Current View Changes, Missing Contacts

[David Kirk]

I apologize in advance if this has been answered; I couldn't find an answer
so perhaps I'm using the worng search terms.

I just had a system crash and had to reformat and reinstall Vista and all
apps. I have an offsite backup service, from which I recovered my OL 2007
pst file. I went by the book (started OL, let it build a default PST, opened
my desired pst, changed the default mail delivery, restarted, removed
undesired pst file.) I noticed immediately that not all of my contacts were
restored, from a backup that is only one day old. (I have a bunch of numeric
items such as 123 Company that always appear at the top of the list. Now the
list begins with the letter "A" and some contacts that I know I have
beginning with A are simply not there, either; this I confirmed by looking at
my AT&T Tilt Smartphone contacts from yesterday's synchronization.) A
related issue is that when I change the "current view" to the view I prefer,
address cards, when I leave contacts for another folder and return, the view
has gone back to the default phone list view.

I'm guessing that when I synch my phone again, that at least the missing
contacts issue will be resolved, if I set it up properly -- and I'm not sure
whether to set it for desktop to overwrite the phone or vice versa.

I sure could use a hand!

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Indeed, you migrated your data correctly. That would implicate your backup
as the problem. How do you know it was a current and valid backup? How was
this backup created and transported? Have you check this file for errors?
Since you seem to be struggling with your views, you should first make sure
this is not a views problem. Is the number of your Contacts incorrect in
this backup?
I would be reluctant to rely on a sync with your Smartphone as a method to
restore your Contacts unless you are certain you have a good reliable backup
of your data somewhere.

 

[David Kirk]

I'm afraid to say, "Bingo." I can't imagine anything but a problem with the
backup, which would be exceedingly odd. I use Mozy for online, off-site
backup daily and I've never retrieved a file with problems. However, since
my system was going cracy at around the time o fthat backup (checkdisk errors
and all sorts of horrors) I'll believe it.

What do you think of this solution: synch my phone with a copy of Outlook on
my laptop, which has no contacts, calendars, etc. in the pst; then export the
contacts and import them into Outlook on my "main" system, setting the import
for "don't allow duplicates. Does that sound to you like a safe way to
preserve the data on my phone, which we now know to be better than the data
in my operating pst file?
--
David Kirk

Indeed, you migrated your data correctly. That would implicate your backup
as the problem. How do you know it was a current and valid backup? How was
this backup created and transported? Have you check this file for errors?
Since you seem to be struggling with your views, you should first make sure
this is not a views problem. Is the number of your Contacts incorrect in
this backup?
I would be reluctant to rely on a sync with your Smartphone as a method to
restore your Contacts unless you are certain you have a good reliable backup
of your data somewhere.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I apologize in advance if this has been answered; I couldn't find an
answer
so perhaps I'm using the worng search terms.

I just had a system crash and had to reformat and reinstall Vista and all
apps. I have an offsite backup service, from which I recovered my OL 2007
pst file. I went by the book (started OL, let it build a default PST,
opened
my desired pst, changed the default mail delivery, restarted, removed
undesired pst file.) I noticed immediately that not all of my contacts
were
restored, from a backup that is only one day old. (I have a bunch of
numeric
items such as 123 Company that always appear at the top of the list. Now
the
list begins with the letter "A" and some contacts that I know I have
beginning with A are simply not there, either; this I confirmed by looking
at
my AT&T Tilt Smartphone contacts from yesterday's synchronization.) A
related issue is that when I change the "current view" to the view I
prefer,
address cards, when I leave contacts for another folder and return, the
view
has gone back to the default phone list view.

I'm guessing that when I synch my phone again, that at least the missing
contacts issue will be resolved, if I set it up properly -- and I'm not
sure
whether to set it for desktop to overwrite the phone or vice versa.

I sure could use a hand!

 

[David Kirk]

I know, I know. I thought I was covered 10 ways from Tuesday. I also use
the backup function of Windows Live One Care to do daily backups of all
computers on our home network. Lo and behold, the external terabyte driver
to which I have been doing those backups, got wiped out in a thunderstorm and
I lost all of that backup info. Talk about a perfect storm! You make a
great point about the backup service; I'm going to check my options
immediately.

Meanwhile, I did ry to sycn with an empty pst in Outlook on my laptop and
managed to wipe out all of the data on the phone. Everyone on this end
thoght it was a great idea!

Now ... my contacts look good in the current pst. As I do some searhces, I
see that the "123" contatcs are in the file, albeit stored in some manner
that doesn'ty place them at the top of the list. However, I still have the
problem of the current view in contacts not "sticking." Any ideas for fixing
that?
--
David Kirk

Don't you have more than one backup of your data? If your most recent backup
was created while your system was crashing, use an earlier backup. What kind
of service only stores a single backup?

Your plan contains one flaw. You never export and import Outlook data unless
you want to lose or corrupt it. If you manage to restore your Contact data
to a PST file successfully, just copy that file, open it in your other
installation and copy the data from it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I'm afraid to say, "Bingo." I can't imagine anything but a problem with
the
backup, which would be exceedingly odd. I use Mozy for online, off-site
backup daily and I've never retrieved a file with problems. However,
since
my system was going cracy at around the time o fthat backup (checkdisk
errors
and all sorts of horrors) I'll believe it.

What do you think of this solution: synch my phone with a copy of Outlook
on
my laptop, which has no contacts, calendars, etc. in the pst; then export
the
contacts and import them into Outlook on my "main" system, setting the
import
for "don't allow duplicates. Does that sound to you like a safe way to
preserve the data on my phone, which we now know to be better than the
data
in my operating pst file?
--
David Kirk

Indeed, you migrated your data correctly. That would implicate your
backup
as the problem. How do you know it was a current and valid backup? How
was
this backup created and transported? Have you check this file for errors?
Since you seem to be struggling with your views, you should first make
sure
this is not a views problem. Is the number of your Contacts incorrect in
this backup?
I would be reluctant to rely on a sync with your Smartphone as a method
to
restore your Contacts unless you are certain you have a good reliable
backup
of your data somewhere.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I apologize in advance if this has been answered; I couldn't find an
answer
so perhaps I'm using the worng search terms.

I just had a system crash and had to reformat and reinstall Vista and
all
apps. I have an offsite backup service, from which I recovered my OL
2007
pst file. I went by the book (started OL, let it build a default PST,
opened
my desired pst, changed the default mail delivery, restarted, removed
undesired pst file.) I noticed immediately that not all of my contacts
were
restored, from a backup that is only one day old. (I have a bunch of
numeric
items such as 123 Company that always appear at the top of the list.
Now
the
list begins with the letter "A" and some contacts that I know I have
beginning with A are simply not there, either; this I confirmed by
looking
at
my AT&T Tilt Smartphone contacts from yesterday's synchronization.) A
related issue is that when I change the "current view" to the view I
prefer,
address cards, when I leave contacts for another folder and return, the
view
has gone back to the default phone list view.

I'm guessing that when I synch my phone again, that at least the
missing
contacts issue will be resolved, if I set it up properly -- and I'm not
sure
whether to set it for desktop to overwrite the phone or vice versa.

I sure could use a hand!

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I was afraid that is what would happen if you tried to restore by syncing.
Few users have their syncing configured appropriately to do that.
So this appears to be a views problem after all? Try starting Outlook once
with the /cleanviews command line switch. This switch (and a few other
really helpful ones) are discussed here:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q156/9/82.asp
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I know, I know. I thought I was covered 10 ways from Tuesday. I also use
the backup function of Windows Live One Care to do daily backups of all
computers on our home network. Lo and behold, the external terabyte
driver
to which I have been doing those backups, got wiped out in a thunderstorm
and
I lost all of that backup info. Talk about a perfect storm! You make a
great point about the backup service; I'm going to check my options
immediately.

Meanwhile, I did ry to sycn with an empty pst in Outlook on my laptop and
managed to wipe out all of the data on the phone. Everyone on this end
thoght it was a great idea!

Now ... my contacts look good in the current pst. As I do some searhces,
I
see that the "123" contatcs are in the file, albeit stored in some manner
that doesn'ty place them at the top of the list. However, I still have
the
problem of the current view in contacts not "sticking." Any ideas for
fixing
that?
--
David Kirk

Don't you have more than one backup of your data? If your most recent
backup
was created while your system was crashing, use an earlier backup. What
kind
of service only stores a single backup?

Your plan contains one flaw. You never export and import Outlook data
unless
you want to lose or corrupt it. If you manage to restore your Contact
data
to a PST file successfully, just copy that file, open it in your other
installation and copy the data from it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I'm afraid to say, "Bingo." I can't imagine anything but a problem
with
the
backup, which would be exceedingly odd. I use Mozy for online,
off-site
backup daily and I've never retrieved a file with problems. However,
since
my system was going cracy at around the time o fthat backup (checkdisk
errors
and all sorts of horrors) I'll believe it.

What do you think of this solution: synch my phone with a copy of
Outlook
on
my laptop, which has no contacts, calendars, etc. in the pst; then
export
the
contacts and import them into Outlook on my "main" system, setting the
import
for "don't allow duplicates. Does that sound to you like a safe way to
preserve the data on my phone, which we now know to be better than the
data
in my operating pst file?
--
David Kirk


:

Indeed, you migrated your data correctly. That would implicate your
backup
as the problem. How do you know it was a current and valid backup? How
was
this backup created and transported? Have you check this file for
errors?
Since you seem to be struggling with your views, you should first make
sure
this is not a views problem. Is the number of your Contacts incorrect
in
this backup?
I would be reluctant to rely on a sync with your Smartphone as a
method
to
restore your Contacts unless you are certain you have a good reliable
backup
of your data somewhere.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I apologize in advance if this has been answered; I couldn't find an
answer
so perhaps I'm using the worng search terms.

I just had a system crash and had to reformat and reinstall Vista
and
all
apps. I have an offsite backup service, from which I recovered my
OL
2007
pst file. I went by the book (started OL, let it build a default
PST,
opened
my desired pst, changed the default mail delivery, restarted,
removed
undesired pst file.) I noticed immediately that not all of my
contacts
were
restored, from a backup that is only one day old. (I have a bunch
of
numeric
items such as 123 Company that always appear at the top of the list.
Now
the
list begins with the letter "A" and some contacts that I know I have
beginning with A are simply not there, either; this I confirmed by
looking
at
my AT&T Tilt Smartphone contacts from yesterday's synchronization.)
A
related issue is that when I change the "current view" to the view I
prefer,
address cards, when I leave contacts for another folder and return,
the
view
has gone back to the default phone list view.

I'm guessing that when I synch my phone again, that at least the
missing
contacts issue will be resolved, if I set it up properly -- and I'm
not
sure
whether to set it for desktop to overwrite the phone or vice versa.

I sure could use a hand!