Outlook - Office 2010 .pst Installation Question(s)

WIN7 NIGHTMARE · 27 Mar 2020

*THANKS FOR THE REPLY

There is some ColdFusion about how Windows PC and software wrk.
*uh, coldfusion??...

3) User Profile folder Application setting files, like signatures, etc.
*yes, i know this point

4) Application database files, like the PST and OST files
*yes, i know this point

To migrate the data to a new machine, physically different PC or a reinstall of windows on the same PC, is basically the same thing. I urge you to use a software that will properly backup your data and user profiles. This allows you to restore it back just like it was.
*The pst files have already been backed up some time ago....My question remains that if I "shot-gun" a previously saved pst file into a new installation of office/outlook and I don't like it for whatever reason, HOW or what is the procedure to return office/outlook to the state that it was BEFORE I loaded the already saved pst file onto/into it??....Do I have to uninstall office/outlook and re-install it all over again?

HiTechCoach · 28 Mar 2020

WIN7 NIGHTMARE said:

There is some ColdFusion about how Windows PC and software wrk.
*uh, coldfusion??...

Sorry about th auto correct by the speak to text. coldfusion should have been confusion.

WIN7 NIGHTMARE said:

4) Application database files, like the PST and OST files
*yes, i know this point

Great, then you know about Office applications having a menu option to open and close files.

What happens when you open and close the old PST?

WIN7 NIGHTMARE · 30 Mar 2020

Greetings - Back to this -

I accessed my brothers' screwed up hard drive this morning and went here:

c:\users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

c:\users\username\Documents\Outlook Files

and found 3 files (see pict)..Can any of these be imported into Office/Outlook to restore his e-mails? Your earliest response is welcome as I am shipping his hd back today...THANKS!

HiTechCoach · 30 Mar 2020

Can any of these be imported into Office/Outlook to restore his e-mails?

No need to import. You can have both the current PST and the old one open at the same time!

See previous reply on how to do it.

WIN7 NIGHTMARE · 05 Apr 2020

HiTechCoach said:

Sorry about th auto correct by the speak to text. coldfusion should have been confusion.

Great, then you know about Office applications having a menu option to open and close files.

What happens when you open and close the old PST?

**********************

Thanks for the reply,

I shipped the HD back to my relative a few days ago....Regarding the "menu option", I don't use Win 7 or Office/Outlook but, I did read and saw picts of the "menu" you had mentioned.
Import email, contacts, and calendar from an Outlook .pst file - Office Support

In one of the picts I had posted, there are 3 files with the largest being ".bak".....I used a "pst" reader program and was able to view a few mails from i after changing the extension to .pst......

Since it is the largest of the 3 and "possibly" containing more info so-to-speak, could not I change the extension from .bak to ".pst" and copy and paste that into whatever folder it belongs in (once I find it again)?....Am I mistaken in assuming that I can select a setting deleting any duplicates?

Lastly, is there an "un-do" I can select if this craps out - meaning can I delete the copy and pasted .pst file to return outlook to "before I started"?

HiTechCoach · 05 Apr 2020

If yoo have Outlook installed, you don't need a separate PST reader. Outlook is the best tool to use to open and view a PST file.

A PST file is a type of database. TheA large fiel size does oit inidcate is has ore data. The file may not have been compacted after lots of items were deleted. The PST File does not automatically shrink in size after items are deleted. It will automatically grow in size, usually in "chunks".

It is possible to move or copy items between to Opened PST files. Ycan also drag items between PST files

I highly recommend making a backup of the PST files before you start moving or copying items.

WIN7 NIGHTMARE · 06 Apr 2020

Thanks for the reply!

If yoo have Outlook installed, you don't need a separate PST reader. Outlook is the best tool to use to open and view a PST file.
Yes, I know that...my question was more-so that, if/can I drag and drop another pst file where one already exits and, will they yield the combination of the 2 pst files?...Also, having saved the first one to a flash drive, if I do not like the outcome, can I delete the pst file to revert back to before I started?

A PST file is a type of database.
Yes, I am aware

TheA large fiel size does oit inidcate is has ore data.
huh? (I changed the bak extension to pst and it read fine but, do not know if it will "work" fine if installed).

The file may not have been compacted after lots of items were deleted. The PST File does not automatically shrink in size after items are deleted. It will automatically grow in size, usually in "chunks".
I see but, if "merged" will it restore data, settings, etc?

It is possible to move or copy items between to Opened PST files. Ycan also drag items between PST files
ok

I highly recommend making a backup of the PST files before you start moving or copying items
Already have

HiTechCoach · 07 Apr 2020

I think you may be over complicating and/or overthinking this.

Outlook is not that complicated to set up..

Not all Outlook data and settings are stored in the PST file. There are also files in the user profile folders. There are also Windows registry settings.

If you have a backup, you can also restore.

It would probably be best for you to set up a test environment and try it so you can learn how it works.

You may find the answers you want at Outlook and Exchange Solutions Center or HowTo-Outlook - Support for Microsoft Outlook, Exchange and Office 365
.

WIN7 NIGHTMARE · 07 Apr 2020

Thanks for the reply!

I think you may be over complicating and/or overthinking this.
Could very well be since I have never used this - I only have used Outlook Express or sign on and use web mail.

Outlook is not that complicated to set up..
Yeah, it is when you have NEVER use it!...grin

Not all Outlook data and settings are stored in the PST file. There are also files in the user profile folders. There are also Windows registry settings.
Well I agree in part...Outlook-Office is installed and I have 2 or 3 back-ups saved on an external flash drive....The upgraded hard drive (Win 7 to Win Ultimate) was shipped back to my brother about a week ago...

I have a clone copy of his corrupted (Win 7) drive here.....He has downloaded hundreds of mails, all in the "IN BOX" but, nothing shows in the "SENT BOX" since he downloaded from his ISP server....I have made a clone copy of his "new" Win Ultimate" hard drive on an external 1TB hard drive and shipped it all back at one time....

Let me ask this this way -
1)...What saved file(s) do I tell him to copy and paste or do the import method in Outlook (pst or bak - bak seems more recent and larger if memory serves) into the file folder containing his "current pst file"?

2)...Will Outlook-Office be able to load or recognize BOTH pst files in the same folder, loading his mail and contacts, etc.?

3)...If something gets screwed up, HOW do I return Outlook back to what it was before the attempted "import?..Nobody has told me this or, if they did, I missed it.

If you have a backup, you can also restore.
He has a back up of his pst that I rescued from his corrupt hard drive.

It would probably be best for you to set up a test environment and try it so you can learn how it works.
Too late for that since the drive is 800 miles away.

You may find the answers you want at Outlook and Exchange Solutions Center or HowTo-Outlook - Support for Microsoft Outlook, Exchange and Office 365

WIN7 NIGHTMARE · 10 Apr 2020

Ran into an issue....

When accessing my brothers' computer via net, followed the steps as described in the following link: YouTube

- and after locating the saved pst file (just that, and not the larger .bak file), clicked "next" to continue in the process but, was stopped immediately saying that I did not have permission to proceed...Where do I go from here?

1)...opened outlook
2)...located saved pst file
3)...launched outlook (2013)
4)...hit "file"
5)...selected "open"
6)...selected "import"
7)...selected "import from another file or program"
8)...clicked "next"
9)...selected outlook data file pst
10)...clicked "next"
11)...clicked "browse" and located saved pst file
12)...selected "do not import duplicates".
13)...CLICKED "NEXT" -
- AT THIS POINT I RECEIVED THE "I DON'T HAVE PERMISSIONS" MESSAGE AND WAS STOPPED COLD.

I also attempted to drag and drop the saved pst file into the Outlook folder where there is an existing pst file and nothing happened (looked in the "sent" Outlook mail and nothing was there), even after re-starting Outlook.