Outlook Files Disappear with SP2 Upgrade?

[Ray19]

Yesterday I got brave and finally installed Service Pack 2 to my Windows XP
Prof. program. At the same time I updated my Office XP program. I was
probably a year behind in updating them.

When I opened my e-mail program (Outlook) everything was gone?? I only had a
few messages in my in-box from 2003. My contacts had disappeared as had all
my stored e-mails (in-box, Sent, Deleted, Special Folders, etc.)??

I used the system restore process to reset my computer to a time before the
installation of Service Pack 2. I should mention that I recently (within the
last 2 weeks) changed ISP providers from Roadrunner to SBC Yahoo. Most of my
stored e-mail information was from the Roadrunner ISP. But I didn't think
that should make a difference?

What did I do wrong and how can I install Service Pack 2 and keep my
original Outlook configuration with all it's stored messages, contacts,
folders, etc.?

I am running Outlook 2002 (10.6515.6626) SP3 on Windows XP Professional.

Thanks, in advance, for any help you can provide me.
Ray19

 

[Brian Tillman]

Yesterday I got brave and finally installed Service Pack 2 to my
Windows XP Prof. program. At the same time I updated my Office XP
program. I was probably a year behind in updating them.

When I opened my e-mail program (Outlook) everything was gone?? I
only had a few messages in my in-box from 2003. My contacts had
disappeared as had all my stored e-mails (in-box, Sent, Deleted,
Special Folders, etc.)??

The method you used to perform an update to Outlook created a new PST. Your
old PST should still be on your hard drive. Enable searching hidden files
and folders and search for it. It should be in %UserProfile%\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook. Start Outlook, click
File>Open>Outlook Data File, browse to the location of that PST, select it,
and click OK. You should see your old data. Make the PST your delivery
location (the "Deliver new e-mail to the following location" drop-down on
the bottom left of Tools>E-mail Accounts>Next), stop and restart Outlook,
and you should be back almost to normal. Move the new mail that arrived
since the update from the PST where Outlook put it to your current default
folders, right-click>Close the incorrectly-created PST and the next time you
stop Outlook you can close it. Then you will be back to normal.

I used the system restore process to reset my computer to a time
before the installation of Service Pack 2.

Naturally that won't help, since the System Restore points don't contain
Outlook data.

I should mention that I
recently (within the last 2 weeks) changed ISP providers from
Roadrunner to SBC Yahoo. Most of my stored e-mail information was
from the Roadrunner ISP. But I didn't think that should make a
difference?

It might. If you receive mail via a Road-Runner account and attempt to
reply, Outlook will try to use that Road Runner account, since Outlook
always uses the account of the original message for a reply.

What did I do wrong and how can I install Service Pack 2 and keep my
original Outlook configuration with all it's stored messages,
contacts, folders, etc.?

I doubt XP SP2 had anything to do with it. I believe it was your update of
Outlook that did.