OL98: Outlook Information Unexpectedly Missing

ID: Q245778

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Outlook 98

SYMPTOMS

When you start Outlook, none of your previous 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 restore the Outlook configuration and allow you to view the Outlook items. The following topics are covered:

  • Locating .pst files on your hard disk


  • Opening .pst files in Outlook


  • Setting the default .pst file for Outlook items


The following steps assume that the .pst file previously used to store Outlook information still exists on your computer's hard disk. If your data file was deleted or cannot be found, you must restore from a backup to reconnect 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 hard disk, or the one with a time stamp that is very close to when the missing data problem occurred. The steps below 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 on the computer to determine which file contains your active information.

Locating .pst Files on Your Hard Disk

To locate the .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, and click to select Include 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" by default, 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 file).


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


  3. Display the Folder List by clicking Folder List on the View menu.


  4. Click the new personal folders to make sure the correct items appear. If they do not, right-click the personal folders and then click Close "personal folders". Repeat with a different .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 previous Outlook items, reestablish the file as the default location for mail delivery and other items such as Contacts, Appointments, Tasks, Journal entries, and Notes. This procedure varies depending on the Outlook installation option.

Setting a Default .pst file in Corporate/Workgroup Support

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 then click the Delivery tab.


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


Setting a Default .pst File in Internet Mail Only Support

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 Outlook 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. An Outlook information dialog box will appear stating, "The location where POP mail is delivered will not change until you exit and restart Outlook." Click OK.


  4. Close Outlook and then restart.



REFERENCES

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

Q184029 OL98: How to Tell What Type of Outlook Setup You Have
Q182159 OL98: (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:
Q182062 OL98: Working with personal folders
Q184817 OL98: (IMO) How to Back Up Outlook Data
Q181014 OL98: (CW) How to Back Up Outlook Data

Additional query words: 98 messages gone disappeared mode

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


Last Reviewed: December 2, 1999
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