emails missing after restoring .pst file

[Phil Fox]

Over the weekend I decided to reformat the hard drive on my Pavilion 4000
laptop and reinstall XP home.
I cloned the hard drive using Acronis True Image prior to this.
After completing the reinstallation, I imported the .pst file from
C:\Documents and Settings\phil\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook on the backup drive, but following this there are many
emails missing. All the folders that I have created in the past appear to be
there, but many messages within these folders are not - especially (but not
confined to) the more recent ones
I am using Outlook 2003.
Any ideas?

Thanks

Phil

 

[Pat Willener]

Do not import PST files, open them via File -> Open -> Outlook Data
File. This way you have your original Personal Folders File as before.

 

[Pat Willener]

P.S. of course you need to restore it to your HD from the backup first.
Best before [re]installing Outlook.

 

[DL]

If you cloned your sys & restored from that clone then the outlook data
would still be in place and no import or reconnection of data would have
been required.
So what is it you are not telling?

 

[Phil Fox]

I cloned the laptop HD to an external HD, then reformatted the laptop HD and
reinstalled windows. As I am awaiting a new laptop, I only want a few
selected programs on my old laptop, one of which is Outlook so I can receive
and view my emails in the meantime. So I copied the .pst file from
C:\Documents and Settings\phil\Local
Settings\ApplicationData\Microsoft\Outlook on the external HD and pasted it
into the same place on Laptop HD.

 

[Alias]

I cloned the laptop HD to an external HD, then reformatted the laptop HD and
reinstalled windows. As I am awaiting a new laptop, I only want a few
selected programs on my old laptop, one of which is Outlook so I can receive
and view my emails in the meantime. So I copied the .pst file from
C:\Documents and Settings\phil\Local
Settings\ApplicationData\Microsoft\Outlook on the external HD and pasted it
into the same place on Laptop HD.

Not the way to do it. You should have disconnected the .pst file that
Outlook created (Mail in Control Panel) when it was installed and then
when you open Outlook, it will ask for a .pst file and then you should
have browsed to your back up and connected it.

Alias

 

[Phil Fox]

When I say I 'imported' the file, what I actually mean is I copied it from
the backup drive and pasted it into the C:\Documents and Settings\phil\Local
Settings\ApplicationData\Microsoft\Outlook on the laptop HD, replacing the
..pst file that was there.
I had already re-installed Outlook when I did this - would that make a
difference? I find it strange that I have copied it and lots of emails are
there, but many aren't.

Thanks for the help.

P.S. of course you need to restore it to your HD from the backup first.
Best before [re]installing Outlook.

Do not import PST files, open them via File -> Open -> Outlook Data
File. This way you have your original Personal Folders File as before.

 

[DL]

You corrupted the data by overwriting the pst, may also have corrupted the
Profile
Locate the old pst in the Documents folder, open it within Outlook,
File>Open>Data File
If mail is missing then something went wrong in your method of backing up /
copying of the origonal data

 

[Phil Fox]

When I say I 'imported' the pst file, what I really mean is I copied it from
the backup, and pasted it into C:\Documents and Settings\phil\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook on the laptop's HD (Replacing the
existing pst file, as I had already re-installed Outlook at this point).
Would it make a difference if I firstly restored the file then re-installed
Outlook?

Thanks for the help.

P.S. of course you need to restore it to your HD from the backup first.
Best before [re]installing Outlook.

Do not import PST files, open them via File -> Open -> Outlook Data
File. This way you have your original Personal Folders File as before.

 

[K. Orland]

The correct way to backup and restore your PST file is located here, with
step by step instructions:

http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm

I would recommend you create a new profile:

http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/newprofile.htm

Then with Outlook open, click on File > Open and browse to your PST.

You may first need to scan your PST for errors (with Outlook closed)
however, plus make sure your PST is not marked Read Only. If the scan comes
up with errors to repair, run scanpst.exe again. Repeat until no further
errors are found. Then open Outlook and try again.

 

[Phil Fox]

Sincere thanks to everyone for their help.

Unfortunately having tried everything suggested, I haven't managed to
recover the emails.

I still find it strange that there are lots of emails recovered but lots
that aren't. I've checked the backed up pst with scanpst, and it is OK.
Surely if the disk is cloned it should be an exact copy?

Anyway, thanks again guys, I'll know better next time!