How to recover Outlook Address Book and messages?

[7x7]

Just had a hardware (motherboard) failure on my pc and this brought forward my long delayed decision to get a laptop.

My problem is that I had no backup for my Outlook emails and address book, and I don't know how to rcover them from my old hard drive.

My old system was Windows XP Professional and Office XP. I was using Outlook, (not Outlook Express).

Is there anyone out thre who could give me step by step instructions on how I might recover my address book and emails with my old hard drive as a slave drive in another pc? (I don't have access to another pc that's similar enough to my old pc to allow me to crank up the old hard drive as the c drive.)

Alternatively, is there is a way to put my old hard drive into another pc (in something like Safe Mode perhaps?) that will allow Windows to start in a pc diffferent to the one it was installed in?

[Mack Buffet]

Outlook stores it's data in .pst files, located in C:\Documents and Settings\username \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook.

Everything from local settings onwards are hidden folders so you will have to enable the show hidden files and folders option (Tools-folder options-view tab from Windows Explorer) to see past this point.

You may have problems directly accessing the .pst file from another PC if you install the drive as slave, and boot from a master using a different profile. Windows applies security priveleges to the .pst file based on the user profile that created the file. (i.e. protection for your emails on shared PCs).

If you replace the mboard, you should still be able to boot from the original drive (ok a few drivers may complain and you may get a 640x480 screen), but you should be able to open Outlook, then export your data to a backup.pst file that can be opened (or restored) on any PC.

[Kremmen]

Losing email is a real pain in the...as you have found out. Since MS refuse to make back-up easy you might like to try this superb program I found called Outsource_XP. Do a google search....

- Kremmen

[FJJP]

Where's the address book for OE?

[The Nr Fairy]

OE uses a file called Address.wab - do a search for it, should be in your "Documents and Settings" folder somewhere.

[Greek God]

For future refernce if you go to the Microsoft Download centre you can dowload a ulitilty that backs up your personal folder automatically The link should be:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8b081f3a-b7d0-4b16-b8af-5a6322f4fd01&DisplayLang=en

It works quite well & backs up every time you exit.
Good luck

[7x7]

Thanks for the replies. I managed to get the old hard drive up and running on another PC and had no trouble getting the messages copied to Outlook Express. My problem remains with the Outlook address book. I had my addresses in ‘Contacts’ rather than in the Outlook Address Book, and I can’t work out how to copy or export the Contacts folder.

I got the messages out by exporting them to Outlook Express and then moving them to a folder within My Documents. However, although I selected ‘Import Mail and Addresses’ in OE, the addresses did not come across – the Address Book in OE is empty, (because the Address Book in Outlook is empty) and I don’t know how to move the Contacts to an Outlook Address Book so that I can import them from Outlook to Outlook Express.

I’ve even tried printing Contacts, but the instructions in Outlook Help aren’t clear. My address book is rather large, so I’d really like to be able to get to it rather than having to write them all down individually.

[fobotcso]

7x7, I suspect that the problem here is probably that there isn't a problem where you think there is a problem. :D

Refer to Mack Buffet's post. ALL the Outlook data, including the Address Book/Contacts List (call it what you like) is where he said:

C: \Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook.

So, if you can get at the old Folder on the old HDD, you will see 2 files. They are:

Outlook.pst

and

Extend.dat

With Outlook not running, copy them to the new Outlook Folder. You have to have opened and closed Outlook at least once.

When you next open Outlook, you will get a message asking if you want to create new shortcuts because previous shortcuts will have been deleted. You should say "Yes".

There you will find your folders, accounts, e-mails waiting to be sent and even Calendar reminders. Journal shortcuts to document files will not work, of course, if the files are not on the new computer.

I use this technique regularly when working with Clients' data to test their backup and synchronisation procedures. I rename my own Folders to hide them and then switch back when the job is done.

But beware the problem highlighted HERE (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=296088)

BTW, the Outlook Express Address Book is actually the Windows Address Book presented in a slightly different way. That's why it's called the *.wab. There is no direct connection between this and the Outlook Contacts List.

[7x7]

Many thanks to fobotsco and others - problem solved.

Is there a way to transfer contacts to Outlook Express as a .wab?

[fobotcso]

'welcome, 7x7

Yes you can transfer Outlook Contacts to the Windows Address Book in a two stage operation.

In Outlook go to File>Import and Export> Export to a File

Click "Next"

Select "Comma Separated Values (DOS)" or (Windows) - I think they should both work.

Click "Next" and be ready to Install the Import/Export engine.

Give your "csv" file a name and location and select the Outlook Contacts folder as the source.

When done, close OL.

Open the Address Book directly or through OE.

Import the "csv" file you created from "File>Import>Other address book>Text File (Comma Separated Values).

That's it basically but you'll probably have some editing to do as this process finds inconsistences which you didn't know existed.

[HarveyGee]

Been following this with some interest. This is probably going to sound really dumb, but my problem with Outlook is I'm reluctant to archive anything because once I do so it goes into a .pst file which I can't read. Anyone know what I need to do to be able to read a .pst file?

[Mack Buffet]

.pst files can be opened with Outlook.

Go to file menu - import and export - import from another program or file - personal folder file (.pst).

Archiving dumps older data from Outlook (inbox, calendar, contacts etc) into a .pst file. So you need Outlook (not Outlook Express) to reopen that data.,