Cannot access outlook.pst from CD (also going from ME to XP machine)

**iplayatari** · September 8th, 2005, 01:57 PM

Greetings,

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have a WinME machine that is crashing (after installing and running Diskeeper.....but that's a whole other story). Outlook 2000 would not even open. I was able to copy the files that were corrupted from the orginial disc and eventually got Outlook open but all my folders and mail were gone.

Luckily, the outlook.pst file is still in the applications folder, folder. But it wont import!!! I get a run-time error......which I've read could be a Java thing or a virus thing.

So I tried to back up that file but it wouldn't allow me......and yes the read-only check mark was off. BUT I was able to copy it to a CD-Rom.

So I take the file to work and try to import it there but now it's saying ERROR COPYING FILE OR FOLDERS.......CANNOT COPY OUTLOOK: THE PARAMETER IS INCORRECT.

I think this has something to do with the original machine bieng ME and this one bieng XP.

Also, I cannot copy the .PST file from the CD to the computer. And it wont allow me to turn off the read-only mark. (and it was off when I copied it......I think).

Any ideas.............I've wasted about 4-5 hours already.

p.s. I was able to copy the files into Thunderbird email at the ME machine.....but it only got me an inbox throught January 2005. Is it possible that that is all the information the .pst file has?

**Moostang** · September 8th, 2005, 03:09 PM

When it goes to CD it is going to be switched to read only. What happens when you try to copy straight from the CD to the harddrive? It might be that it did not burn correctly or got corrupted in some way.
They way I have had to do it, was to copy from the CD to the hard drive, THEN remove the read only switch and connect it to outlook after that.

**iplayatari** · September 8th, 2005, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Moostang

When it goes to CD it is going to be switched to read only. What happens when you try to copy straight from the CD to the harddrive? It might be that it did not burn correctly or got corrupted in some way.
They way I have had to do it, was to copy from the CD to the hard drive, THEN remove the read only switch and connect it to outlook after that.

Yes, I tried to copy it directly to the hard drive but it will not allow this.

Maybe I'll try and copy it to a floppy or external drive......will see......thanks.

**NooNoo** · September 9th, 2005, 04:32 AM

Copy using explorer, then change the attributes of the file in the file's properties. Then you can use outlook to import it.

Check the file before importing using scanpst.exe

**Moostang** · September 9th, 2005, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by iplayatari

Yes, I tried to copy it directly to the hard drive but it will not allow this.

Do you get an error?

**iplayatari** · September 9th, 2005, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Moostang

Do you get an error?

yes.

**iplayatari** · September 9th, 2005, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Copy using explorer....[/url]

It will not allow me to do this.

Also, I've created a new user to set a new path............no luck with that either.

Maybe you guys know of another email program I could use that would try and import that file. I tried Thunderbird but it doesn't allow me to select the .pst on the CD-Rom and automatically loads the .pst that is on the installed Outlook.

**NooNoo** · September 9th, 2005, 02:51 PM

Have you checked the cd is good? Does this file copy error happen on every machine?

**Moostang** · September 9th, 2005, 02:58 PM

If you can't copy it using explorer, it sounds like you have a bad disk. That error you posted, is that the one you get copying in explorer? I appears to be an outlook error. Maybe you can try copying in DOS.

**iplayatari** · September 10th, 2005, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Have you checked the cd is good? Does this file copy error happen on every machine?

yeah it does.

do you mean if my cd (disk) is good or the actual drive?

**iplayatari** · September 10th, 2005, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by Moostang

If you can't copy it using explorer, it sounds like you have a bad disk. That error you posted, is that the one you get copying in explorer? I appears to be an outlook error. Maybe you can try copying in DOS.

ahhhh DOS haven't tried that yet.

BTW how does a Sony RB:
1 gig ram
P4 3.0ghz Media Center Edition
250 HD
CD/DVD+-R
USB/Fire Wire/ and built in CF reader....

sound for 999 after 100 mail in rebate?

**NooNoo** · September 10th, 2005, 03:11 AM

Originally Posted by iplayatari

yeah it does.

do you mean if my cd (disk) is good or the actual drive?

Both... but you don't seem to have tried the cd in another computer using explorer to copy... if you can copy it on another computer, then you know there is something up with the configuration on the computer in question. You appear to have tried to import directly from the cd on another computer, but that is not the same as copying.

**iplayatari** · September 11th, 2005, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

Both... but you don't seem to have tried the cd in another computer using explorer to copy... if you can copy it on another computer, then you know there is something up with the configuration on the computer in question. You appear to have tried to import directly from the cd on another computer, but that is not the same as copying.

The other computer is at work......so I guess I could try that.

Or maybe I can hook up my laptop and do that.

Would a flash drive work? (I guess that is not another computer, huh)

**NooNoo** · September 12th, 2005, 03:33 AM

umm you have confused me. You need to get the pst file OFF the cd and on to the local hard drive of the machine you want to import the pst file to. Right now you are saying that the file will not copy off the cd and on to a hard drive. I am asking you to put the cd in ANY OTHER machine and try to copy the file from the cd to the hard drive.

If the file will copy to the flash drive, then I have to ask why won't it copy to the hard drive? You can use the flash drive to transfer the file... but you must get the pst on the hard drive of the machine you intend to use before you can import it into outlook.

**iplayatari** · September 12th, 2005, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

umm you have confused me. You need to get the pst file OFF the cd and on to the local hard drive of the machine you want to import the pst file to. Right now you are saying that the file will not copy off the cd and on to a hard drive. I am asking you to put the cd in ANY OTHER machine and try to copy the file from the cd to the hard drive.

If the file will copy to the flash drive, then I have to ask why won't it copy to the hard drive? You can use the flash drive to transfer the file... but you must get the pst on the hard drive of the machine you intend to use before you can import it into outlook.

Yes, let me restate.

HOME COMPUTER CRASHING: luckily did a back up first and saved .PST file from Outlook 2000. Reinstalled Outllook but unable to import .PST

Also, unable to copy .PST file to any other drive (including flash). However, was able to copy file to CD. (yes, I turned off read-only)

WORK COMPUTER OUTLOOK 2002: Tried to import .PST file unsuccessfully. AND will not allow me to copy it to any of the drives.

I have not tried a computer to computer transfer yet. I may though as I bought a new computer for home.

IMPORTANT! This all happened after running defrag from Diskeeper 9.0......you have been warned......I can still access my computer but most of the files are garbled.