I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of my
Contacts" The backup file is visible in My Documents. But when I try to open
the file I"m told that "Windows is attemping to open a file of type " office
data file" (.pst) I then select "open with" and several prompts later reach
"Windows needs to know what program created it" and I am asked to select
"the program that created it" from a list. The first four selections a
Microsoft Office Excel, Office Publisher , Office Word and Office Document
Reader. I have tried all four of these and am unable to view the backup
file. With Excel data is visible but not is a readable format. With Word
all I see are geometric shapes! I also tried 3 or 4 other programs in a
secondary list and they did not open the file either.
What program created the backup file and how do I open my backup file? My
goal is to save the back up file to a CD.

You never open PST files from Windows Explorer.
You open them in Outlook.
File Open Outlook Data File.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Korine" wrote in message
...
I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of my
Contacts" The backup file is visible in My Documents. But when I try to
open
the file I"m told that "Windows is attemping to open a file of type "
office
data file" (.pst) I then select "open with" and several prompts later
reach
"Windows needs to know what program created it" and I am asked to select
"the program that created it" from a list. The first four selections a
Microsoft Office Excel, Office Publisher , Office Word and Office Document
Reader. I have tried all four of these and am unable to view the backup
file. With Excel data is visible but not is a readable format. With Word
all I see are geometric shapes! I also tried 3 or 4 other programs in a
secondary list and they did not open the file either.
What program created the backup file and how do I open my backup file? My
goal is to save the back up file to a CD.

Korine wrote:

I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of
my Contacts"

I'm curious - why would you want to make a backup that includes only your
Contacts? Isn't the rest of your Outlook data important as well?
--
Brian Tillman

Thank you. Ignorance is not bliss! I did the following: open
OutlookFileOpenOutlook data filemy documentsdbl L click on the contacts
backup icona new view pops up with a folder list on it's L side My Contact
BackupContacts. I'm embarrased to say how long the last few steps took but
success is success. I then tried opening the CD I thought I had loaded the
backup contacts onto with Outlook open but run into my previous problem of
bieng asked to choose the program I want to open this file and not being
successful with any of the options. Any suggestions? Korine

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You never open PST files from Windows Explorer.
You open them in Outlook.
File Open Outlook Data File.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Korine" wrote in message
...
I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of my
Contacts" The backup file is visible in My Documents. But when I try to
open
the file I"m told that "Windows is attemping to open a file of type "
office
data file" (.pst) I then select "open with" and several prompts later
reach
"Windows needs to know what program created it" and I am asked to select
"the program that created it" from a list. The first four selections a
Microsoft Office Excel, Office Publisher , Office Word and Office Document
Reader. I have tried all four of these and am unable to view the backup
file. With Excel data is visible but not is a readable format. With Word
all I see are geometric shapes! I also tried 3 or 4 other programs in a
secondary list and they did not open the file either.
What program created the backup file and how do I open my backup file? My
goal is to save the back up file to a CD.

Simple, I don't want to lose it again!

I recently "lost" 300 contacts when my old computer quit functioning. The
info could not be retrieved! I just completed entering those 300 contacts
into my new computer from an the old fashioned paper copy of the contacts and
don't wish to do it again any time soon.

I honestly don't use many of the other Outlook functions. I am not a savy
computer user and have difficulty finding the time for the learning curve!!
It should be very simple to backup the contacts on the hard drive and to a
CD! But of course it's not simple or there wouldn't be so may online
questions!

My ultimate goal is to get the contacts loaded onto a CD so that I can put
it in the safe AND have a CD I can use in a computer in another location.

I thought I had burned the contacts backup to a CD but now cannot open it.
I end up eith the "choose the program you want to open this file" I described
earlier.

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Korine wrote:

I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of
my Contacts"

I'm curious - why would you want to make a backup that includes only your
Contacts? Isn't the rest of your Outlook data important as well?
--
Brian Tillman

Mr Valentine,
After reading other posts I've tried again to write a CD. I closed Outlook
and went to My DocumentsContacts Backup filefile & folder tasksCopy this
file a ballon from my task bar indicates I have "files waiting to be copied"
and they are the contacts backup file. I follow the prompt to click the
balloon and the CD writing wizard begins to work. It appears to write the
CD. The CD drive door opens when the process is complete. But I cannot open
the CD with or with out Outlook open! I again get all of the prompts about
needing to know which "program created it".

"Korine" wrote:

I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of my
Contacts" The backup file is visible in My Documents. But when I try to open
the file I"m told that "Windows is attemping to open a file of type " office
data file" (.pst) I then select "open with" and several prompts later reach
"Windows needs to know what program created it" and I am asked to select
"the program that created it" from a list. The first four selections a
Microsoft Office Excel, Office Publisher , Office Word and Office Document
Reader. I have tried all four of these and am unable to view the backup
file. With Excel data is visible but not is a readable format. With Word
all I see are geometric shapes! I also tried 3 or 4 other programs in a
secondary list and they did not open the file either.
What program created the backup file and how do I open my backup file? My
goal is to save the back up file to a CD.

You can't open PST files on a CD. Outlook must have read/write access to PST
files.
Move the file to your hard drive and remove its read only attribute. Then
open it the way I told you to.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Korine" wrote in message
...
Mr Valentine,
After reading other posts I've tried again to write a CD. I closed
Outlook
and went to My DocumentsContacts Backup filefile & folder tasksCopy
this
file a ballon from my task bar indicates I have "files waiting to be
copied"
and they are the contacts backup file. I follow the prompt to click the
balloon and the CD writing wizard begins to work. It appears to write the
CD. The CD drive door opens when the process is complete. But I cannot
open
the CD with or with out Outlook open! I again get all of the prompts
about
needing to know which "program created it".

"Korine" wrote:

I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of my
Contacts" The backup file is visible in My Documents. But when I try to
open
the file I"m told that "Windows is attemping to open a file of type "
office
data file" (.pst) I then select "open with" and several prompts later
reach
"Windows needs to know what program created it" and I am asked to select
"the program that created it" from a list. The first four selections
a
Microsoft Office Excel, Office Publisher , Office Word and Office
Document
Reader. I have tried all four of these and am unable to view the backup
file. With Excel data is visible but not is a readable format. With
Word
all I see are geometric shapes! I also tried 3 or 4 other programs in a
secondary list and they did not open the file either.
What program created the backup file and how do I open my backup file?
My
goal is to save the back up file to a CD.

Thank you for bearing with me. Do I move the file from the CD to the hard
drive or am I moving the file from My Documents to the CD or from the backup
in Outlook? I attempted to move the file from the CD to the hard drive but
the computer will not do this. It gave me NO prompt to remove the read only
attribute.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You can't open PST files on a CD. Outlook must have read/write access to PST
files.
Move the file to your hard drive and remove its read only attribute. Then
open it the way I told you to.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Korine" wrote in message
...
Mr Valentine,
After reading other posts I've tried again to write a CD. I closed
Outlook
and went to My DocumentsContacts Backup filefile & folder tasksCopy
this
file a ballon from my task bar indicates I have "files waiting to be
copied"
and they are the contacts backup file. I follow the prompt to click the
balloon and the CD writing wizard begins to work. It appears to write the
CD. The CD drive door opens when the process is complete. But I cannot
open
the CD with or with out Outlook open! I again get all of the prompts
about
needing to know which "program created it".

"Korine" wrote:

I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of my
Contacts" The backup file is visible in My Documents. But when I try to
open
the file I"m told that "Windows is attemping to open a file of type "
office
data file" (.pst) I then select "open with" and several prompts later
reach
"Windows needs to know what program created it" and I am asked to select
"the program that created it" from a list. The first four selections
a
Microsoft Office Excel, Office Publisher , Office Word and Office
Document
Reader. I have tried all four of these and am unable to view the backup
file. With Excel data is visible but not is a readable format. With
Word
all I see are geometric shapes! I also tried 3 or 4 other programs in a
secondary list and they did not open the file either.
What program created the backup file and how do I open my backup file?
My
goal is to save the back up file to a CD.

You copy the PST file from the CD to your hard drive (you can't move files
from a CD).
Then you R click it and use the Context menu to remove its read only
attribute.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Korine" wrote in message
...
Thank you for bearing with me. Do I move the file from the CD to the hard
drive or am I moving the file from My Documents to the CD or from the
backup
in Outlook? I attempted to move the file from the CD to the hard drive
but
the computer will not do this. It gave me NO prompt to remove the read
only
attribute.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You can't open PST files on a CD. Outlook must have read/write access to
PST
files.
Move the file to your hard drive and remove its read only attribute. Then
open it the way I told you to.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Korine" wrote in message
...
Mr Valentine,
After reading other posts I've tried again to write a CD. I closed
Outlook
and went to My DocumentsContacts Backup filefile & folder tasksCopy
this
file a ballon from my task bar indicates I have "files waiting to be
copied"
and they are the contacts backup file. I follow the prompt to click
the
balloon and the CD writing wizard begins to work. It appears to write
the
CD. The CD drive door opens when the process is complete. But I cannot
open
the CD with or with out Outlook open! I again get all of the prompts
about
needing to know which "program created it".

"Korine" wrote:

I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of
my
Contacts" The backup file is visible in My Documents. But when I try
to
open
the file I"m told that "Windows is attemping to open a file of type "
office
data file" (.pst) I then select "open with" and several prompts
later
reach
"Windows needs to know what program created it" and I am asked to
select
"the program that created it" from a list. The first four selections
a
Microsoft Office Excel, Office Publisher , Office Word and Office
Document
Reader. I have tried all four of these and am unable to view the
backup
file. With Excel data is visible but not is a readable format. With
Word
all I see are geometric shapes! I also tried 3 or 4 other programs
in a
secondary list and they did not open the file either.
What program created the backup file and how do I open my backup file?
My
goal is to save the back up file to a CD.

Mr. Valentine, I've done as you've instructed many times. However. when I
do: Contact backup properties.GeneralAttributesread only is NOT
checkedapplyOK I am UNABLE to view the file when I doulbe click it. I
continue to get the "Windows cannot open this file"select the program from a
listnone on the list allow me to view the file. But it just dawns on
me-will I never be able to view the file? Will I use the CD to re-load
Outlook on my home or away computer? And expecting to view the data when
outside of Outlook is impossible?

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You copy the PST file from the CD to your hard drive (you can't move files
from a CD).
Then you R click it and use the Context menu to remove its read only
attribute.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Korine" wrote in message
...
Thank you for bearing with me. Do I move the file from the CD to the hard
drive or am I moving the file from My Documents to the CD or from the
backup
in Outlook? I attempted to move the file from the CD to the hard drive
but
the computer will not do this. It gave me NO prompt to remove the read
only
attribute.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You can't open PST files on a CD. Outlook must have read/write access to
PST
files.
Move the file to your hard drive and remove its read only attribute. Then
open it the way I told you to.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Korine" wrote in message
...
Mr Valentine,
After reading other posts I've tried again to write a CD. I closed
Outlook
and went to My DocumentsContacts Backup filefile & folder tasksCopy
this
file a ballon from my task bar indicates I have "files waiting to be
copied"
and they are the contacts backup file. I follow the prompt to click
the
balloon and the CD writing wizard begins to work. It appears to write
the
CD. The CD drive door opens when the process is complete. But I cannot
open
the CD with or with out Outlook open! I again get all of the prompts
about
needing to know which "program created it".

"Korine" wrote:

I followed the Office online instructions to "create a backup copy of
my
Contacts" The backup file is visible in My Documents. But when I try
to
open
the file I"m told that "Windows is attemping to open a file of type "
office
data file" (.pst) I then select "open with" and several prompts
later
reach
"Windows needs to know what program created it" and I am asked to
select
"the program that created it" from a list. The first four selections
a
Microsoft Office Excel, Office Publisher , Office Word and Office
Document
Reader. I have tried all four of these and am unable to view the
backup
file. With Excel data is visible but not is a readable format. With
Word
all I see are geometric shapes! I also tried 3 or 4 other programs
in a
secondary list and they did not open the file either.
What program created the backup file and how do I open my backup file?
My
goal is to save the back up file to a CD.