In Windows (2000, XP and Vista) there are hidden folders that hold the
Outlook data. In Vista the folder would be c:\Users\(User
name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook . That's where your Outlook.pst file
would have been stored. Chances are that you did not back up the entire
folder from the C:\ drive but just the "visible" folders that are represented
in the (User Name) folder on the desktop, in which case you have lost your
emails.

If you in fact backed up the entire c:\Users\(User name) folder from the
hard drive, then your mail is there, just hidden.

"Grumblypeg" wrote:

My computer crashed for no known reason. Blue screen of death. After lots of
trouble shooting, took it into a computer shop and they tried everything and
in the end the only solution was to do the disk recovery which wipes the
harddrive, and reinstall Vista and all other Office software.

But I need my old email files. I did back all data files and copy them back
onto the drive, but do not know where to look for old email messages - there
are thousands of important ones. Can you help?