OL2000: Outlook Information Unexpectedly Missing

ID: Q245711

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000

SYMPTOMS

When you start Outlook, none of your items appear in their respective folders.


CAUSE

The personal folders file (.pst file) containing your original data is not configured as the default .pst file.


RESOLUTION

This article outlines the steps to take to allow you to view the Outlook items. The following topics are covered:

  • Locating .pst file on your hard disk drive


  • Opening .pst file in Outlook


  • Setting the Default .pst file for Outlook items


These steps assume that the .pst file previously used to store Outlook information still exists on your computer's hard disk drive. If your data file has been deleted or cannot be found, restore from a backup file to reestablish the file as your default .pst file. Most often, the data file that contains your active information is either the largest .pst file on the disk, or the one with a time stamp that is very close to when the missing data problem occurred. These steps have you try the largest or most recent .pst file first, since that is most likely the correct data file, however you may have to try each .pst file found to determine which file contains your active information.

Locating .pst Files on Your Hard Disk Drive

To locate a .pst file on your computer, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to Find, and click Files or Folders.


  2. Type *.pst in the Named box, search your entire hard disk drive, including subfolders. Click Find Now.


  3. Make a note of the location of the largest, or most recent file found, and then close the Find Files dialog box.


IMPORTANT: All .pst file files have the generic display name of "Personal Folders" unless changed by the user. If this is the case with your .pst files, it is best to open and display one file in the Folder List at a time, keeping track of the path to the folders as you test.

Opening .pst Files in Outlook

  1. On the File menu, point to Open, and click Personal Folders File (.pst).


  2. In the Look in box, locate and select the .pst file you noted in step 3, click the .pst file name to select it, and click OK.


  3. Display the Folder List if it does not appear, by clicking Folder List on the View menu.


  4. Click the new personal folders file to make sure the correct items appear. If they do not, right-click the personal folders file and then click Close "Personal Folders".


Repeat these steps to open another .pst file and then check its contents. Do this until you find the correct .pst file containing your items.

Setting the Default .pst File for Outlook Items

Once you locate the .pst file containing your Outlook items, you re-establish the file as the default location for mail delivery and other items. The procedure varies depending on the Outlook installation mode.

Setting a Default .pst File in Corporate/Workgroup Mode

To set the .pst file you located in the previous section as the default, using the Corporate/Workgroup installation of Outlook, follow these steps:
  1. On the Tools menu, click Services, and click the Delivery tab.


  2. In the Deliver new mail to the following location list, click to select the .pst file you wish to use as the default. Click OK.


Setting a Default .pst File in Internet Mail Only Mode

To set the .pst file you located in the previous section as default using the Internet Mail Only installation of Outlook, follow these steps:
  1. In the Folder List, right-click the .pst file you located in the previous section and then click Properties for <.pst File name>.


  2. In the Properties dialog box, click to select Deliver POP mail to this personal folders file. Click OK.


  3. You will receive a message: "The location where POP mail is delivered will not change until you exit and restart Outlook." Click OK.



REFERENCES

For additional information about Outlook installations and configurations, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q196041 OL2000: How to Tell What Type of Outlook Setup You Have
Q195478 OL2000: (CW) User Profiles and Information Services
For additional information about Outlook Personal folders, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q195782 OL2000: Working with Personal Folders
Q196492 OL2000: (IMO) How to Back Up Outlook Data
Q195719 OL2000: (CW) How to Back Up Outlook Data

Additional query words: OL2K messages gone disappeared

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: December 2, 1999
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