Where does Outlook keep it's data? (Help!)

[justin78]

Hi All-

I hope some of you can help me with this one... I'm in trouble if I can't figure it out!

I've recently built a new comp and had to reinstall XP on a new hard drive. No biggie, except that none of the programs on my old hard drive will run anymore since the registry is brand new.

This is a problem because I need the mail and addresses I had stored in Outlook on the old drive. I've scanned the entire drive, and there aren't any .pst, .pab, etc. files anywhere, so I have no idea where Outlook kept it's data. But it's got to be there somewhere, right?

If I could boot off of the old drive obviously none of this would be an issue, but unfortunately I can't. Given this scenario, does anyone know wither of the following?:

1. Where Outlook keeps all of it's data (and in what type of file?)
2. How I can get Outlook to run so that I can just export everything?

Help!
Justin

[solidsnake1500]

there a bunch of programs that you can use
just google "outlook backup" there are a ton of them. some you have to pay for but most are free.

here is one http://www.outlook-express-backup.com/
dont know if its the best but it was the first

GL

[LooseChippings]

Outlook uses a Username.PST file to save data.

Search you old HDD for *.PST and you will find the one you want and then copy it over to your new HDD (best place is into a personnal folder).

Search your new HDD for *.PST and delete all occurences of the file except the one you have just copied over.

Open Outlook and it will come up with en error something like 'Cannot find user file ...'

Point Outlook at the PST file you have just copied over and away you go (you may need to rename the file).

[bensonjv]

I have Outlook on the brain so I'll chime in here even though this is a fairly dated post.

Outlook stores your mail files in the following directory by default:

C:\Documents and Settings\USERACCOUNTNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

This is a hidden file by default. I am pretty sure that hidden files and folders do not pop-up when you search.......unless........

Open any explorer window, say My Computer. Click Tools --> Folder Options --> View. Look for the hidden files and folders entry (its a radio button among all the check boxes. Select "Show Hidden files and Folders". Click ok. Hidden files and folders look greyed out but are accessible.

Now you can search for your .PST files or follow the path above and copy them where you want them to go. The easiest might be to paste the old .PST to the new .PST folder location. But if you have data in the new .PST file, that might not be a good option. Instead you might want to try an import function. Search Outlook Help files for information on importing data from another account, .PST fie, etc. Its fairly simple.


Hope that helps, albiet late.

J

[Info]

Open Outlook then click help and select detect and repair, make sure there is a tick in restore my shortcuts, run that and see if it adapts to the new registry. You can install Outlook back up from Office Online and specify where the back up is stored on the drive