I've just discovered in the thread entitled "Moved .pst File" that I've been
operating for years without a good understanding of where these .pst files
belong, how to move them properly, and how to get them from one machine into
another then running properly. I need some help in mining the files from a
virus infected Windows XP HE machine so they can be properly reinstalled. I
had been exploring Business Contact Manager (BCM) with the XP machine but
switched to the Internet Mail Only mode. I think. When I attempted to verify
that on the About Microsoft Outlook screen under Help, I found only "About
Microsoft Outlook 2003 (11.8010.6568) SP2." Security Mode was listed as
"Default" and the Business Contact Manager add-in was
disabled ..(irism32.dll) . whatever that means. I was never connected to the
Microsoft Exchange Server that I think BCM uses. I simply began exploring -
and using - a few of the features in BCM, particularly those involving the
Contact folder. It should be noted that when I now bring up Outlook in the
Safe mode, I get a message headed BCM that tells me "(BCM) for Outlook
database cannot be loaded. This action cannot be completed because (BCM)
cannot access the database. The database is currently stopped. (I assume
that's because I'm running in Safe mode.) Do you want to change the database
configuration." I've been answering "No" the few times I've had to run in
Safe mode.

To identify the files that I've been using for the past 2 ½ years, I pulled
up Outlook, shut down the computer, and came back the next day. I then
searched for all .pst files with the date of the last startup and found
three out of about eight. They are located he

A) C:\Documents & Settings\John\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\mail.pst
(This is the folder I now think contains all the mail that I thought was
being collected by the next file; the old file I brought from my WIN98SE
machine 2 ½ years ago.)

B) In the same location as "A" is an archive file: archive.pst

C) C:\Documents & Settings\John\My Documents\Program Critical Files
(something I may have created)\Outlook 2000 (note this is was made on
version 2000 and is being used on version 2003)\JG 3-23-04.pst.

I now think the file in "C" gave me my Contacts but never collected my mail.
Mail has been going into "A".

Question 1 (Q1): Should the mail and the pst in "C" be merged into one? If
so, how should I do that?

Q2) Once I do whatever is necessary to square the pst, where should I put it
when I have the XP machine rebuild (reformatted and Office 20003
reinstalled?

Q3) Is there anything I'll have to do to get that Business Contact Manager
section working (but not connected to the server)? It is listed in the
Folder List of the XP machine.