Archive will not open...

[laura.dodge]

I have been auto archiving my mail for almost a year. I've added the
Archive folder so it will show up in the list of Outlook folders, but
it contains only one random message. When I try to open the folder
through Data File Management, it doesn't know how to open the .pst
file. Does anyone know how I can go about viewing my archived emails,
and then add them to the archive folder that I see in Outlook. I
checked the preferences on that folder, and it should contain emails
from the past six months. Thanks in advance!

 

[DL]

And how did you add this Archive folder, was it by, within Outlook,
File>Open Data File.......browsed to the archive & opend it or?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I have been auto archiving my mail for almost a year. I've added the
Archive folder so it will show up in the list of Outlook folders, but
it contains only one random message. When I try to open the folder
through Data File Management, it doesn't know how to open the .pst
file. Does anyone know how I can go about viewing my archived emails,
and then add them to the archive folder that I see in Outlook. I
checked the preferences on that folder, and it should contain emails
from the past six months. Thanks in advance!

What version of Outlook? How big is the archive PST?

 

[laura.dodge]

What version of Outlook?  How big is the archive PST?

I got to the file from File --> Data File Management --> Click on
Archive Folders --> Click Open File

This takes me to a file with the Archive pst, which is 1200 KB and a
file called extend.dat, which is 3 KB. When I try to open the pst file
that the file is used by the operating system and changing it might
damage things. It then doesn't know what program to use to open it. Am
I looking in the right place?

Thanks again!

 

[laura.dodge]

What version of Outlook?  How big is the archive PST?

Also, it's Outlook 2003.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I got to the file from File --> Data File Management --> Click on
Archive Folders --> Click Open File

This takes me to a file with the Archive pst, which is 1200 KB and a
file called extend.dat, which is 3 KB.

Don't worry about extend.dat. it's not part of the archive subsystem.

When I try to open the pst file
that the file is used by the operating system and changing it might
damage things. It then doesn't know what program to use to open it. Am
I looking in the right place?

You can't open the file from Windows Explorer. Since you say you already have
your archive folders showing inthe Navigation Pane, you already have the file
open in Outlook, which is what you need to be able to see items in the file.

Are you using the Folder List view of the Navigation Pane (Ctrl-6 or the
"Folder List" button at the bottom of the pane)? If you right-click the root
of the archive folder tree and choose Properties, then click "Folder Size", do
the majority of the folders show space being occupied, or do they have a 0KB
size?

If you close Outlook and run SCANPST.EXE on the Archive PST, does it report
any errors?

 

[laura.dodge]

Don't worry about extend.dat.  it's not part of the archive subsystem.


You can't open the file from Windows Explorer.  Since you say you already have
your archive folders showing inthe Navigation Pane, you already have the file
open in Outlook, which is what you need to be able to see items in the file.

Are you using the Folder List view of the Navigation Pane (Ctrl-6 or the
"Folder List" button at the bottom of the pane)?  If you right-click the root
of the archive folder tree and choose Properties, then click "Folder Size", do
the majority of the folders show space being occupied, or do they have a 0KB
size?

If you close Outlook and run SCANPST.EXE on the Archive PST, does it report
any errors?

Hi Brian,

I found the SCANPST.EXE, but when I browse for the Archive PST I can't
find it. There appears to be no 'Local Settings' folder under my user
folder. I found this address by going through the Windows Explorer
from Data File Management.

I am using the folder list view on the navigation pane. When I look at
the folder size, it shows 158KB in Calendar and everything else is
empty. The total size is 936KB.

Thanks again!

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I found the SCANPST.EXE, but when I browse for the Archive PST I can't
find it. There appears to be no 'Local Settings' folder under my user
folder.

It's there. Just type in the complete path you saw in Data File Management or
enable viewing hidden files and folders in the Folder Options Control Panel.

 

[laura.dodge]

The Inbox Repair Tool reported no errors. There are 10 folders and 66
items in the file.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

The Inbox Repair Tool reported no errors. There are 10 folders and 66
items in the file.

Originally you said "I've added the Archive folder so it will show up in the
list of Outlook folders, but it contains only one random message.". Now you
have 66. What's the problem?

 

[laura.dodge]

Originally you said "I've added the Archive folder so it will show up in the
list of Outlook folders, but it contains only one random message.".  Now you
have 66.  What's the problem?

I can't see those 66 messages in my Archive folder in the list of
Outlook folders. I only see one message. When I click the plus sign
next to the Archive folder I see deleted items and sent items, both of
which are empty. I've been archiving messages for a year, so I would
expect there to be more than 66. Is there some other place they could
be?

 

[laura.dodge]

Originally you said "I've added the Archive folder so it will show up in the
list of Outlook folders, but it contains only one random message.".  Now you
have 66.  What's the problem?

I can't see those 66 messages in my Archive folder in the list of
Outlook folders. I only see one message. When I click the plus sign
next to the Archive folder I see deleted items and sent items, both of
which are empty. I've been archiving messages for a year, so I would
expect there to be more than 66. Is there some other place they could
be?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I can't see those 66 messages in my Archive folder in the list of
Outlook folders. I only see one message. When I click the plus sign
next to the Archive folder I see deleted items and sent items, both of
which are empty. I've been archiving messages for a year, so I would
expect there to be more than 66. Is there some other place they could
be?

So scanpst reports 66 messages, but the archive PST appears to be empty,
correct? Are you absolutely sure you have the correct PST?

 

[laura.dodge]

Originally you said "I've added the Archive folder so it will show up in the
list of Outlook folders, but it contains only one random message.".  Now you
have 66.  What's the problem?

I can't see those 66 messages in my Archive folder in the list of
Outlook folders. I only see one message. When I click the plus sign
next to the Archive folder I see deleted items and sent items, both of
which are empty. I've been archiving messages for a year, so I would
expect there to be more than 66. Is there some other place they could
be?

 

[laura.dodge]

So scanpst reports 66 messages, but the archive PST appears to be empty,
correct?  Are you absolutely sure you have the correct PST?

I'm not absolutely sure because I don't really know what I'm doing. I
got the location from the data file management section in outlook and
I'm sure I typed that into scanpst correctly, but other than that I
don't know where else the file would be.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I'm not absolutely sure because I don't really know what I'm doing. I
got the location from the data file management section in outlook and
I'm sure I typed that into scanpst correctly, but other than that I
don't know where else the file would be.

Enable viewing hidden files and folders in the Folder Options applet of
Control Panel, if you haven't already done so, then scan your hard drive for
files containing ".pst".