Hey folks.

I am trying to restore my friend's Outlook 2003 data...emails/folders, and address book hopefully...to a new hard drive. I backed up his Program Files, and his Application Data completely.

Under the Application Data/Microsoft/Outlook, I have the following files:

outcmd.dat
Outlook.NK2
Outlook.srs
Outlook.xml

I thought that, after installing Outlook 2003 on his new hard drive, I would just be able to start up Outlook, have it create the Application Data folder, exit Outlook, and copy the contents of the above 4 files into the Outlook folder under Application Data.

However, when I do this, everything looks right for a second when I enter Outlook, but then his folders and everything disappear, and it looks like a fresh install again. And in the Outlook folder under Application Data, I get an Outlook.srs~ file.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks.

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You can indeed copy your mail from your outlook 2003 client and have a copy of it within your outlook 2003 client onto another hard disk drive. On the original hard disk drive you are going create a new folder on your desktop called "PST". Next you are going to launch your friend's outlook 2003 client, click on file -->> new -->> Personal Folder File (PST). You will be prompted to create a new file name in a default location, I would suggest calling it Mail, you want to create this file within the PST folder that you just created on your desktop so select that as the location for the Mail.pst file you are creating. Also choose no encryption or compression. Now you should have a new item in your folder list called personal folders (click view folder list to enable this view). Next you are going to go to your inbox right click and copy Inbox -->> choose the Personal Folder as the Location to copy the folder to. You can do the same thing with your contacts, calendar, notes, sent items, tasks, etc. it is up to you. Now close outlook 2003. Burning a data CD/DVD would be one approach to way you have a copy of this information in archive form or copy it to a USB thumb drive if the PST file size does not exceed the size of the drive itself. Next you need to migrate the PST folder somehow over to your new hard disk drive with outlook 2003 already installed on it. For the time being copy the PST folder onto the desktop of your new hard disk drive desktop, assuming you are running windows XP. Double click on My Computer from the desktop or from the start menu -->> Click on Tools -->> Options -->> Then the View Tab and click to Reveal Hiddden Files and Folders, click Apply then Ok. Then drill down to the following location on your computer "C:\Documents and Settings\{Your freinds user name here}\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook&qu ot; and copy the mail.pst file from the desktop folder to that location. Take the PST folder from the CD/DVD and put it in the computer with the new hard drive. Next click start -->> Control Panel -->> Mail -->> Email Accounts for your profile --->> View or change existing e-mail accounts: Click on New Outlook Data File.... -->> Choose Outlook 2003 Personal Folders File (.pst) and select the one Mail.pst which will then be added to your outlook 2003 e-mail account under Personal Files -->> Launch outlook 2003 and you should be able to see your messages that you copied from the original hard disk drive.

Here is an article from microsoft on .PST files, I would also note again, do not use encryption if the password is lost then there is no way easy nor cheap way to unlock it.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829971/ .

Customer Relations Manager Cyberwalker.com butterscotch.com Tucows.com

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Ah. Thanks.

Crap. I thought I could do it like Mozilla, and just copy the files over. I guess I have to plug back in his old hard drive.

Thanks for the tip!

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I slightly edited my original post as it needed to be refined a bit.

Glad this information was useful and helpful.

Customer Relations Manager Cyberwalker.com butterscotch.com Tucows.com

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So I found a much easier way to do what I wanted. If you just go to:

User Name\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

there is a file there, Outlook.pst. If you just copy that file across to the new hard drive, in the same location, everything comes over in one step. No copying inbox folders, contacts, etc.

However, I tried it your way first, and it made duplicates of the user's personal folder, which I can't get rid of. So now under the All Mail Folders I see 2 copies of the same folder, "My Friend's Name Folder".

Any ideas on how to make it only show one copy?

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The assistance I tried to provide was based on the assumption that there was not an existing PST file. If you have 2 PST files - which sounds like might be the case at this point, delete one of the two PST's. Let us know how it goes. The good news is that you were able to migrate the data from outlook at least. Be sure you have a back-up of it though just in case something goes awry. :mrgreen:

Customer Relations Manager Cyberwalker.com butterscotch.com Tucows.com

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I do have a back-up, yes. I still have the original hard drive, plus I have a backup on my external hard drive.

It is very strange...there is only one PST file. I am going to keep researching this...

Thanks.

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One thought occurs, start over as it were. Create a brand new Personal Folder with its own .PST file and copy whatever is in the folder tree on the older hard drive inbox area: inbox, sent, contacts, tasks, journal, etc. - no need to back up the recycle bin. Then take that .PST and start over on the new hard disk drive, delete the profile on the new hard disk drive and start over and then put the newly created .PST in the "C:\Documents and Settings\{Your freinds user name here}\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook&qu ot; location. Just a passing thought and one approach you may want to consider.

Customer Relations Manager Cyberwalker.com butterscotch.com Tucows.com

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• mattbrand Said:

I usually use my MS Outlook very often and once I opened my tool and was upset,because of all my emails were damaged. But fortunately I entered the Google and observed there - .pst folder corrupted after recovery. I tried to use this tool and it solved my troubles for a minute and gratis as far as I remembered. Moreover the software helped some of my friends out. And they were enjoyed.

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