Outlook 2016 - use of old PST file - will all emails be downloaded or only latest??

[jumper2]

My wife had an issue with her computer where a PST file (of around 21GB) disappeared. While there are some traces, the programs I've tried (EaseUS and Recuva) appear not to be able to recover it. I asked MS if and where Defender might have copied any PST file if it may have deleted it and I didn't get a clear answer. Anyone know more?

Anyway, to resolve the Outlook issue I would appreciate guidance on the following:

Using Windows 10, Office 365 and have Outlook 16.0.7927.1020

I have a backup of the lost PST folder in Feb-2017, so missing all emails since.
All emails are retained on the ISP email server. Using POP.

Today, Outlook failed to start up as that mentioned PST file was missing. I then specified a different file and location (from a Jan-2017 backup) and it started up. However, I now want to use the backup from Feb-2017 and get all emails since and then drop that Jan-2017 backup.

Under Account Settings I have three items in the Data Files tab: original name (xxxx@rogers.com) and location (of that lost PST file), file name of Jan-2017 backup and location, and an Internet Calendar. Under Email I have just the name of the email account (xxxx@rogers.com) with connection settings.

To fix the issue, do I copy the PST file backup from Feb-2017 to the original folder location (of the lost PST file) or change the location of the file for the xxxx@rogers.com by double clicking and then specifying the location of the Feb-2017 backup when it reports it can't find that original lost file? I'm loathe to using that original folder location where the file disappeared (Documents/Outlook Files in the User folder).

After I have made the above appropriate change, and define that Name/Location (of the Feb-2017 PST file) as the default, will Outlook then read the internal controls and just download the emails since Feb-2017, or all emails on the ISP server? I'm reading conflicting reports on this. If just the deltas are downloaded, then great. If all, should I take some action first, e.g. moving existing emails to a different folder name or downloading to a different folder in the same file as I want to remove the duplicates?

I plan to set up an IMAP email after this recovery has been completed, but my wife has a series of emails that have Follow Up flags (in that Feb-2017 copy) and she needs to address those before she switches to IMAP entirely. I assume I can simply set up another account and use IMAP to download the headers/image of all the files on the ISP server before she switches over to just using that IMAP account?

Hope the above makes sense. Happy to clarify any questions to assist before I start the recovery.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

I asked MS if and where Defender might have copied any PST file if it may have deleted it and I didn't get a clear answer. Anyone know more?

No, it would not have copied it. The default locations for a pst are either in %localappdata%\microsoft\outlook or under My Documents, in a folder called Outlook Files. Newer versions put the pst under my docs, but if you upgrade, the existing pst stays in the old location.

Under Account Settings I have three items in the Data Files tab: original name (xxxx@rogers.com) and location (of that lost PST file), file name of Jan-2017 backup and location, and an Internet Calendar. Under Email I have just the name of the email account (xxxx@rogers.com) with connection settings.

That sounds right.

To fix the issue, do I copy the PST file backup from Feb-2017 to the original folder location (of the lost PST file) or change the location of the file for the xxxx@rogers.com by double clicking and then specifying the location of the Feb-2017 backup when it reports it can't find that original lost file? I'm loathe to using that original folder location where the file disappeared (Documents/Outlook Files in the User folder).

Copy the backup to the harddrive - if it has the same name as the original pst, rename it. If Outlook asks for the pst location when you open it, browse to this new copy and select it.

After I have made the above appropriate change, and define that Name/Location (of the Feb-2017 PST file) as the default, will Outlook then read the internal controls and just download the emails since Feb-2017, or all emails on the ISP server? I'm reading conflicting reports on this. If just the deltas are downloaded, then great. If all, should I take some action first, e.g. moving existing emails to a different folder name or downloading to a different folder in the same file as I want to remove the duplicates?

if it is an exact copy, you should only get mail from the last time new mail was downloaded to this pst. This is assuming the pst was the default data file (on the data files tab) when it was last used and is a copy of the pst
, not an export.

I plan to set up an IMAP email after this recovery has been completed, but my wife has a series of emails that have Follow Up flags (in that Feb-2017 copy) and she needs to address those before she switches to IMAP entirely. I assume I can simply set up another account and use IMAP to download the headers/image of all the files on the ISP server before she switches over to just using that IMAP account?

Yes. You can have both the pop account and the imap account in the profile - and you can delete the pop account but keep the pst in the profile - this is helpful if you use the calendar & contacts.