Help with locating Outlook .pst file

Ok so run into a major problem, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

I was fiddling around a few days ago with my outlook .pst file, as it was giving me an "outlook did not close properly so the data file is being checked for errors," and people were getting doubles of my emails.

What I was doing was simply backing up the outlook file to a separate partition on my hdd, used for backup/movies/music etc, deleting the old one etc, just fiddling.

Got the thing to stop giving me the error, just required a little tlc via windows update.

BUT, today I decided to clean up my backup drive, and I noticed the backup files that was still floating around that I was playing around with were still there, they were a couple of gig each, so I deleted them. Bad move.

Since I didn't have outlook open, it didn't give me a "this file is in use so cannot be deleted or whatever" error.

Turns out, I had changed the default .pst file location in outlook to the backup drive, the file which I just deleted, because I wasn't thinking and couldn't remember at the time doing that.

Following? Ok this is where it gets tricky...

Because of my fiddling (damn my fiddling!), I had also deleted the .pst file in the normal default location (C:\Users\******\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\), so basically I've deleted my backup, when I had already deleted the original.

So after some deducting, I found out the date I deleted the original file, which was the 7/4/2010. I have a restore point on my computer at 6/4/2010, so I tried that, no luck, .pst file was still deleted from both locations.

Tried 30/3/2010, well before I deleted it, still nothing.

What I'm wondering is there any way of seeing it again? I really, really need those emails, as I said there was over a gig of important stuff that I can't afford to lose.

I have tried looking in C:\Users\******\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook, and C:\Users\*******\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook, both of which have all the other files, but not the important .pst file.

I thought there was another location outlook backup it up to, somewhere in C:\Windows\, but (with only a little exaggeration) for the life of me, I can't find it.

Outlook 2007, Windows 7 Home Premium 32.

Any help would be rewarded with rep and a hug. Cheers.

 

Outlook doesn't back up the PST to another location. The only thing I can suggest is try using data recovery software like recuva.

 

Recuva is a good choice for file recovery. Do be sure to grab the portable copy using another machine and install it on a flash drive, so you don't overwrite the deleted sectors for the PST you want to recover.

Have you tried recovering the deleted file with the Previous versions feature of Windows 7?

Source: http://blog.szynalski.com/2009/11/23/volume-shadow-copy-system-restore/.

ShadowExplorer is a third-party interface to Previous versions. Fortunately, VSS & Previous Versions are enabled for all Windows 7 versions unlike Vista which only enabled them for Business and above.

Here is a quick tutorial on using ShadowExplorer: http://www.ghacks.net/2008/08/29/restore-files-with-shadow-explorer/.

--L.

 

I think you misunderstand, the original file was giving me errors whenever I opened outlook, so I created a new one on my backup drive by exporting from outlook, then deleted the original one. I'll try your suggestion for sure though, so thank you.

lbohn - I'll try some of them this afternoon, sounds promising, so a massive thanks to both of you if it works! Cheers.

 

Another question to do with the recovery program, would I be able to restore the file that was on the backup drive?

That should work better because its not an os drive and I didn't copy anything to that yet, plus it has the latest emails from this week. Possible?

 

Is the PST file in your recycle bin?

For future reference, you may want to look into microsoft's outlook pst file backup tool. It will automatically backup your pst file to a location of your choice.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA100758021033.aspx?pid=CH102499831033

Have you considered using gmail as a way to keep all your emails on their servers, eleminates the risk of losing files on a local harddrive.

 

Recuva will work on the backup drive.

Unless you've explicity included the backup drive in System Restore, the Previous Versions feature will not work. By default System Restore, and by extension Previous Versions, only monitors the Windows drive.

--L.

 

I was always looking for that .pst file and never could remember it's location. I finally moved everything into the cloud and gave up Outlook entirely. It's worth a thought or two Windows, Linux and G1 all in sync now, always.

 

Nope I have the recycle bin set to delete permanently on the first delete, so no chance of that unfortunately.

I do backup the .pst file all the time, this particular time I must have forgotten to reset outlook to use the original, and deleted the original too.

I am starting to think that file recovery on the backup drive won't work either because after I deleted it I transferred 10gig over to it , so the sectors would most likely be overwritten, I haven't touched the os drive, other than to do the system restore.

 

The longer you delay and continue using your computer, the worse your chances become. Recuva is free, comes in a no-install portable version and is a quick download. Give it a shot!

If the file has been backed up by Previous Versions on your C: drive, it won't be overwritten but will eventually be removed from the backup after *some* period of time. So again, waiting is working against you!

--L.

 

Yeah I was delaying installing programs/using the computer at all over the weekend, so I installed recuva.

I ran every possible scan I could on both drives. To its credit it did find the files a couple of times, but the status was "unrecoverable" .

But I hit recover anyway, all went well there, but the recovered files weren't recognized by outlook, obviously they were too badly damaged.

Previous versions in win7 have restore points, but none of the restore points it shows, even ones that I KNOW are before I deleted it don't show the file, so it looks like I'm screwed :cry:

Thanks for all your help though guys anyway, wouldn't have had a clue where to start without it. Cheers.

 

If you're willing to pay money to recover the data you could send it to a specialist. Here's a site
http://www.myharddrivedied.com/

I've never used them but those guys are real pros, the have lots of data recovery presentations on youtube and they do lots of forensic data recovery. Their prices range from $50 to evaluate the drive, and up to $800 or more for recovery. Since your drive isn't physically damaged might not cost you that much.

Once again, use gmail and you'll never have this problem again. You can still use outlook with gmail if you must use outlook.
----------------------
Edit:
After reading their pricing info I think they charge a min $800 for just data recovery.

Remember, if you decide to use a recovery service, don't use your drive for anything before sending it to them as it will decrease your chances of getting your data back.

Let us know what you decide.

 

Thanks again, I'll look into something. The thing is I really need to use the computer for work, so I'll just put this one in the experiences learnt box.

Thanks again all.

 

+1 for Recuva, that’s a good option. It successfully recovers the files which are deleted and is easy to use. It even shows condition of deleted files before attempting to restore them. Great software to use!

 

Yeah Recuva was good, but the files were too far gone .

Oh well, I'm now pestering everyone to re-send EVERY email they have ever sent me, theres another way of doing it!

 

I guess the more ypu keep trying different software, you keep reducing your chances of getting back the pst file. However, never give up, and try to do a bit of research in finding out which data recovery software can recover deleted pst file. I am sure you will come up with a good choice and will be able to retrieve the entire pst file.

 

No, he won't; since recuva found the file and classified it as unrecoverable, that means at least some of the file was overwritten with new data from a different file. However, depending on how much and what was overwritten, there is a tiny chance that if you run Microsoft's scanpst tool on the recovered file, you might be able to make part of the pst file usable for Outlook again. No guarantees, of course, but worth a shot. Scanpst is located in the Office installation folder.

 

This information really doesn't help your current situation, but shows the value of making system images via Windows Backup & Restore as a form of backup. The image creates a virtual hard drive for each of the partitions included and you can mount any of them via Disk Management and explore their contents. Upon restoring my system from an image a week ago, I lost some of my sticky note information for the program Stickies. Mounted the VHD and explored to find the config file and there was my data.

Good idea for the future.

Good luck!