I upgraded from 2000 to 2003. Where are all my folders?

[letsrock2]

I upgraded to Outlook 2003 from Outlook 2000. My e-mail folders and contacts
are gone.They are not in the .PST files. How do I get them back?

 

[BillR [MVP]]

If ypu used a PST then they should be there. Search all files (including
hidden) and then open them in Outlook.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I upgraded to Outlook 2003 from Outlook 2000. My e-mail folders and
contacts are gone.They are not in the .PST files. How do I get them
back?

Did you create a new mail profile and point it at your old PST?

 

[letsrock2]

I created a new Profile. It made no difference. I did not create a .PSTof the
old stuff. The first time I loaded 2003, it brought in all my old info from
2000 automatically. This time it did not. The four .PST files it lists do not
have my old info in them. I uninstalled the product again due to frustration
level.

 

[Brian Tillman]

This time it did not. The four .PST files it lists do not have my old info
in them.

Then you're either looking in the wrong PST or you deleted the PST you need.

 

[letsrock2]

Thanks Brian. I did not delete anything. Outlook might have. I don't know
where to look for the old files. Should I create Export or backup data before
I load 2003 again? Why doesn't 2003 pick it up automatically like it did
before? Most people don't want to go thru this hassle (and shouldn't have to)!

 

[Brian Tillman]

Thanks Brian. I did not delete anything. Outlook might have.

It doesn't. Outlook never deletes anything it's not explicitly told not to
and having an entire PST disappear would be a WIndows File System action in
any event.

I don't know where to look for the old files.

%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook is the
default location.

Should I create Export or backup data before I load 2003 again?

Export? Never. Back up? Sure.

Why doesn't 2003 pick it up automatically like it did before?

It usually does, but OL 2000 to OL 2003 is a big jump, especially if you
were using OL 2000 in IMO mode.

Most people don't want to go thru this hassle (and shouldn't have to)!

And most people don't. You can certainly hose your installation by choosing
something incorrectly during the install and that's not all that hard to do,
but it's still atypical.