data in Microsoft Outlook lost!

data in Microsoft Outlook lost!

Didn't find your answer?

would be grateful if anybody could advise on the following.....my computer crashed, and I managed to recover the hard drive and all files seem ok (once I had reinstalled microsoft office. However, all my appointments, contacts etc that I had stored in Outlook have disappeared. I was wondering if this data gets stored somewhere on the harddrive that I might be able to recover it?

any comments much appreciated

thanks in advance
Jenny
Jenny

Replies (10)

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Chris Caspell CTA TEP
By ccaspell
20th Oct 2008 10:59

Damaged .pst file
Sounds like your .pst file is corrupted. Try running the Inbox Repair Tool to see if that helps. You can find instructions on how to do it here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/272227

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By User deleted
17th Oct 2008 16:43

Sorry, I'm stumped...
... works OK on my system!

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By User deleted
17th Oct 2008 15:50

sorry for the confusion!
hi Steve
sorry for the confusion......relating to outlook I've lost my diary and contact details. However, I don't use email through Outlook, I use Mozilla Thunderbird (as from what I've been told it has better security than IE). It is my emails in Mozilla Thunderbird inbox and sent box that I've lost (this is a separate and additional problem from the Outlook one!

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By User deleted
17th Oct 2008 11:11

thank you
thanks for all your comments...I haven't so far been able to recover the data!

I did get to aoint where it asks to choose from a list which programme it uses (or something like that) , but outlook doesn't appear in the list (excel, powerpoint etc do).

This problem was originally a "recovery" of the hard drive.....I didn't reinstall windows, just had to reinstall microsoft office...hmmmm!..so all my normal files seem to be ok..it;s just outlook and my lost inbox/sent box (I dont use outlook for my emails)

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By User deleted
17th Oct 2008 15:59

sorry,,forgot to say.....
yes i have found the outlook.pst file, but if I try to open it from outlook (file, open, outlook data file)....when I click on outlook.pst, it says "windows cannot open this file"....then gives options to find the programme that created it....from the web or choose from a list of programems (but in the list, outlook doesn't appear!)

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By User deleted
17th Oct 2008 14:35

Confusing!
Your last post is confusing because you're worried about your lost inbox/sentbox but then you say you don't use outlook for emails. But goung back to your original post, you are trying to recover contact and calendar data.

Have you found your lost outlook.pst file?
If so, you can't open it directly by double-clicking or using rightclick > open. You need to open it from the Outlook File > Open menu.

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Chris Caspell CTA TEP
By ccaspell
14th Oct 2008 16:45

Outlook data
Fair point Richard - I had presumed that this was a new install as office had been reinstalled and that the .pst file was an empty vessel and so it would not matter if it was overwritten.

Jenny, if you already have data (emails etc) in your email then the import option would be the safest, otherwise do as I said in my earlier post to save you having to switch between .pst files.

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By User deleted
14th Oct 2008 12:06

Rename and Import or Copy
If you find the old outlook.pst, rename it and open it from outlook via File > Open > Outlook Data File. Then you can copy what you want over to your new outlook.pst or use the File > Import function.

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By Richard Willis
14th Oct 2008 10:58

CAREFUL!
Hi Jenny

I originally started a post similar to Chris's but changed my mind! However if you have already sent or received any mail in the NEW setup, if you copy the old .pst file in you will loose the new data.

I THINK that you can set up an alternative account, specifying the old file in an alternative location, thereby giving access to its contents. I have never done this; no doubt someone will enlighten us both.

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Chris Caspell CTA TEP
By ccaspell
14th Oct 2008 10:51

Data in Outlook lost!
The data from MS Outlook is by default stored in a file called outlook.pst and this file is stored at:

{drive}\Documents and Settings\{user}\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook folder

The local settings folder (and I think one or two others as well) are hidden so you will probably need to change your folder options to show hidden files.

Taken from the microsoft office site: In Windows Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options. On the View tab, under Advanced Settings, under Files and Folders, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders. If you want to see all file name extensions, clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box under Files and Folders. Hidden folders appear dimmed to indicate they are not typical folders.

You should be able to find the old file (from the recovered directory) and then copy it to the location above. When you restart Outlook will moan a bit, but accept when it says it wants to rebuild (or whatever the wording is) and then you should be back where you started.

Good luck.

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