Hi guys,

 

Here's the brief:

 

I've got an old Win98 PC which is about to learn to fly without wings if it crashes one more time.

 

Enter New AMD 64 3500+ PC :D

 

All hardware is setup and working correctly (with exception of a temperamental modem). WinXP PRO (SP2), MS Office XP, etc loaded and working beautifully.

 

Here's the problem:

 

I want to migrate ALL messages in my Win98 Outlook inbox and sent items to my new Outlook 2002 on the XP machine. I've "exported" the inbox and sent items box to file (currently on CD-ROM) from the old machine (they are separate .pst files). I've tried to import the .pst files from within the new Outlook but (a) it refuses to see the exported files as proper personal folder files and (b) says I haven't got the correct authorization to perform this action.

 

On the new machine I've got two logins - me and my wife. There is also an "administrator" login by default but this isn't visible when you log in to Windows.

 

Can anyone explain to me where I'm going wrong and how I can solve this problem?

 

I have tried to manually copy and paste the exported .pst file to the correct directory. That proved to be impossible as I can not see the directory it is supposed to go into: ie, Documents and Settings/Danny Zaat/Local Settings/Application Data/ .... etc. I can only see as far as Documents and Settings/Danny Zaat. There is not Local Settings directory - even when I'm logged in as an administrator.

 

This is getting to be extremely frustrating as I've been struggling with this for three days now without success.

 

The next step is to import my wifes email folders from her old Outlook Express to the new Outlook. Any suggestions on that?

 

Many thanks for your feedback - much appreciated as usual!

 

Frustratingly yours,

 

Danny

LOL :D

 

Ohhhhh no not another XP problem...getting boring now...hasn't anybody got a Unix/Linux/MAC OS problem we can get our teeth into? :rofl: You know, just for a change like! ;)

 

Sorry Danny, hope you get it sorted bud.

The Local Settings folder is hidden by default Danny. From My Computer choose Tools, Folder Options, View and select the Show Hidden Files and Folders option.

 

To import the .PST files, copy them to your hard disk first. If you try to import from CD, you will get the Access Denied message

 

HTH

 

Steve :)

i take it you've done a search for .pst or outlook files? and still cant find them? rather than going through the folder manually? have you unhidden all files in tools folder options?

Thank you very much for the quick replies guys - I shall log off this old piece of junk and follow your suggestions. Will let you know how I get on in a little while.

 

Yes, I did a search and nothing came up.

 

Cheers!

 

Dan

if you have the pst files, then you can put them anywhere, just make sure you dont delete them by accident in the future. Once you';ve took them off the cd make sure they are not read only. Then open up outlook, set up your mail account, then go to Tools>options>Mail setup then Data files, choose the Personal Folders then settings then put in the full pathname for the pst file. There is only one pst file which contains all your messages and folders.

 

Also, if you want to log in as Administrator, then when you are at the welcome screen, press crl-alt-del twice and you will get the traditional login screen where you can log in as admin.

 

edit - BE SURE TO KEEP BACKUPS! If something goes balls up I wouldn't want you to lose all your mail.

LOL :D

 

Ohhhhh no not another XP problem...getting boring now...hasn't anybody got a Unix/Linux/MAC OS problem we can get our teeth into? :rofl: You know, just for a change like! ;)

 

Sorry Danny, hope you get it sorted bud.

 

 

Sounds more like a Office problem not a Windows XP problem :p

Cheers for that Clarkey! :D

 

I'm pleased to announce that I've managed to migrate both my existing inbox and sent items folders succesfully! Had to export them to new pst files as the ones I did a few days ago were not working for some reason.

 

On to the next challenge: moving my wifes inbox & sent items folders from Outlook Express to her new Outlook.

 

Have tried the "export to Outlook" route on the old PC but this just added her messages to mine. Then found where the mbx files were kept, copied them over to the new PC but when trying to import the mail folders in Outlook it comes up with a message stating the mailbox folders can not be accessed. What's up with that? Any advice!

 

Thanks again guys - I'm a lot more optimistic now!

 

Cheers!

 

Danny

 

if you have the pst files, then you can put them anywhere, just make sure you dont delete them by accident in the future. Once you';ve took them off the cd make sure they are not read only. Then open up outlook, set up your mail account, then go to Tools>options>Mail setup then Data files, choose the Personal Folders then settings then put in the full pathname for the pst file. There is only one pst file which contains all your messages and folders.

 

Also, if you want to log in as Administrator, then when you are at the welcome screen, press crl-alt-del twice and you will get the traditional login screen where you can log in as admin.

 

edit - BE SURE TO KEEP BACKUPS! If something goes balls up I wouldn't want you to lose all your mail.