HOW TO FIX (seemingly) EMPTY CORRUPT DAMAGED SHRINKING OUTLOOK PST ARCHIVE FILES

S

Scotty Q

Here was my problem.

I archived about 2400 emails in 2 files of about 300MB each in OUTLOOK
2000.

When I went to add them back in they were seemingly empty.

I had no errors when importing them or when Opening them through
File\Open\...pst file.

But when I would look at the folders in outlook - they were empty.
They were just plain "EMPTY". No emails. One showed a folder (INBOX)
- but that too was empty.


I ran scan disk and scanpst.exe.

What really scared me was the fact that scanpst.exe told me there were
5 folders and NO ITEMS in either file. That file HAD 1300+
emails...... gone?

What did not make sense because the PST file size was 300MB... and 5
folders with no items could NEVER be that big.

Plus - the filesize of the PST was "shrinking" as I watched the
folder... and updating the time and date each time it shrank.

After a full day of searching I saw 2 posts that recommended editing
the files in a HEX editor and intentionally damaging the file's data.
I'm no programmer and "HEX" to me is a having a curse --- not a way to
play with a computer.

When I was desperate enough I figured I had nothing left to lose.

So I hacked into one of the PST files (a BACKUP copy - god forbid the
original) using a freeware HEX Editor I d/l'd on the web.

Once I had the Hex Edit program running, it was a simple matter of
opening the file with the file\open (filename)and I highlighted the
first box where there was the # 21. I typed 22 and saved the PST file
as a new PST file name. Then I ran scanpst.exe and it fixed the file
(shows 5 folders and 1302 items!!!)

I thought - this is a modern microsoft miracle... so, in Outlook I
typed File/Open/...pst file, highlighted the REPAIRED PST File and
(crossing fingers and toes) clicked OPEN.

Voila!!! 1300+ beautiful email items and all the attachments. I was
hi-fiving imaginary people who I felt came to see the dying man I WAS
just a few minutes earlier. People in my office thought I had come
undone the way I was carrying on... "YESSSSS!, YESSSSSS!"

Archive Issues.... My whole "career" is my INBOX... This scared me so
bad I decided I had to share this with those who might be looking for
that needle in the haystack of NEWSGROUPS.

So - in order of attempts -

First try scandisk and scanpst. Then hack a backup and you should be
home free.

God must love me.
 
M

Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Short answer is, No, Google Loves You!!

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.


After searching google.groups.com and finding no answer:
Scotty Q <[email protected]> asked:
| Here was my problem.
|
| I archived about 2400 emails in 2 files of about 300MB each in OUTLOOK
| 2000.
|
| When I went to add them back in they were seemingly empty.
|
| I had no errors when importing them or when Opening them through
| File\Open\...pst file.
|
| But when I would look at the folders in outlook - they were empty.
| They were just plain "EMPTY". No emails. One showed a folder (INBOX)
| - but that too was empty.
|
|
| I ran scan disk and scanpst.exe.
|
| What really scared me was the fact that scanpst.exe told me there were
| 5 folders and NO ITEMS in either file. That file HAD 1300+
| emails...... gone?
|
| What did not make sense because the PST file size was 300MB... and 5
| folders with no items could NEVER be that big.
|
| Plus - the filesize of the PST was "shrinking" as I watched the
| folder... and updating the time and date each time it shrank.
|
| After a full day of searching I saw 2 posts that recommended editing
| the files in a HEX editor and intentionally damaging the file's data.
| I'm no programmer and "HEX" to me is a having a curse --- not a way to
| play with a computer.
|
| When I was desperate enough I figured I had nothing left to lose.
|
| So I hacked into one of the PST files (a BACKUP copy - god forbid the
| original) using a freeware HEX Editor I d/l'd on the web.
|
| Once I had the Hex Edit program running, it was a simple matter of
| opening the file with the file\open (filename)and I highlighted the
| first box where there was the # 21. I typed 22 and saved the PST file
| as a new PST file name. Then I ran scanpst.exe and it fixed the file
| (shows 5 folders and 1302 items!!!)
|
| I thought - this is a modern microsoft miracle... so, in Outlook I
| typed File/Open/...pst file, highlighted the REPAIRED PST File and
| (crossing fingers and toes) clicked OPEN.
|
| Voila!!! 1300+ beautiful email items and all the attachments. I was
| hi-fiving imaginary people who I felt came to see the dying man I WAS
| just a few minutes earlier. People in my office thought I had come
| undone the way I was carrying on... "YESSSSS!, YESSSSSS!"
|
| Archive Issues.... My whole "career" is my INBOX... This scared me so
| bad I decided I had to share this with those who might be looking for
| that needle in the haystack of NEWSGROUPS.
|
| So - in order of attempts -
|
| First try scandisk and scanpst. Then hack a backup and you should be
| home free.
|
| God must love me.
 

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