Outlook restore help needed

[Outlooker]

Explorer went corrupt on my computer and despite following all instructions to restore it I could not get my computer to start. I decided it's time to upgrade anyway and so I took the drive from my windows ME machine and put it in my XP machine. Everything is accessable from there. I have installed Outlook on my new computer but now I want to restore my old emails. I figured I could copy the files from my old Outlook folder to my new one but everything seems different. I have located a sizeable file called outlook.pst from the windows folder of my old drive but do not have the same folder on my new one.

Please can somebody tell me how I can restore my old Outlook files from my old drive to my new computer? Thank you!

[Rob Pomeroy]

Outlook data files are by default stored in the user's Application Data folder, which is a hidden folder.  On Win98/ME, it is under the Windows folder (possible under the Profiles sub folder).  On 2000/XP, it stored under Documents and Settings\username.  Since it's a hidden folder, you need to switch on viewing hidden folders and files in order to view it.

Which version of Outlook are you using?  The method of making the old .pst file your default file varies between versions.

[Outlooker]

Thank you. I'm using Outlook 2000.
Is it the .pst files I have to replace? The only file with .pst I can find is Archive but I don't find any .pst on the new computer running XP.

[Rob Pomeroy]

You can probably safely ignore the archive.pst file, unless you know there's something in there that you want.  Transfer the outlook.pst file to whatever location you require - it doesn't have to be in the Application Data tree, that just happens to be the default location.

Then load up Outlook 2000.  Go to File--Open-->Personal folders.  Locate the outlook.pst file and click okay.

Now in Outlook it is really useful if you have the Outlook folder tree open.  If you click on the title that will be saying "Outlook Today" or "Inbox" or "Contacts" depending on what you're currently viewing, you'll see the folder tree appear.  At the top right, there's a little pushpin icon, which you can click to make the folder tree remain in place.

In the folder tree you will see an entry "Outlook Today" - the current Inbox, Journal, etc, folders come of this.  You will also see a "Personal folders" tree - that's the outlook.pst file you've just opened.

Now for the totally non-intuitive bit!

Right-click on the Personal folders tree, and choose properties.  At the bottom of the dialog box, you'll see an option "deliver POP mail to this folder" (or something like that).  Tick that box and click okay.

Close and re-open Outlook.

Now the names "Outlook Today" and "Personal Folders" have swapped round.  Right-click on "Personal folders" and click "Close".

That's it.