chkdsk wiped out outlook.pst

[Joyce]

I restarted my computer (Win2000, Office 2000) and it began a lengthy chkdsk
(never seen anything like this). I then opened Outlook and it said it
couldn't find the outlook.pst file. I attempted to import the one in Docs and
Settings, but got an error message saying the outlook.pst wasn't a valid
file. (By the way, the outlook.pst file was empty and should have had many MG
of e-mail messages.) Do you think my outlook personal folder got clobbered?
Of course, my last archive was months ago. I even restored that, but didn't
get my contacts.
Is there any help you can suggest? By the way, aren't I supposed to have
some portion Outlook Express that maintains the address book? I can't find
anything about outlook express on the computer.
Joyce

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

Definitely sounds like your PST file got roasted by whatever drive
corruption caused Chkdsk to run. Your archive PST wouldn't have your
contacts since those don't get archived. OE doesn't maintain Outlook's
address book, at best it could look at Outlook's contacts and use them as an
address book. Do you have any sort of backup?

 

[Joyce]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I've been rather cavalier at backing it
up. Guess I learned the hard way...