how do I restore a lost .pst file to outlook?

[Supreme]

I received a message when I opened up my outlook 2000 that said it could'nt
open and that I should either open an exsisting file(I didn't know which one
to open) or create a new one. I created a new one and now outlook is starting
up new, no contacts, no past emails.
I have looked for the outlook.pst file which I have found. When I try to
open it it says, Windows cannot open this file. it sends me to the microsoft
outlook homepage and I am LOST!

Can anyone help me restore my address book and past emails?

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

First try to find the 'right' PST by opening them using the File menu > Open

Outlook Data File command. Once you find it, quit out of Outlook, rename

the one you just created to something else, restart Outlook and when it
complains that it can't find the PST (that you just renamed) point it to the
'right' one now that you know its name