting error and I'd love to know
what caused it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I didn't start the thread Dr.--I just jumped in to get a little expert
advice that the thread helped to trigger.

You're splitting hairs in my opinion.

No hard feelings though, and thanks for your help.

--

Regards

Just look at the thread. You posted nothing about an error message
concerning a PAB. You must have expected me to commit some other thread
to memory.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I don't quite follow you, but I think I have fixed things for now.

Thanks again.

--

Regards


But the above never appeared in this thread. You just jumped in and
started asking about the files in your default Outlook location.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Remember this?

(I cannot find the .PAB file in Outlook's Navi pane. I tried to
delete
the file from its current location, but *Outlook does not want to
open
without knowing where it is*. Well, Outlook eventually opened after
I
went through the prompts in an effort to find the .PAB file--Even
though
Outlook never found it. I have since restored this folder back to
where
it used to be, along with the .PST folder.)

Sorry, but you misread the above, or you would have understood.
---------------------------------------
I have no idea why I am getting a prompt for a .PAB file, unless, as
you say, I configured my profile that way. I just installed Office a
few months ago, and I have much to learn.

Anyway, thanks for your help and the links Russ...I'll see if I can
take it from here.


--

Regards
So new information keeps trickling in. You never mentioned you were
getting a prompt for the PAB. Why are you? You must have configured
your profile to use a PAB at some point. Outlook never does that on
its own. Do you have any reason to be using a PAB?
Actually, creating a new profile will solve both problems. Make sure
you do it from acratch and give it a different name. When you do,
make sure you set it to use your current PST file, not the new one
it will create. You can also migrate your autocompletion cache by
renaming it to match your new profile's name. To create a new
profile for Outlook 2002 and 2003:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312354
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
How can I stop Outlook from requesting the .PAB file, every time I
open it (Outlook)? It asks for it after I send it to the recycle
bin.

As for fixing the corrupt .pst file situation--I guess it's best to
create a new profile first, and then delete the old profile?

--

Regards
I didn't have any questions. You did.
You aren't using a PAB You can delete that file. The PST file and
the NK2 file are both in use by Outlook. Leave them alone.
In case you're interested, you also have a corrupt profile which
has 2 references to the same data file. It doesn't hurt anything.
You'd have to create a new Outlook profile from scratch to fix it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I think I finally found the root folders you were referring to. I
have two personal folders in the left pane--One has a house icon
associated with it, and the other one has a file box icon. Both
of these folders have what appears to be the same thing in them
(inbox, outbox, etc.) and my mail is in both inboxes.

Here is the path I found for the first Personal Folder in the
navigation pane--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Personal Folders.pst

And the second Personal Folder--C:\Documents and
Settings\Owner\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Personal
Folders.pst

I cannot find the .PAB file in Outlook's Navi pane. I tried to
delete the file from its current location, but Outlook does not
want to open without knowing where it is. Well, Outlook
eventually opened after I went through the prompts in an effort
to find the .PAB file--Even though Outlook never found it. I
have since restored this folder back to where it used to be,
along with the .PST folder.

Did I answer your questions?

--

Regards
message Then only one of these is your PST file, obviously. The NK2 file
is your autocompletion cache. The PAB file is a legacy file for
Contacts that Outlook has not used for years (and I doubt you
are). Your Contacts are stored in your PST file now.

The root folder is simply the top folder in the Navigation Pane.
It will usually be called "Outlook Today" or "Personal Folders"
depending on how you configured your folder. In its properties,
click on "Advanced" to see the name and location of the PST file
you are currently using.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
mailbox.PAB-- Outlook. NK2-- Personal Folders.PST (It's
funny--Each one opens with "unknown application" in the
properties box)

I am only using one POP account.

Can you steer me to the root folder?

--

Regards
message Then I assume you mean files. What is their file extension?
It would not be unusual for you to have created more than one
set of Outlook Data Files. Each Outlook profile usually has a
different file. To see which you are using, just examine the
properties of your root folder in Outlook.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Outlook 2003 Pro

--

Regards
message Where and in what version of Outlook do you see these three
"folders?"
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
The reason I ask, is because I have 3 folders that look
alike, but have different properties (Mailbox, Outlook, and
Personal Folders). This doesn't look right to me.

--

Regards
message Not quite sure what you're asking, but yes, all Outlook
data is stored in one file. It has a PST extension.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
message Pardon the highjack, but is all this info found in just
one file? (The file with the Office icon)

--

Regards
in message The file you need is your Personal Folders file (*.pst)
It's where all the mail, calendar, contacts etc are
stored.

Take a look at these pages for info on Outlook data
backup or transfer:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx


--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
in message
My computer crashed. I had to reload Outlook and, of
course, all of my
contacts are gone. Are these stored in a file
somewhere that may still be on
my computer somewhere?

 

[rustyfender04]

Quote...
""My best guess is that in an attempt to
create a new data file, you added the "Personal Address Book" to your
profile which produced the prompt to find a non-existent PAB file."
-------------------------------
Now that you've jogged my memory--I believe that is what happened.


--

Regards

What happenend is that Outlook profile settings are never deleted when you
uninstall Outlook. So when you reinstalled it, it used those settings and
kept looking for the same data file in the same location (a host of other
settings were retained as well).
The reason I was alarmed eventually to learn about that error message is
that it suggested that perhaps you actually had been using a PAB
file--which I had already told you was safe to delete because no one has
used one for years. Now I'm sure you were not. My best guess is that in an
attempt to create a new data file, you added the "Personal Address Book"
to your profile which produced the prompt to find a non-existent PAB file.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

My apologies then.



To tell you the truth, I'm not completely sure how this error got
started. I had uninstalled Outlook back in March, due to lack of
resources to run it efficiently. But I before I did that, I had moved
the .pst file over to D drive.--I later on decided to delete the .pst
file.



After getting a memory upgrade, I reinstalled Outlook a few days ago, but
it did not want to open without knowing where the .pst file was on D
drive. I was a bit shocked that it would remember that after I had
uninstalled the program and deleted the file--Maybe the uninstall didn't
go correctly or something?



My memory is a little vague about what I did next, but I remember going
through some prompts, in order to create a new file. And I'm not sure
how my new file wound up in--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook. I think the correct (default) location
is--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\*Local Settings*\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook. (I am running XP Home w/SP2)



I'm guessing that it was a combination of operator/ program error that
caused my problems. I have another thread in the Outlook/ Installation
forum addressing a problem with the Import Export wizard. Some of the
files in the MSOcache folder were corrupted-Not sure how that happened,
but it has since been fixed.




--

Regards

Didn't mean to. I was just curious about the actual problem that caused
you to post your question. It's an interesting error and I'd love to
know what caused it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I didn't start the thread Dr.--I just jumped in to get a little expert
advice that the thread helped to trigger.

You're splitting hairs in my opinion.

No hard feelings though, and thanks for your help.

--

Regards


Just look at the thread. You posted nothing about an error message
concerning a PAB. You must have expected me to commit some other
thread to memory.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I don't quite follow you, but I think I have fixed things for now.

Thanks again.

--

Regards


But the above never appeared in this thread. You just jumped in and
started asking about the files in your default Outlook location.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Remember this?

(I cannot find the .PAB file in Outlook's Navi pane. I tried to
delete
the file from its current location, but *Outlook does not want to
open
without knowing where it is*. Well, Outlook eventually opened
after I
went through the prompts in an effort to find the .PAB file--Even
though
Outlook never found it. I have since restored this folder back to
where
it used to be, along with the .PST folder.)

Sorry, but you misread the above, or you would have understood.
---------------------------------------
I have no idea why I am getting a prompt for a .PAB file, unless,
as you say, I configured my profile that way. I just installed
Office a few months ago, and I have much to learn.

Anyway, thanks for your help and the links Russ...I'll see if I can
take it from here.


--

Regards
So new information keeps trickling in. You never mentioned you
were getting a prompt for the PAB. Why are you? You must have
configured your profile to use a PAB at some point. Outlook never
does that on its own. Do you have any reason to be using a PAB?
Actually, creating a new profile will solve both problems. Make
sure you do it from acratch and give it a different name. When you
do, make sure you set it to use your current PST file, not the new
one it will create. You can also migrate your autocompletion cache
by renaming it to match your new profile's name. To create a new
profile for Outlook 2002 and 2003:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312354
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
How can I stop Outlook from requesting the .PAB file, every time
I open it (Outlook)? It asks for it after I send it to the
recycle bin.

As for fixing the corrupt .pst file situation--I guess it's best
to create a new profile first, and then delete the old profile?

--

Regards
message I didn't have any questions. You did.
You aren't using a PAB You can delete that file. The PST file
and the NK2 file are both in use by Outlook. Leave them alone.
In case you're interested, you also have a corrupt profile which
has 2 references to the same data file. It doesn't hurt
anything. You'd have to create a new Outlook profile from
scratch to fix it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I think I finally found the root folders you were referring to.
I have two personal folders in the left pane--One has a house
icon associated with it, and the other one has a file box icon.
Both of these folders have what appears to be the same thing in
them (inbox, outbox, etc.) and my mail is in both inboxes.

Here is the path I found for the first Personal Folder in the
navigation pane--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Personal Folders.pst

And the second Personal Folder--C:\Documents and
Settings\Owner\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Personal
Folders.pst

I cannot find the .PAB file in Outlook's Navi pane. I tried to
delete the file from its current location, but Outlook does not
want to open without knowing where it is. Well, Outlook
eventually opened after I went through the prompts in an effort
to find the .PAB file--Even though Outlook never found it. I
have since restored this folder back to where it used to be,
along with the .PST folder.

Did I answer your questions?

--

Regards
message Then only one of these is your PST file, obviously. The NK2
file is your autocompletion cache. The PAB file is a legacy
file for Contacts that Outlook has not used for years (and I
doubt you are). Your Contacts are stored in your PST file now.

The root folder is simply the top folder in the Navigation
Pane. It will usually be called "Outlook Today" or "Personal
Folders" depending on how you configured your folder. In its
properties, click on "Advanced" to see the name and location
of the PST file you are currently using.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
mailbox.PAB-- Outlook. NK2-- Personal Folders.PST (It's
funny--Each one opens with "unknown application" in the
properties box)

I am only using one POP account.

Can you steer me to the root folder?

--

Regards
message Then I assume you mean files. What is their file extension?
It would not be unusual for you to have created more than
one set of Outlook Data Files. Each Outlook profile usually
has a different file. To see which you are using, just
examine the properties of your root folder in Outlook.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Outlook 2003 Pro

--

Regards
message Where and in what version of Outlook do you see these
three "folders?"
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
message The reason I ask, is because I have 3 folders that look
alike, but have different properties (Mailbox, Outlook,
and Personal Folders). This doesn't look right to me.

--

Regards
in message Not quite sure what you're asking, but yes, all Outlook
data is stored in one file. It has a PST extension.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
message Pardon the highjack, but is all this info found in just
one file? (The file with the Office icon)

--

Regards
"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <[email protected]>
wrote in message
The file you need is your Personal Folders file
(*.pst) It's where all the mail, calendar, contacts
etc are stored.

Take a look at these pages for info on Outlook data
backup or transfer:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx


--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Crazy Bay" <Crazy (e-mail address removed)>
wrote in message
My computer crashed. I had to reload Outlook and, of
course, all of my
contacts are gone. Are these stored in a file
somewhere that may still be on
my computer somewhere?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

What happenend is that Outlook profile settings are never deleted when you
uninstall Outlook. So when you reinstalled it, it used those settings and
kept looking for the same data file in the same location (a host of other
settings were retained as well).
The reason I was alarmed eventually to learn about that error message is
that it suggested that perhaps you actually had been using a PAB file--which
I had already told you was safe to delete because no one has used one for
years. Now I'm sure you were not. My best guess is that in an attempt to
create a new data file, you added the "Personal Address Book" to your
profile which produced the prompt to find a non-existent PAB file.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

My apologies then.



To tell you the truth, I'm not completely sure how this error got started.
I had uninstalled Outlook back in March, due to lack of resources to run
it efficiently. But I before I did that, I had moved the .pst file over
to D drive.--I later on decided to delete the .pst file.



After getting a memory upgrade, I reinstalled Outlook a few days ago, but
it did not want to open without knowing where the .pst file was on D
drive. I was a bit shocked that it would remember that after I had
uninstalled the program and deleted the file--Maybe the uninstall didn't
go correctly or something?



My memory is a little vague about what I did next, but I remember going
through some prompts, in order to create a new file. And I'm not sure how
my new file wound up in--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook. I think the correct (default) location
is--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\*Local Settings*\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook. (I am running XP Home w/SP2)



I'm guessing that it was a combination of operator/ program error that
caused my problems. I have another thread in the Outlook/ Installation
forum addressing a problem with the Import Export wizard. Some of the
files in the MSOcache folder were corrupted-Not sure how that happened,
but it has since been fixed.




--

Regards

Didn't mean to. I was just curious about the actual problem that caused
you to post your question. It's an interesting error and I'd love to know
what caused it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I didn't start the thread Dr.--I just jumped in to get a little expert
advice that the thread helped to trigger.

You're splitting hairs in my opinion.

No hard feelings though, and thanks for your help.

--

Regards


Just look at the thread. You posted nothing about an error message
concerning a PAB. You must have expected me to commit some other thread
to memory.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I don't quite follow you, but I think I have fixed things for now.

Thanks again.

--

Regards


But the above never appeared in this thread. You just jumped in and
started asking about the files in your default Outlook location.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Remember this?

(I cannot find the .PAB file in Outlook's Navi pane. I tried to
delete
the file from its current location, but *Outlook does not want to
open
without knowing where it is*. Well, Outlook eventually opened after
I
went through the prompts in an effort to find the .PAB file--Even
though
Outlook never found it. I have since restored this folder back to
where
it used to be, along with the .PST folder.)

Sorry, but you misread the above, or you would have understood.
---------------------------------------
I have no idea why I am getting a prompt for a .PAB file, unless, as
you say, I configured my profile that way. I just installed Office a
few months ago, and I have much to learn.

Anyway, thanks for your help and the links Russ...I'll see if I can
take it from here.


--

Regards
So new information keeps trickling in. You never mentioned you were
getting a prompt for the PAB. Why are you? You must have configured
your profile to use a PAB at some point. Outlook never does that on
its own. Do you have any reason to be using a PAB?
Actually, creating a new profile will solve both problems. Make
sure you do it from acratch and give it a different name. When you
do, make sure you set it to use your current PST file, not the new
one it will create. You can also migrate your autocompletion cache
by renaming it to match your new profile's name. To create a new
profile for Outlook 2002 and 2003:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312354
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
How can I stop Outlook from requesting the .PAB file, every time I
open it (Outlook)? It asks for it after I send it to the recycle
bin.

As for fixing the corrupt .pst file situation--I guess it's best
to create a new profile first, and then delete the old profile?

--

Regards
message I didn't have any questions. You did.
You aren't using a PAB You can delete that file. The PST file and
the NK2 file are both in use by Outlook. Leave them alone.
In case you're interested, you also have a corrupt profile which
has 2 references to the same data file. It doesn't hurt anything.
You'd have to create a new Outlook profile from scratch to fix
it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I think I finally found the root folders you were referring to.
I have two personal folders in the left pane--One has a house
icon associated with it, and the other one has a file box icon.
Both of these folders have what appears to be the same thing in
them (inbox, outbox, etc.) and my mail is in both inboxes.

Here is the path I found for the first Personal Folder in the
navigation pane--C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Personal Folders.pst

And the second Personal Folder--C:\Documents and
Settings\Owner\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Personal
Folders.pst

I cannot find the .PAB file in Outlook's Navi pane. I tried to
delete the file from its current location, but Outlook does not
want to open without knowing where it is. Well, Outlook
eventually opened after I went through the prompts in an effort
to find the .PAB file--Even though Outlook never found it. I
have since restored this folder back to where it used to be,
along with the .PST folder.

Did I answer your questions?

--

Regards
message Then only one of these is your PST file, obviously. The NK2
file is your autocompletion cache. The PAB file is a legacy
file for Contacts that Outlook has not used for years (and I
doubt you are). Your Contacts are stored in your PST file now.

The root folder is simply the top folder in the Navigation
Pane. It will usually be called "Outlook Today" or "Personal
Folders" depending on how you configured your folder. In its
properties, click on "Advanced" to see the name and location of
the PST file you are currently using.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
mailbox.PAB-- Outlook. NK2-- Personal Folders.PST (It's
funny--Each one opens with "unknown application" in the
properties box)

I am only using one POP account.

Can you steer me to the root folder?

--

Regards
message Then I assume you mean files. What is their file extension?
It would not be unusual for you to have created more than one
set of Outlook Data Files. Each Outlook profile usually has a
different file. To see which you are using, just examine the
properties of your root folder in Outlook.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Outlook 2003 Pro

--

Regards
message Where and in what version of Outlook do you see these three
"folders?"
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
message The reason I ask, is because I have 3 folders that look
alike, but have different properties (Mailbox, Outlook,
and Personal Folders). This doesn't look right to me.

--

Regards
in message Not quite sure what you're asking, but yes, all Outlook
data is stored in one file. It has a PST extension.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
message Pardon the highjack, but is all this info found in just
one file? (The file with the Office icon)

--

Regards
in message The file you need is your Personal Folders file (*.pst)
It's where all the mail, calendar, contacts etc are
stored.

Take a look at these pages for info on Outlook data
backup or transfer:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx


--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
in message
My computer crashed. I had to reload Outlook and, of
course, all of my
contacts are gone. Are these stored in a file
somewhere that may still be on
my computer somewhere?