Outlook 2007 won't open .pst file from Outlook 2000

  • Thread starter Thread starter Garmellon
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Garmellon

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I have been using Outlook 2000 for 10 years and hit the 2GB limit. As a result, Outlook 2000 would not open mail and did not permit me to delete mail to clear space.



I’d been meaning to install my Office 2007 and this seemed like the time to do so. Once installed, I attempted to open my 2 GB PST file in Outlook 2007. No luck. Messages: “The message interface has returned an unknown error. If the problem persists, restart Outlook.” And “Cannot display information. There is either a problem connecting to the server or an error has occurred.”



Researching on the Web, I found Microsoft guidance that I could create a new data file and import the old (ANSI) .PST file into this new (Unicode) .PST file. When I did that, during the Import, I encountered another error message: “The file has reached its maximum size. (Followed by two unhelpful sentences – can’t be imported).”



OK, I think, I have to reduce the size of that file. Research yields Microsoft’s “oversized PST and PST crop tool.” http://support.microsoft.com/kb/296088 I do that and follow the instructions to scan the truncated file with Microsoft’s scanpst.exe tool, which is included with Office.



Another error: scanpst.exe will not complete its scan. I receive a mysterious error message with no indication what the exact problem is. I created multiple versions of the truncated .PST file, each smaller than the last, so that the smallest was 1.7 GB. Still errors with scanpst.exe and ultimately no luck.



I have spent more than 10 hours trying to solve this problem and am at wit’s end. I’m a freelance writer, and it’s costing me money. What’s worse, info on projects I’m supposed to be working on are locked in that PST file! All data is stored locally on a Dell laptop with Windows 7.



Help anybody? Please? Thank you!

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