How to restore MS Office Outlook 2007 folders back in Outlook

Thanks for that screenshot.  I can see enough to know what I need to advise you to do but there are some things I cannot see that I need to resolve.

The steps are each simple and I can explain each of them.  Since you will have many files to check over, I suggest a methodical approach that will allow you to stop when you get fed up then restart later on.

I need some additional information so I can include precise folder paths & file names in my instructions [in the hope of ensuring that there are no procedural errors and that you will then be able to rely on the results]. 

1  Find out which files your current installation of Outlook is using. 

2  Decide where you actually want to keep your Outlook file[s] in the future. 

So

1  Identify current Outlook files 

1.1  Open Outlook.  You need to use the Folder list in the Navigation pane.  If your Outlook looks like the picture below then you are already there and can skip to para 1.2.  If you have something else showing in your Navigation pane [such as the Shortcuts View] then look at the bottom of the Navigation pane, there are some icons.  Hover over each one until you find the one that is the Folder list [a popup label appears as you hover over each one].  Click on that icon.

1.2  At the top of the Folder list, right-click on Outlook folders.  [*It is possible that you have renamed this in which case you need to right-click on the entry at the top of the list that everything else is shown as a subfolder coming off.]*Click on Properties for Outlook folders then click on Advanced.  In the dialog that appears, there is an entry Filename: so select  all the text in that entry & copy it [Ctrl-C] then paste this information somewhere handy such as a text file then post it here so I know what main file is being used.  To get out of the Outlook dialogs you are in, click Cancel then Cancel again.

1.3  Look for any archive files set up by you or by Outlook.  Now you are back in the main Outlook screen, click on the Tools menu then Options then the Other tab.  [*If the menu bar showing Tools is not visible then press Alt-t to get it visible temporarily.]*Click on the AutoArchive button.  About halfway down this dialog there is the folder path & name of your archive file next to the entry Move old items to.  Either write that down or select it then copy it.  Then paste this information somewhere handy such as a text file then post it here so I know what archive file is being used.  To get out of the Outlook dialogs you are in, click Cancel then Cancel again.

1.4  Check for any additional files Outlook is currently using.  At the top of the Folder list look just to the left of Outlook folders and click on the little - sign to collapse this entry.  If there are any more pst files in use they will be clearly seen underneath.  I am not expecting this as I think you would have said that you had done so.  I think you'll just be left with the situation illustrated below and so no further action is necessary.  If there are additional files then repeat para 1.2 for each of them.

2  Now you have to make decisions. 

[Decision 1]  Where do you want to keep your Outlook files?  It is useful to have them somewhere within your documents folders so they get included in routine backups.  Doing so will probably avoid your ever having to go through all this sorting out again.  You might, just for example, want to have them in C:\Users\Earle\My Documents\PIM or similar.  Please just tell me where.

[Decision 2]  If you carry on using Outlook for a long period, you might want to keep some old items in another pst file so you can refer to it in the future without those old items cluttering up the file you use normally.  Outlook makes such a file and calls it Archive.pst.  Outlook can be set to use that file [the Auto-Archive function] and you can also add to that file manually.  If you have other old items that you want to keep but want them completely separate then please say so.  For example, I have a lot of old stuff in Obsolete.pst & OldContract.pst because I don't think I will ever refer to any of it again but I am not certain enough to delete it completely [wasting a few megabytes is better than finding out I need the information again next year].  So, will you want to have any extra archive files in addition to Archive.pst?

When you tell me this information, I can give you the procedures for sorting it all out [without errors].

Hi Try*3,

I have attached a the first page copy of my PST files. Please advise my next steps to copying them back to Outlook.

Too many documents had this grumpy old man anxious and confused. Thanks for your patience, time and understanding.

Regards,

Earleb

You cannot email things to the forum, you have to post them just as you have been doing with the words you've been typing here.

[The email notification you get is one-way only.  Replies just disappear.  It says that somewhere in the email but I think it is not very clear.]

To post your screenshot here - Position your cursor where you want it to appear within your typed words.  Look at the top of the box you are typing in.  There's a button for Bold, Italic,...  then on the right hand end there's a little icon supposed to represent a picture.  Click on it then click on Browse then select your file & click on Open then click on Upload.

Hi Try*3

I've attached a copy of a screen shot re my .pst files. Whoops that didn't work. I'll e-mail it to you.

Please advise my next step. Thank you.

Earleb

Reads well with me. I will check it out. Thanks for your excellent support Try*3

Earle