Recovering .pst and .pab's

Hello,

I'd very much like to recover both mail and address books from an image. I can mount my old c: drive and search though it just like any other drive, but I have no idea what files, in the Outlook 2007, hold this information. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

if your old os was xp, the data file should be in: <drive letter>\Documents and Settings\<user profile>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

if you were using an exchange server as your primary mail server the file extension will be .ost, if not it will be .pst.

the .pab should be in: <drive letter>\Documents and Settings\<user profile>\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book


either way you'll likely have to turn on hidden files and folders to see those paths.

Thanks chumplet, and exactly right for XP. I actually found a parital answer. The Vista path is slightly different:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

The problem is that Vista doesn't use .pab files anymore, but I did find the .pst files. No all I have to do is figure out how to work with what I have.

i'm glad you found it. i apologize for not including the vista path, i just assumed you were pulling it from an older os. my bad.

what mail application are you trying to import the .pst into?

An active Outlook 2007 install. Would a straight copy be the way to go, and will it include my address book?

you'll need to import the pst into outlook using the import/export wizard and it will definitely include your contacts.

chumplet said:

you'll need to import the pst into outlook using the import/export wizard and it will definitely include your contacts.

Click to expand...

That's just what my wife wanted to here, chumplet! Thanks for your help.

I worked like a charm!

fantastic!

Have read this post, and with your Vista PST file you say you have located it?
I can not boot and only havce the DVD to run Command prompt from. I believe the path C:\users\me\app data\ is hidden so I can not see it to be able to move it. Any help here please?
Vista Business with Outlook 2007 on a dell inspiron.

Thanks

Gib, go to "Organize" on the tool bar then "Folder and Search Options", click "View", look for "Hidden Files and Folders" and then tick "Show hidden files and folders." You're there!

Thanks Redviper. I only have the Command ( dos) prompt on the DVD as Vista will not boot. I hope I have it right ....C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
Is this Vista and 2007 Outlook?
Is the .PAB inside the .PST now?
If outlook shutdown power failure, would the PST file still be intact?
Hope you guys can help me.

The .pst file now covers .pab data was well. Yes, Vista and OL 2007. Hopefully yes, it should be intact. From my experience if your box takes a dump while OL is running the worst that can happen is that OL will try to fix any problems it encounters when it tries to open the file. Good luck with the recovery, gib!

Step to recover Deleted Item
1. Exit Outlook.
2. Open the Windows registry editor.
3. Browse to My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Client\Options.
4. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
5. Type the name DumpsterAlwaysOn.
Note Do not type any spaces in the name.
6. Set the DWORD value to 1.
7. Restart Outlook.
The Tools menu now has the Recover Deleted Items command for every Outlook folder