can't use backup .pst file

[Kevin]

I had to rebuild my computer from scratch (after doing a
full backup). I'm still trying to restore my previous
Outlook .pst files - contacts, calendar, and a large
number of e-mails that I've carefully organized into sub-
folders, etc. Although I can get Outlook to Open my
previous .pst file from File->Open - all of the folders
appear empty and none of the folders I created show up.
Same result if I "Import" from the old .pst.
I've done a "scanpst" against the previous version and no
errors are reported - it does say that it found 16
folders, which is 4 more than are visible but fewer than
I actually created. When I compress a copy of the
previous folder, it also completes with no errors or
warnings and the size of the .pst file goes from 109MB to
59KB.

TIA
..

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Where is this backup file located?

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. Due to
the SWEN virus, all mail sent to my personal account will be deleted
without reading.

After searching google.groups.com and finding no answer, Kevin asked:

| I had to rebuild my computer from scratch (after doing a
| full backup). I'm still trying to restore my previous
| Outlook .pst files - contacts, calendar, and a large
| number of e-mails that I've carefully organized into sub-
| folders, etc. Although I can get Outlook to Open my
| previous .pst file from File->Open - all of the folders
| appear empty and none of the folders I created show up.
| Same result if I "Import" from the old .pst.
| I've done a "scanpst" against the previous version and no
| errors are reported - it does say that it found 16
| folders, which is 4 more than are visible but fewer than
| I actually created. When I compress a copy of the
| previous folder, it also completes with no errors or
| warnings and the size of the .pst file goes from 109MB to
| 59KB.
|
| TIA
| .

 

[Kevin]

I have tried a number of things - including replacing the
datafile in my profile (Documents and
Settings/myprofile/local settings/application data),
putting it in MyDocuments and opening it from the file
menu, or Importing it from MyDocuments. Even when I
import, I see the "default" folder structure (Calendar,
Contacts, Sent, Inbox, etc.) - but I do not see any of
the folders or sub-folders that I created to organize my
e-mails or contacts. It's as if everything has been
deleted - still in the .pst marked as deleted, so it
doesn't show up. I did not wholesale delete all this
stuff - but the behavior of having a 109MB pst file that
drops to 59K when compressed indicates to me that the
stuff is there in some wierd state (e.g. deleted).

 

[Brian Tillman]

I did not wholesale delete all this
stuff - but the behavior of having a 109MB pst file that
drops to 59K when compressed indicates to me that the
stuff is there in some wierd state (e.g. deleted).

Perhaps this will help. From http://www.slipstick.com/problems/scanpst.htm

Another approach is to use a hex editor remove a single byte from the middle
of the PST file, then run Scanpst. A hex editor is a tool for editing raw
files; every Windows shareware site has several to choose from. Eugene
McCarthy of FAO Headquarters in Rome recommends the free iHex editor, which
loads only 64kb of the file at a time, making it ideal for tinkering with
extremely large PST files. For simple Scanpst repairs, Eugene recommends
changing the first byte of the PST file from hex 21 to 00.
--
Brian Tillman
Smiths Aerospace
3290 Patterson Ave. SE, MS 1B3
Grand Rapids, MI 49512-1991
Brian.Tillman is the name, smiths-aerospace.com is the domain.

I don't speak for Smiths, and Smiths doesn't speak for me.