I use outlook 2003. I was looking for some old mails that should be
hiding somewhere in an old .pst bakup. (Format presumably 97 or
2000). I hear that importing that format into my present Outlook
should give trouble, is that correct? If so, is there a way to look
at these old pst files and mails other than finding a computer with
an old version of Outlook?

Outlook 2003 has no trouble accessing an older format PST. Click
FileOpenOutlook Data File, browse to the old PST, select it, and click
OK.

Thanks a lot.