Gunk Busters!

Clear Cobwebs From Outlook: Glitch Workaround

If, in following the original tip for updating your outlook.pst file, you have encountered a bug that makes your old Outlook data temporarily unavailable, follow these lengthy steps to replace your old .pst file with the improved Outlook 2003 version.

Start Outlook 2003. Click File, New, Outlook Data File. In the 'New Outlook Data File' dialog box, choose Office Outlook Personal Folders File (.pst) and click OK. Type in a name for your new Outlook file--say, outlook.new.pst--and click OK. In the 'Create Microsoft Personal Folders File' dialog box, don't change anything, just click OK. Close Outlook 2003.

Click Start, Search to find your outlook.pst file. When Windows Search finds it, right-click on the file and choose Open Containing Folder (it's probably in C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook). Right-click on outlook.pst and rename it to outlook.old.pst. Right-click on outlook.new.pst and rename it outlook.pst. Close Windows Explorer.

Click Start, Control Panel. Click User Accounts and then click Mail down at the bottom. Click the Data Files button. (See what I mean about this being lengthy?) In the 'Outlook Data Files--Outlook' dialog box, find the line named 'Personal Folders' that points to the outlook.new.pst file. It's probably the last one, but you should make absolutely sure by clicking on the line and clicking Show Details. Once you've found the line for the Personal Folders/outlook.new.pst file, click on it once and then click the Remove button. Click Close twice to go back to Windows.

Start Outlook 2003 again. You have an empty 'Personal Folders'--but it's in Outlook 2003 format. (Whew.) Click File, Import and Export. Choose Import From Another Program or File and click Next. Under 'Select File Type to Import From', pick Personal Folder File (.pst) and click Next. Click the Browse button. Click on your outlook.old.pst file, and then click Open and Next. Under 'Select Folder to Import From', pick Personal Folders (in other words, you want to import everything from outlook.old.pst). Make sure Include Subfolders is checked. Click the button marked Import Items Into the Same Folder in, and make sure Personal Folders is in the drop-down list. Click Finish.

Go out and have a cup of coffee or two. By the time you come back, everything will be transferred over, and your new outlook.pst file will be in good shape. Close Outlook and restart Windows, just to make sure everything gets cleaned up, and you're ready to roll.

If you have any problems with this (or any other Windows or Office conundrum, for that matter), drop by AskWoody.com and click Ask a Question. You can also send e-mail to woody at askwoody dot com (replace "at" and "dot" with "@" and ".", with no spaces).

Check out Woody Leonhard's new guide to whipping Windows into shape, Windows XP Hacks & Mods For Dummies, available online or at your favorite bookstore. Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector writes the Answer Line column for PC World.