Trying to retrieve Outlook 2007 .pst files

Warrior Monk

Hi,

3 days ago I upgraded from Vista to Windows 7. Beforehand I had backed up my files including my emails, notes, contacts and calender items (using Vista's standard backup software). Now I am having trouble getting them back onto Outlook (Outlook 2007).

I can see that there are lots of randomly distributed .pst files on the external drive but when I try to access them a message appears in a new window:

"The file C:\Old PST\From Back Up Files\Outlook.pst is not a personal folders file".

Before trying to open them I am moving them from the external drive to a folder (From Back Up Files) on the pc hard drive. The files are described by the computer as being .pst files and they all have the little Outlook icon beside them.

The route I am using to access them is by (in Outlook) clicking "File", then "Open", then "Outlook Data File" and then choosing one of the .pst files.

Could you please help me with how to resolve this? Is there a way to get Outlook to recognise the .pst files?

Can I import all my past emails from Gmail to my Outlook?

Best regards,
Warrior Monk

woolymammoth

Warrior Monk wrote: »

Can I import all my past emails from Gmail to my Outlook?

as long as the emails were not deleted from Gmail, then yes. Indefinitely.

as for the PST files, they may be corrupt. Are you sure you have the correct pst file to begin with? You could try to import the pst file, instead of using file>open. Office usually comes with an application in the Program Files folder called SCANPST.EXE. you can try running that on the pst file to see if it finds any problems.

Warrior Monk

Thanks Woolymammoth,

Do you know how to import the mails from Gmail?

I cannot find anything on how to do this on the Gmail website (even their help forum).

Thanks again,

Warrior Monk

woolymammoth

I do indeed!

https://mail.google.com/mail/#settings/fwdandpop

Here's where you need to enable it in gmail. there's links to the help files for configuring outlook too.

Warrior Monk

Thanks very much! I missed that detail on gmail.com

Warrior Monk

Hi Woolymammoth,


Thanks again for your help yesterday.

I tried it this morning at the gmail link you provided but all that is happening is that some very old mails (from 2007) are being received on my Outlook. It seems to be importing 485 mails running up until 20th July 2007 but nothing after that date. If I enable again, it just imports the same 485 mails again.

Do you know how to get all the mails in between 20th July 2007 and now? I can see them all (approx 8,000 mails) on Gmail when I log in.


Kind regards,
Warrior Monk

woolymammoth

how long did you leave it run for? Did you use the POP or IMAP to get access?

Warrior Monk

Hey,


I was able to retrieve all the mails using Imap. Nice one!

I just need to retrieve the contacts, tasks, notes and calender now. I don't see any of them on Gmail so I try to access those .pst files using that scan program you mentioned above.

Thanks again,
Warrior Monk

woolymammoth

nice one! The SCANPST executable should repair any errors in your PST file. However, if you find yourself really scraping at straws for your contacts, try looking for an *.NK2 file from your backup. You may or may not have it. It's the file that hold that lovely list of contacts when you start typing them in the "to" box. It would be a pain in the ass to retrieve your contacts from it, but you would have them as least!

is there any particlar reason you're not just using gmail instead of outlook? it has an offline mode! or you can pay for google apps and avail of all the business synching with calendars to outlook and all that!