PST importing\adding causes Outlook to hang

[Jonathan Livni]

I'm trying to transfer my PST files from my previous installation (XP-SP2 +
Office 2007) to my new one (Vista Ultimate 32bit + Office 2007).

I copied the old PST to a local drive and then tried it in two ways
1) Using File\Import or Export\another program\PST
2) Adding it through Tools\Options\Mail Setup\Data Files

Both methods caused the same error:
Outlook hangs + takes ~50% CPU.

What should I do? How can I make Outlook to take my PST files? They worked
fine before I re-installed my system.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I'm trying to transfer my PST files from my previous installation
(XP-SP2 + Office 2007) to my new one (Vista Ultimate 32bit + Office
2007).

I copied the old PST to a local drive and then tried it in two ways
1) Using File\Import or Export\another program\PST
2) Adding it through Tools\Options\Mail Setup\Data Files

Never export to or import from a PST. It's not needed, will lose data, and
can cause problems.

What should I do? How can I make Outlook to take my PST files? They
worked fine before I re-installed my system.

Start with a new mail profile. Add the PST with the Mail applet in Control
Panel.

 

[Jonathan Livni]

The "Mail" applet in the control panel opens the same window as the
Outlook\Tools\Options\Main Setup\Data Files does. It's the second option I
mentioned. Still no joy....

 

[DL]

Assuming OL is running OK;
What happens if you locate the copied pst's in your documents location, then
in OL File>Open>Data File & browse to this location?

 

[Brian Tillman]

The "Mail" applet in the control panel opens the same window as the
Outlook\Tools\Options\Main Setup\Data Files does. It's the second
option I mentioned. Still no joy....

But did you start with a NEW mail profile?

 

[Jonathan Livni]

DL - I tried it from several locations (desktop, Documents\Outlook Data)
Brian - It's a clean install of both Vista and Outlook 2007. I did set my
gmail account on outlook, and that did download some new emails, but it's
basicly a clean profile. Also, I didn't find any way to "change the profile"
I remember Outlook Express had profiles, but I never saw it in Outlook.

Something I thought I should add - when I tried the import import method, it
did succeed to import some of the emails, but not all. It got stuck at some
certain point.
I'm guessing one of the items causes it to get stuck. Is there any way to
fix a pst file without having outlook open it as a data file? some pst
cleaner utility?

 

[Brian Tillman]

DL - I tried it from several locations (desktop, Documents\Outlook
Data) Brian - It's a clean install of both Vista and Outlook 2007. I
did set my gmail account on outlook, and that did download some new
emails, but it's basicly a clean profile. Also, I didn't find any way
to "change the profile" I remember Outlook Express had profiles, but
I never saw it in Outlook.

Outlook Express has "identities", not profiles.

Even though you say it's a clean install, sometimes Outlook 2007 doesn't
reliably create a clean mail profile when installing. There have been too
many reports in these newsgroups about OL 2007 that it appears to be a godd
idea do use the Mail applet to create a new profile after installation.

Something I thought I should add - when I tried the import import
method, it did succeed to import some of the emails, but not all. It
got stuck at some certain point.
I'm guessing one of the items causes it to get stuck. Is there any
way to fix a pst file without having outlook open it as a data file?
some pst cleaner utility?

SCANPST.EXE in %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\Office12

 

[Jonathan Livni]

I still haven't been able to solve the problem.
I used the office 2007 scanpst.exe and it did find errors and fixed them.
But still the same response - Once I add the pst file, outlook hangs and
takes ~50% of CPU, and simply stays that way.
The PST is only 154MB, so I guess this isn't the problem.
Please help, I've lost all my emails and contacts

 

[DL]

You could try;
Running scappst at least 3 times after it reports as fixing the last error.
Any colleage with 2003 or 2007 with which you can try connecting the pst?
(At least then you will know whether its your pst)

 

[Jonathan Livni]

I solved the issue. There was a conflict between two PST files.
The first PST (I'll call it "the new PST") was the default one that was
created with the Outlook installation. I tried to import the old PST into it
worked only partially. Then I tried to simply add the old PST - and then the
error occured.
Apparently there were items appearing in both PST which caused Outlook to
hang.

What I did to solve this was to create a newer empty PST, remove both
conflicting PSTs from Outlook and add the old one. This worked ok.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Just another bit of testimony for what we tell you here every day: you never
use import to transfer Outlook data.