I desparately need some Outlook tech support
 

My laptop crashed last night due to overheating. My last Outlook pst backup was in August, so I'm good until then. Problem is I've lost all the emails about Warren's fund raising drive from the last few days.

I pulled the HD out of the laptop and bought a case to make it a USB drive to plug into my desktop. The HD is still good, but I can't find the folder under >program files>Office that the raw emails are in so that I can import them. I've set up Outlook on the desktop - just need to grab the emails from laptop HD.

Can someone guide me through this in laymans terms? thx

Mark, I am guessing you save your data locally in a PST file. And you are running XP.

Try looking in C:\Documents and Setting\"YourUserName\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook.

Hal

I don't know how Outlook stores its data, but trying doing a search.

Go to Start-->Search-->All Files and folders

Type something like "Warren" in "A word or phrase in the file".

Oh, and make sure you have "Show hidden files and folders" selected. To check:

In your search screen, go to Tools-->Folder Options-->View

Search the hard drive (all files and folders) for a file name "*.pst" without the quotes. That is where they should be, it is usually stored here:

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Then you can use outlook on your desktop to open that file and retrieve whatever you want via the "file>open>Outlook datafile"

Best of luck.

Here is a sreen shot of the folder I'm in. I suspect it's one of the folders around the Outlook folder but don't know which one or how to access.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1198979598.jpg

You could also try opening files with notepad and seeing what is in them.

Mark, did you look in the locations Mikester and I suggested? They are the 2 default locations Outlook might use. If nothing else, do a search for *.PST . Then from Outlook, go to File\Open\Other User's Folder. Drill to the PST file you find in the Search.

Halm and Mike,
The most recent emails have not been manually saved as a .pst. Does Outlook keep them stored in a .pst by default. Tryed searching for a pst and it came up with my backup from August.

Tried to get "other users folder and it is grayed out.

Mark, some good advice has been given here, but you'll probably have to un-hide the files before you can get to them. Read on...

1. Inside Windows Explorer (NOT Internet Explorer, WINDOWS Explorer) choose TOOLS, and then FOLDER OPTIONS.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1198981198.jpg

2. Choose the VIEW tab and select SHOW HIDDEN FILES AND FOLDERS.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1198981269.jpg

3. Click on OK until you are back to Windows Explorer and then you should be able to navigate to the location where your Outlook files (.PST) are located. Probably something like C:\Documents and Settings\mwilson\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1198981421.jpg

You're looking for the one named OUTLOOK.PST.

Randy

Open Documents and Settings folder > Tools (in toolbar) > Folder Options > View > Hidden Files and Folders > Check Show Hidden Files and Folders

Documents and Setting Folder > Your User Name > Local Settings (folder is light as it was most likely a hidden folder) > Application Data > Microsoft > Outlook > Outlook Data File

Randy beat me to it as I was firing up the work PC laptop. Home is Mac based...

From the search screen or from a folder window:

Go to Tools-->Folder Options-->View

Uncheck "Hide protected operating system files"

The L drive is the one from the laptop. Where can I get to the Documents and settings?

Tried this and no luck
L:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1198981577.jpg

OK - got the folders unhidden toggled on. Doing the search again.

Did you perform steps 1 and 2 in my post to un-hide your hidden files?

Randy

Randy - yes, here is screenshot

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1198983563.jpg

Here is the search result. It's still just finding the backups that I made.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1198983634.jpg

Sorry if I'm being dense. I'm a little brain dead right now with all this other going on.

Go back to my first post. Try searching for "Warren" or some other unique term that you know is in a recent e-mail in the text of files.

Mark, 1.) Do you connect to a corporate email server? 2.) Are you using Outlook 2007 in Cached Mode?

trying that again