Can not access Outlook Docs & Settings folder

[Voyageur41]

I have just done a clean resinstall of XP Pro SP3. before erasing the old
files, I backed up my .pst file and exported my custom categories from the
registry. After the resinstall, I copied my backed up .pst file into the
approriate location in the Docs & settings folder.

Outlook opens and works fine. However, I can not access the relevant folder
in Docs and Settings either in Explorer or in Outlook. I get the message

" c:\documents and settings\<user>\local setting\application
data\microsoft\outlook" is not accessible. Access is denied2

I can not get into this folder no matter how I try

 

[Roady [MVP]]

I'm confused; you copied the file to that folder but you don't have access
to it?
How did you manage to copy it in the first place then? :-S

Did you change any permissions on the folder or did you do a restore from a
backup application and told it to restore the old rights as well?

 

[Voyageur41]

I'm confused; you copied the file to that folder but you don't have access
to it?
How did you manage to copy it in the first place then? :-S

Did you change any permissions on the folder or did you do a restore from a
backup application and told it to restore the old rights as well?

 

[Voyageur41]

I exported the file before reinstallation and I imported it after
reinstallation using File > Import and Export on the File menu of Outlook
2003.

I did not have or need direct access to the folder in Docs & Settings in
either case.

The only way I discovered there was a problem was when I tried to set up the
file archive settings in Outlook and was refused access to the Outlook
folder. Then I tried to access the folder thru Windows Explorer but could not
access the folder that way either.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Are you logged in with an administrator account or with a standard user
account?
Are other folders accessible within;
C:\documents and settings\%username%\local setting\application
data\microsoft\

Note that doing an import/export is not a proper backup and is an unneeded
time consuming operation.
For future reference do a backup by copying the original pst-file to a save
location.
See http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm

 

[Voyageur41]

I am the only user. I have full administrative permissions. I log in to XP
wioth a password only sdo I can use the Windows Scheduler function.

I can access any folder in

C:\documents and settings\%username%\local setting\application

data\microsoft\

with the exception of the Outlook folder

 

[Voyageur41]

HI Roady

The plot thickens!

I find that I can use Outlook normally but I can not back it up, import or
export. In other words I can carry on adding data to the .pst file in the
normal way but I can not do anything to get the data out of he file.

My idea was to reinstall Outlook having first copied the pst fie to a safe
location as per your very useful inductions - for which many thanks. I want
to put my pst file on my D: drive like you have on your system. I back the
whole drive up regularly which will make the whole process a lot less
complicated.

BUT I can not get at the pst file.

Any suggestions will be VERY helpful

 

[Voyageur41]

Hi Roady

Solved he problem. It was a Permissions problem after reinstalling XP.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810881

The link describes exactly the problem and the solution.

I am going to follow your advice and store my pst file in my D: partition
and back it up with all my other data. Saves a lot of problems and fuss.

Thanks for your help

Kevin (Voyageur41)

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Hi Kevin,

You're welcome!
Good to hear you've got it solved and thanks for posting back your solution
to the groups

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I have just done a clean resinstall of XP Pro SP3. before erasing the old
files, I backed up my .pst file and exported my custom categories from the
registry. After the resinstall, I copied my backed up .pst file into the
approriate location in the Docs & settings folder.

There is no "appropriate folder" for a PST. It can be in any folder where
you have read/write access. In fact, placing a PST into the default folder
is fraught with trouble. If you overwrite another PST by the same name and
that PST is part of a mail profile, you will corrupt the mail profile.

Outlook opens and works fine. However, I can not access the relevant
folder
in Docs and Settings either in Explorer or in Outlook. I get the message

" c:\documents and settings\<user>\local setting\application
data\microsoft\outlook" is not accessible. Access is denied2

If Outlook works fine, then why do you need to open the folder containing
the PST? Moreover you MUST have opened it or how else did you copy the file
to it? Your description contains contradictions.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I exported the file before reinstallation and I imported it after
reinstallation using File > Import and Export on the File menu of Outlook
2003.

Bad move. Never us export and import to transfer Outlook data between
instances of Outlook.

I did not have or need direct access to the folder in Docs & Settings in
either case.

Then you lied to us before when you said "I copied my backed up .pst file
into the
approriate location in the Docs & settings folder."

The only way I discovered there was a problem was when I tried to set up
the
file archive settings in Outlook and was refused access to the Outlook
folder. Then I tried to access the folder thru Windows Explorer but could
not
access the folder that way either.

Take ownership of it and the files it contains and see if that makes a
difference.