All of a sudden Microsoft outlook 2007 lost its profile

[zillah]

Dear Experts

Today I was fixing networking issue for one of my client (router and a parallel HP printer).

He is using a desktop with windows XP professional SP3

During my work on his computer I used two softwares which are CClenaer (tune up his computer browser ) and Kyocera Printer Driver Deleter to remove the driver for the HP printer (it was not working properly)

When I finished my work Before I left his office he was able to download a file from his outlook (used as mail client for his ISP) 2007 (means it was working), to test the printer if it prints or not.

I chose an option : “Install windows updates and shutdown” and I left his office then I received a call from him telling me that his outlook is not finding a file :

C:\Documents and Settings\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\tets.pst

When I drove back to his office and checked the file “test.pst” I could not find such a file in the location above(i.e C:\Documents and Settings\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook) !!!!!!

For sure I had not touched his outlook when I was working the first time.

I felt embarrassed he might have thought that I had damage his outlook.

I checked the Control Panel --> Mail --> Data Files I found those 3 profiles :

Name                Path 
 
-------                ------- 
Omrion’s email          Outlook.pst in C:\emailfile 
 
Personal Folders        Outlook.pst in C:\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft 
 
I forget name             test.pst in C:\Documents and Settings\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

I am not sure what he had all those three files!!!

The size of the first two profiles (Outlook.pst) are almost 2 GB

The size of test.pst 1 KB hence I deleted it

What should I do to fix this issue ?

He told me that such a problem (he could not recall the exact issue) happened before and someone came to fix that issue for him

I tried to use either one of : Outlook.pst in C:\emailfile or Outlook.pst in C:\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft

All I can see the old emails till 2009 but not afterwards !!!!!

Can ccleaner or Kyocera Printer Driver Deleter cause this problem ?

How can I fix the problem ? It is an urgent issue please

Regards

 

[Diane Poremsky]

CCleaner can cause problems with profiles but it shouldn't touch the data files. I doubt the printer tool did it - but i'm not familiar with it.




Also - lets get on the same page for terminology. It looks like you found 1 profile with 3 pst files in it.




How many pst files were in C:\Documents and Settings\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook ?


Did you look in both of the pst files in his profile for the missing mail? The folder in c:\emailfile could be an archive of older mail and the personal folder is his new one.




Did the client say if he had two or three pst files in his profile? test.pst makes me think it wasn't really being used - delete it from the profile to end the error.

 

[zillah]

Hi Diane

Also - lets get on the same page for terminology. It looks like you found 1 profile with 3 pst files in it.

Yes.

How many pst files were in C:\Documents and Settings\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook ?

There were none.

But there were one "Outlook.pst" file and one "archive.pst" file under C:\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,please pay attention that there is no "Documents and Settings" in this path.

Yes I am aware that the default location for Outlook should be : C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook,,,,,but this is not the case with my client ,,,I do not why !!!!

Did you look in both of the pst files in his profile for the missing mail?

Although I did , but I am glad to redo it again might be I had not done it properly, could you please advise step by step the right procedure for that

test.pst makes me think it wasn't really being used - delete it from the profile to end the error.

I did delete it

Did the client say if he had two or three pst files in his profile?

He said something but I forgot

 

[Diane Poremsky]

He said something but I forgot

Most users remember wrong anyway... <g>

But there were one "Outlook.pst" file and one "archive.pst" file under C:\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,please pay attention that there is no "Documents and Settings" in this path.

The path is not necessarily a problem - you said there are two there and one in c:\emailfile? Open all there in his profile (File, Open, Outlook Data file) - then go to the Folder list (Ctrl+6) and look through them.

 

[zillah]

Open all there in his profile (File, Open, Outlook Data file) - then go to the Folder list (Ctrl+6) and look through them.

I had done that , but still there was no luck for that.

I have done system restore on 19-06-2011 when I tried to open outlook why outlook asked me to setup an account ??? Shouldn't restore bring that up ?

Regards

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Yeah, it should restore the original registry which includes the profile - unless cccleaner did something to the backup.




So the missing messages are not in any of the 3 pst files? What type of account is configured in outlook?

 

[zillah]

Yeah, it should restore the original registry which includes the profile - unless cccleaner did something to the backup.

Let us assume that CCleaner damaged the outlook profile,,,,that should not affect when I did the system restore,,,,,,,Should it ?

So the missing messages are not in any of the 3 pst files? What type of account is configured in outlook?

They are only two profiles :

C:\email file ,,,,,Outlook.pst size is 2.11 GB and Created on 12-10-2009

C:\omrion\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook,,,,,Outlook.pst size is 1.93 GB and Created on 12-12-2007

Regards

 

[Diane Poremsky]

No, it shouldn't affect the system restore copy - that is weird that SR doesn't have the profile.




I thought there were 3 pst file - outlook and archive in the local settings and one in C;\email.




Is that the only restore point? Have you searched his drive for more pst files?

 

[zillah]

No, it shouldn't affect the system restore copy - that is weird that SR doesn't have the profile.

Yes I do agree with you

I thought there were 3 pst file - outlook and archive in the local settings and one in C;\email.

Yes you are right. Two "Outlook.pst" files and one "archive.pst" file....................In my previous reply I did not count the "archive.pst" file because I though you were asking about "Outlook.pst" only

Have you searched his drive for more pst files?

Yes I did

Is that the only restore point?

Since I had tried 19-06-2011 ,,,now I will try another date before 19-06-2011 and see how it goes

Thanks Diane

 

[zillah]

This how I did the system restore (hopeful I had done it right)

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ht/systemrestorecp.htm

1. Boot to Windows XP Safe Mode With Command Prompt.
   
2. At the Command Prompt, type C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe and press Enter.
   
3. Follow the instructions given to perform the System Restore process.
   

 

[Diane Poremsky]

This how I did the system restore (hopeful I had done it right)

I don't think SR is the problem - there is really no way to mess it up - you pick a date, windows does the rest. (I usually start it in Windows unless i can't boot into windows but that shouldn't make a different either.)

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Yes you are right. Two "Outlook.pst" files and one "archive.pst" file....................In my previous reply I did not count the "archive.pst" file because I though you were asking about "Outlook.pst" only

Current messages shouldn't be in the archive. Have you looked in the Recycle bin to see if any pst files are there?




The bum profile isn't a problem - they are easy to rebuild - but the current mail should be there somewhere.

 

[zillah]

Have you looked in the Recycle bin to see if any pst files are there?

Nothing in the recycle bin.

but the current mail should be there somewhere.

I hope I can find them

 

[zillah]

I usually start it in Windows

I will try this hint and see how it goes

 

[zillah]

Hi Dianehttps://forums.slipstick.com/member.php?5-Diane-Poremsky

I will try this hint and see how it goes

Wasn't helpful either.

Now I created a new “ .pst “ file for him.

How can I retrieve an address book (emails) from the archived “.pt “ files ??

Regards

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Do you need to recover contacts or create contacts from the email addresses on messages in the folder?




(I'm still perplexed as to what happened to the pst file.)

 

[zillah]

I'm still perplexed as to what happened to the pst file.

Me too ,,,I don't how that happened,,,,,I was embarrassed because it is my first job to this new client, imagine what he is gonna say !!!!

Do you need to recover contacts or create contacts from the email addresses on messages in the folder?

I would like to learn both procedure if that is possible

Regards

 

[Diane Poremsky]

If its a true archive, it won't have contacts - if it's a copy of an older pst, open the pst file in outlook using File, Data File management (outlook 2007 and older). Go to the folder list (Ctrl+6) and open the Contacts folder - select all and use the copy to tfolder command to copy them to the new pst.




To get addresses from email - i posted some code a few weeks ago. ?86062

 

[zillah]

If its a true archive, it won't have contacts - if it's a copy of an older pst,

How can I find out that ?

Meanwhile what I did I followed the procedure here

http://www.vhxn.com/how-to-import-your-gmail-contacts-into-outlook-2007/

But the size of the contact file that I had was 1.35 KB obviously it would be empty ,,,,I checked it by opening it and it was empty

Regards