Outlook - Accidentally tried moving outlook folder to another drive....now cannot use Outlook 2007 on Vista

Asked By Sharon Kay

17-Mar-10 09:21 AM

1. Was getting ready to back up laptop to install a full version of Windows
7.
2. Accidentally tried moving the folder that held OUTLOOK DATA BACKUP folder
(outlook.pst and outlook1.pst)
3. Got an error message about moving it (realized then this outer folder
held outlook); so cancelled move.
-- outlook files did NOT get moved or copied to another drive
-- outlook.pst and outlook1.pst are still in original location
4. I have restarted my computer.
5. I tried starting Outlook 2007 (I have Vista version 6 service pack 2)
6. It gives me the following error (it will not open):
cannot open your default e-mail folders. file access is denied. you do not
have the permission required to access the file
7. I have tried going through online MS support.  I have attempted to change
permissions as suggested.   Nothing has changed.

Note:  I wanted to try to go through MS support but I cannot access the
actual code INSIDE Outlook because it will not open.  (doubting I would have
free support since the product is more than a year old I think) ... I do
have my Office product code.

Thank you very much for any assistance you may be able to give me.

17-Mar-10 10:32 AM

In Windows Explorer, can you right-click the PSTs and see their properties?
Can you copy the PSTs to another folder?  Have you tried creatoing a new mail
profile?  State exactly which folder you "tried" to move and exactly what you
mean by "tried" and what "cancelled" the move means.  I do not know of any
facility in Windows that would allow the scheduled move of a file such that
you can cancel it later.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

17-Mar-10 10:38 AM

Have you rebooted? The move attempt may have a hold on the pst files.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
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17-Mar-10 10:56 AM

1. Yes I can right-click the PSTs and see their properties.
-- under SECURITIES all the users listed have full control (which by the
way I am the ONLY user on this computer)
2. I was able to copy them to another folder on the C drive.
3. I cannot create a new mail profile because Outlook will NOT open...I get
that message when I try to open Outlook...
4. Here is my file structure:
c:\MOM\OUTLOOK DATA\outlook.pst
c:\MOM\OUTLOOK DATA\outlook1.pst
5. I was MOVING folders from my C drive to my F drive in order to put a new
version of Windows (7 full version) on the laptop.  I forgot that the MOM
folder only had my OUTLOOK DATA in it.  When I tried to move it I got an
error and cancelled the move .... then Outlook would not open up even though
the files were still there.

.........well update...tried to recreate the error and the files moved to F
drive without any error.  So pressed CTRL Z to undo & move it back to C
drive.  Tried opening Outlook ... and it worked!!  No idea why that worked
but it did!!   So this problem has been FIXED!!!

You can bet that I will be following Microsoft's step by step directions to
back up this data correctly ... and then to install it correctly once I have
upgraded Windows!!!

Thank you so much for your time.  I never would have believed that
attempting to recreate the error would actually fix the problem.

Sharon

17-Mar-10 03:00 PM

You do not create profiles in Outlook.  You create them with the Mail applet in
Control Panel.  Show Profiles>Add.

Anyway, glad to hear it was an unexplainable glitch that corrected itself.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]