I created two .pst’s for my boss so I could store about 825 MB of old emails on our server instead of keeping them on his laptop.
I copied the file to CDs and need to be able to port them to a new laptop, but when I tried to open them on my machine as a test, all I got was a blank Outlook Contact (??). I checked to see if the file was Read Only, which of course it was.
I put the CD back into the laptop drive and tried to take the Read Only off, but it says that Access Is Denied (!!).
When I try to go back and open the CD on my machine (again) it tells me Access Is Denied (!!).
So, here’s my question: What do I need to do to copy two .pst’s off our server, put them into something portable, and then download/export/whatever to my boss’s new laptop?
Files on most CDs can only be read-only; CD-RWs that are being operated in “packet write” mode behave more like hard drives and may allow write access to existing files (I’ve never tried that). But the usual “burn a file to CD” process results in a read-only file.
I suspect that Outlook requires write access to its files so that it can store updates.
You will need to copy the file back to your hard drive, and then be sure to take any read-only permission state off–I’m not certain that this always happens automatically.
In Outlook, you also have to hook them up as a data source. My memories of this are rather hazy.
Outlook requires write access to .pst files. I went through the same thing a few years back.
Copy the files from the CD to your boss’s laptop. Manually reset the file properties so they’re no longer read-only. Then you can open them as usual for adding archive files, or import the contacts, or whatever you want.
You can do a CD_RW setup and keep the files on rewritable CDs, but IME it’s not a terribly good option.
I’m sure I’m missing something here. Sorry to be such a Bad User.
I copied the .pst’s from my boss’s account on the server to his desktop. Made sure the file wasn’t read only, and gave myself all the permissions available. Then copied the file from the desktop to the CD.
Can’t open it on my machine (which I’m doing as a test to make sure that I can open it on his new laptop when we get to the new office).
When trying to open from the :d drive it’s marked as read only. No prob. Moved to my desktop, and it’s no longer read only. But when I try to open the file, the error message says the file either doesn’t exist, or I may not have permission to open it, or it may be open in another program.
Perhaps there is an easier way to do this? In the end, I want to take my boss’s old deleted and sent email that is currently on the server with us when we move to a new place. Is there an easier way to do this?
I apologize if the answer to my problem is clear in the reponses and I’m just not getting it…
You will never be able to open them from the CD. Make sure when you put them on the desktop, the whole file copied and not just a shortcut.
Are you trying to open it by double-clicking it? That won’t work either even thought it has an Outlook icon. You must start Outlook and then do File-Open, or something similar depending on the version you have.
Okay, now I get it. I can put the file on CD, and then when I have the boss’s new laptop, copy and paste the file to THAT laptop, open up Outlook and go to File->Open->Outlook Data File
Just did a test, and it opened them up fine on my machine.
Cool. Thanks, all. I really do appreciate you making me look like a genius to my boss.
