how to I restore names & addresses backed up on a hard drive

I did an entire computer back up on an external hard drive using Norton
Ghost, then low and behold the computer basically crashed three weeks later.
I have no clue how to retrieve the contacts from the back up. I've found a
few files, i.e..archive, outlook and outlook 1 which are office data files,
then I also have a file called extend.dat - no clue what that is. I've tried
to import these files but Outlook tells me that they are not .pst files (I've
even tried adding an extension .pst) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Never import a .pst file into Outlook unless you want lost and corrupt data.

Look for a file with a .pst extension (you cannot rename something else to .pst and expect your data to magically appear) using windows search and enable searching hidden files/folders. Once found, copy the file to your hard drive but do NOT overwrite your current .pst file. Place it in My Documents to ensure it gets backed up. Then, open Outlook and use File-Open-Outlook Data File. Browse to your saved .pst file in My Documents and open it.


--�
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Darla asked:

| I did an entire computer back up on an external hard drive using
| Norton Ghost, then low and behold the computer basically crashed
| three weeks later. I have no clue how to retrieve the contacts from
| the back up. I've found a few files, i.e..archive, outlook and
| outlook 1 which are office data files, then I also have a file called
| extend.dat - no clue what that is. I've tried to import these files
| but Outlook tells me that they are not .pst files (I've even tried
| adding an extension .pst) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Milly,
I seem to be having the same problem as the other person.
My computer person backup my files, then did a restore. I went to the cd
where the files were backed up, did a search for .pst files and found one. I
dragged it to my C;drive, under my documents. Opened up outlook, then
file-open- outlook date file. Browsed to my doucments on the c drive, and
when I click on the outlook file I transferred it states it is not a data
file.
Any idea what I am doing wrong, or how I can get the contacts onto the newly
installed outlook. Thanks

Bob Speed

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

Never import a .pst file into Outlook unless you want lost and corrupt data.

Look for a file with a .pst extension (you cannot rename something else to .pst and expect your data to magically appear) using windows search and enable searching hidden files/folders. Once found, copy the file to your hard drive but do NOT overwrite your current .pst file. Place it in My Documents to ensure it gets backed up. Then, open Outlook and use File-Open-Outlook Data File. Browse to your saved .pst file in My Documents and open it.


--�
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Darla asked:

| I did an entire computer back up on an external hard drive using
| Norton Ghost, then low and behold the computer basically crashed
| three weeks later. I have no clue how to retrieve the contacts from
| the back up. I've found a few files, i.e..archive, outlook and
| outlook 1 which are office data files, then I also have a file called
| extend.dat - no clue what that is. I've tried to import these files
| but Outlook tells me that they are not .pst files (I've even tried
| adding an extension .pst) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Milly, I did what you suggested, I was able to retrieve all of my previously
sent & inbox items, but I cannot find my contact list to save my soul. I've
opened all three of the files that were available...any ideas, am I looking
in the wrong place in Outloor?



"bspeed" wrote:

Milly,
I seem to be having the same problem as the other person.
My computer person backup my files, then did a restore. I went to the cd
where the files were backed up, did a search for .pst files and found one. I
dragged it to my C;drive, under my documents. Opened up outlook, then
file-open- outlook date file. Browsed to my doucments on the c drive, and
when I click on the outlook file I transferred it states it is not a data
file.
Any idea what I am doing wrong, or how I can get the contacts onto the newly
installed outlook. Thanks

Bob Speed

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

Never import a .pst file into Outlook unless you want lost and corrupt data.

Look for a file with a .pst extension (you cannot rename something else to .pst and expect your data to magically appear) using windows search and enable searching hidden files/folders. Once found, copy the file to your hard drive but do NOT overwrite your current .pst file. Place it in My Documents to ensure it gets backed up. Then, open Outlook and use File-Open-Outlook Data File. Browse to your saved .pst file in My Documents and open it.


--�
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Darla asked:

| I did an entire computer back up on an external hard drive using
| Norton Ghost, then low and behold the computer basically crashed
| three weeks later. I have no clue how to retrieve the contacts from
| the back up. I've found a few files, i.e..archive, outlook and
| outlook 1 which are office data files, then I also have a file called
| extend.dat - no clue what that is. I've tried to import these files
| but Outlook tells me that they are not .pst files (I've even tried
| adding an extension .pst) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You forgot to remove this file's read only attribute that it acquired from
being on a CD.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"bspeed" wrote in message
...
Milly,
I seem to be having the same problem as the other person.
My computer person backup my files, then did a restore. I went to the cd
where the files were backed up, did a search for .pst files and found one.
I
dragged it to my C;drive, under my documents. Opened up outlook, then
file-open- outlook date file. Browsed to my doucments on the c drive, and
when I click on the outlook file I transferred it states it is not a data
file.
Any idea what I am doing wrong, or how I can get the contacts onto the
newly
installed outlook. Thanks

Bob Speed

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

Never import a .pst file into Outlook unless you want lost and corrupt
data.

Look for a file with a .pst extension (you cannot rename something else
to .pst and expect your data to magically appear) using windows search
and enable searching hidden files/folders. Once found, copy the file to
your hard drive but do NOT overwrite your current .pst file. Place it in
My Documents to ensure it gets backed up. Then, open Outlook and use
File-Open-Outlook Data File. Browse to your saved .pst file in My
Documents and open it.


--�
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Darla asked:

| I did an entire computer back up on an external hard drive using
| Norton Ghost, then low and behold the computer basically crashed
| three weeks later. I have no clue how to retrieve the contacts from
| the back up. I've found a few files, i.e..archive, outlook and
| outlook 1 which are office data files, then I also have a file called
| extend.dat - no clue what that is. I've tried to import these files
| but Outlook tells me that they are not .pst files (I've even tried
| adding an extension .pst) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Darla wrote:

Milly, I did what you suggested, I was able to retrieve all of my
previously sent & inbox items, but I cannot find my contact list to
save my soul. I've opened all three of the files that were
available...any ideas, am I looking in the wrong place in Outloor?

Contacts are in the same file as all your other Outlook data. If you opened
that PST and all your mail data was there, then so too was your Contacts
data.
--
Brian Tillman

That's fabulous, unfortunately I don't know how to find them...any direction
given would be greatly appreciated.

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Darla wrote:

Milly, I did what you suggested, I was able to retrieve all of my
previously sent & inbox items, but I cannot find my contact list to
save my soul. I've opened all three of the files that were
available...any ideas, am I looking in the wrong place in Outloor?

Contacts are in the same file as all your other Outlook data. If you opened
that PST and all your mail data was there, then so too was your Contacts
data.
--
Brian Tillman

Thank you for your insight, unfortunately I can't find them...can you tell me
where to look??

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Darla wrote:

Milly, I did what you suggested, I was able to retrieve all of my
previously sent & inbox items, but I cannot find my contact list to
save my soul. I've opened all three of the files that were
available...any ideas, am I looking in the wrong place in Outloor?

Contacts are in the same file as all your other Outlook data. If you opened
that PST and all your mail data was there, then so too was your Contacts
data.
--
Brian Tillman

Russ,
When I click on the box that has read only, to unclick it, I get the message
that states "access is denied"
Any other suggestions?

Bob Speed

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You forgot to remove this file's read only attribute that it acquired from
being on a CD.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"bspeed" wrote in message
...
Milly,
I seem to be having the same problem as the other person.
My computer person backup my files, then did a restore. I went to the cd
where the files were backed up, did a search for .pst files and found one.
I
dragged it to my C;drive, under my documents. Opened up outlook, then
file-open- outlook date file. Browsed to my doucments on the c drive, and
when I click on the outlook file I transferred it states it is not a data
file.
Any idea what I am doing wrong, or how I can get the contacts onto the
newly
installed outlook. Thanks

Bob Speed

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

Never import a .pst file into Outlook unless you want lost and corrupt
data.

Look for a file with a .pst extension (you cannot rename something else
to .pst and expect your data to magically appear) using windows search
and enable searching hidden files/folders. Once found, copy the file to
your hard drive but do NOT overwrite your current .pst file. Place it in
My Documents to ensure it gets backed up. Then, open Outlook and use
File-Open-Outlook Data File. Browse to your saved .pst file in My
Documents and open it.


--�
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Darla asked:

| I did an entire computer back up on an external hard drive using
| Norton Ghost, then low and behold the computer basically crashed
| three weeks later. I have no clue how to retrieve the contacts from
| the back up. I've found a few files, i.e..archive, outlook and
| outlook 1 which are office data files, then I also have a file called
| extend.dat - no clue what that is. I've tried to import these files
| but Outlook tells me that they are not .pst files (I've even tried
| adding an extension .pst) Any help would be greatly appreciated.

List your OS, permission settings, and actual steps used. This doesn't sound
like an Outlook issue. Do you have ownership of this file?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"bspeed" wrote in message
...
Russ,
When I click on the box that has read only, to unclick it, I get the
message
that states "access is denied"
Any other suggestions?

Bob Speed

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You forgot to remove this file's read only attribute that it acquired
from
being on a CD.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"bspeed" wrote in message
...
Milly,
I seem to be having the same problem as the other person.
My computer person backup my files, then did a restore. I went to the
cd
where the files were backed up, did a search for .pst files and found
one.
I
dragged it to my C;drive, under my documents. Opened up outlook, then
file-open- outlook date file. Browsed to my doucments on the c drive,
and
when I click on the outlook file I transferred it states it is not a
data
file.
Any idea what I am doing wrong, or how I can get the contacts onto the
newly
installed outlook. Thanks

Bob Speed

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

Never import a .pst file into Outlook unless you want lost and corrupt
data.

Look for a file with a .pst extension (you cannot rename something
else
to .pst and expect your data to magically appear) using windows search
and enable searching hidden files/folders. Once found, copy the file
to
your hard drive but do NOT overwrite your current .pst file. Place it
in
My Documents to ensure it gets backed up. Then, open Outlook and use
File-Open-Outlook Data File. Browse to your saved .pst file in My
Documents and open it.


--�
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Darla asked:

| I did an entire computer back up on an external hard drive using
| Norton Ghost, then low and behold the computer basically crashed
| three weeks later. I have no clue how to retrieve the contacts from
| the back up. I've found a few files, i.e..archive, outlook and
| outlook 1 which are office data files, then I also have a file
called
| extend.dat - no clue what that is. I've tried to import these files
| but Outlook tells me that they are not .pst files (I've even tried
| adding an extension .pst) Any help would be greatly appreciated.