I am trying to move a personal folders file from 2002 XP to 2003. After
exporting the file in 2002 XP and burning on CD, I copied the file to the
hard drive with 2003 and removed the read-only access. When I try to import
the file I get the error "The file xxx.pst is not a personal folders file."
Help for "Convert a non-Unicode data file to a Unicode data file" describes
the steps I have already taken but it is still not recognizing this as a .pst
file.

NEVER import a native Outlook .pst file. Simply copy from the old computer,
paste to the new computer to a place of your choice (My Documents is good
since most users back that up - you DO back up your files, right?) NOTE:
never overwrite a .pst file either - then rename your current .pst file to
..old, open Outlook, point it to your copied .pst file when it asks and you
are good to go.

--�
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, e cali asked:

| I am trying to move a personal folders file from 2002 XP to 2003.
| After exporting the file in 2002 XP and burning on CD, I copied the
| file to the hard drive with 2003 and removed the read-only access.
| When I try to import the file I get the error "The file xxx.pst is
| not a personal folders file." Help for "Convert a non-Unicode data
| file to a Unicode data file" describes the steps I have already taken
| but it is still not recognizing this as a .pst file.

Hmm...either I am being too literal or this is just somehow not the solution.
When you say "simply copy from the old computer", I select the Inbox and
select "Copy Inbox". In the "Copy Folder" popup, it states to copy the
selected folder to the folder: and displays only other Outlook locations (and
if you select New, it only creates a new folder in Outlook). What am I
missing here?

Okay, so assuming I have the file "copied" to My Documents of the new
laptop, I am not sure I follow the whole renaming part you describe. In the
mail setup, if I click Data Files, it only displays the default Personal
Folders as an existing data file. When I attempt to Add, that is when I have
been getting the past message saying the file is not a personal folders file.
All I am trying to do is bring over the existing messages in the inbox and a
few in subfolders. I am just very confused so any detail would be
appreciated.

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

NEVER import a native Outlook .pst file. Simply copy from the old computer,
paste to the new computer to a place of your choice (My Documents is good
since most users back that up - you DO back up your files, right?) NOTE:
never overwrite a .pst file either - then rename your current .pst file to
..old, open Outlook, point it to your copied .pst file when it asks and you
are good to go.

--�
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, e cali asked:

| I am trying to move a personal folders file from 2002 XP to 2003.
| After exporting the file in 2002 XP and burning on CD, I copied the
| file to the hard drive with 2003 and removed the read-only access.
| When I try to import the file I get the error "The file xxx.pst is
| not a personal folders file." Help for "Convert a non-Unicode data
| file to a Unicode data file" describes the steps I have already taken
| but it is still not recognizing this as a .pst file.

e cali wrote:

Hmm...either I am being too literal or this is just somehow not the
solution. When you say "simply copy from the old computer", I select
the Inbox and select "Copy Inbox". In the "Copy Folder" popup, it
states to copy the selected folder to the folder: and displays only
other Outlook locations (and if you select New, it only creates a new
folder in Outlook). What am I missing here?

The copy must be done outside of Outlook, in the Windows environment and the
file you need to copy is your PST file.
http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm
--
Brian Tillman

I appreciate your response. I had tried all this and was still getting the
errors (which explains me trying to decipher the original advice). Turns out
(after lengthy discussions with the Corp systems folks) that they had not
properly installed Outlook. All is well now. Thanks.

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

e cali wrote:

Hmm...either I am being too literal or this is just somehow not the
solution. When you say "simply copy from the old computer", I select
the Inbox and select "Copy Inbox". In the "Copy Folder" popup, it
states to copy the selected folder to the folder: and displays only
other Outlook locations (and if you select New, it only creates a new
folder in Outlook). What am I missing here?

The copy must be done outside of Outlook, in the Windows environment and the
file you need to copy is your PST file.
http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm
--
Brian Tillman