Outlook Contact Recovery

[Spinal]

The worst possible thing happened today - I fried my PC!

I got a fan-failure warning, so I unplugged the old one and plugged a new one in, while the PC was running (stupid, I know)...

Either way, my computer now BSoD's when I boot (just as it starts windows) - luckily, as I try to follow my own advice, I have almost everything backed up. One thing I didn't think of backing up are my emails and contacts.

My emails reside only within Outlook on that hard-drive, and my contacts reside within outlook on that HD and within an O2 XDA IIi phone. Sadly, the phone will only sync with that specific computer - hence, plugging it into another computer and "downloading" the contacts doesn't seem to be an option.

I'm thinking of taking the HD out, connecting it via USB (I have an adapter) to another computer and pulling out the OutLook contacts and email databases - problem is, I don't have a clue where they are! Searching on the internet seems to give alot of useless password cracking programs! I have (or had) the version of outlook that comes with Office 2007 if that makes a difference (on XP)...

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Michele

 

[SEM]

try C:\Documents and Settings\*Your Name*\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
You need to import the .PST files with all your email etc

 

[Sp!ke]

What he says ...

 

[Spinal]

Thanks!

Got those saved onto the mac... Now I just need to rebuild my desktop (I was king of hoping unplugging everything except the hard drive would allow me to boot - so my computer is lying in pieces!)

Do I need to do anything special to import them back into Outlook or is it a simple File>Import sort of thing?

(you saved me a night of grieving!)

Michele

 

[Sp!ke]

First try a chkdsk /f on the drive, then try and boot.

If that fails, you can just boot off a XP CD and do a repair install over the top and retain all your settings and data.

 

[MikeL]

Once retrieved

Hopefully all will be recovered....When it is and for future use:

Not sure which version you're running, however Outlook 2007 has an archive option in the "File" menu and a backup (import) menu item for your retrieved .pst.

E-mail and respective settings are always a pain.

Mike

 

[fredfloggle]

The worst possible thing happened today - I fried my PC!

I got a fan-failure warning, so I unplugged the old one and plugged a new one in, while the PC was running (stupid, I know)...

Either way, my computer now BSoD's when I boot (just as it starts windows) - luckily, as I try to follow my own advice, I have almost everything backed up. One thing I didn't think of backing up are my emails and contacts.

My emails reside only within Outlook on that hard-drive, and my contacts reside within outlook on that HD and within an O2 XDA IIi phone. Sadly, the phone will only sync with that specific computer - hence, plugging it into another computer and "downloading" the contacts doesn't seem to be an option.

I'm thinking of taking the HD out, connecting it via USB (I have an adapter) to another computer and pulling out the OutLook contacts and email databases - problem is, I don't have a clue where they are! Searching on the internet seems to give alot of useless password cracking programs! I have (or had) the version of outlook that comes with Office 2007 if that makes a difference (on XP)...

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Michele

Yes you can do what you want - but be very careful of upsetting the MBR on either hard disk doing so . You don't need to do anything to lift the data files just search for .pst files

 

[fredfloggle]

Hopefully all will be recovered....When it is and for future use:

Not sure which version you're running, however Outlook 2007 has an archive option in the "File" menu and a backup (import) menu item for your retrieved .pst.

E-mail and respective settings are always a pain.

Mike

Microsoft Office Tools > Back up settings - will do all of that for you

 

[Spinal]

Perfect, thanks!

I did think or reinstalling Windows over the existing one - but I have so much cr@p on that HD that its best if I start new! I have all my data backed up anyhow!

With some luck (used my HD cable for another pc) later today I can do mine!

Michele

 

[MikeL]

Microsoft Office Tools > Back up settings - will do all of that for you

OK - give up! Where do I find that?

Cheers

Mike