Thank you Gordon and Russ for your help.
I finally have this computer formatted. WOW is all I have to say.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Precisely. Deleting an existing PST and replacing it with another will not
connect it properly to the Outlook profile.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"sheila4typing" wrote in message
...
Thank you very Gordon.

Ok so I'll copy it to my documents since the .pst file will need to remain
otherwise everything will be lot. Out of curiosity, on a fresh install of
outlook 2003 there is a .pst file from microsoft, if you delete that .pst
file and then put one you copied in its place what will happen? I am
definately not going to do because I don't need the frustration but I am
curious why this approach would not work.
Sheila

"Gordon" wrote:

"sheila4typing" wrote in
message
...

I located the .pst file in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\ and have copied it
onto
a
CD since I will be formatting.

Correct


Once I format (this I am not entirely sure I am correct)
Put a copy of the .pst file from the CD in the same location as above.
I
am
assuming it will ask me if I want to override and say yes.

NOT correct. Copy the pst file to anywhere EXCEPT the default location.

To use a PST file from an earlier installation and set it to be the
default
for your current installation of Outlook:
- Go to Tools Options Mail Setup Data Files Add...
- Add the PST you'd like as your new default, then Close OK to exit
the
Options dialog
- Go to Tools E-mail Accounts View or change existing e-mail
accounts
- Select the PST you just added in the "Deliver New e-mail to the
following
location" dropdown (it will most likely appear just below the current
default Personal Folders file) Finish
- Exit and Restart Outlook
- You can now close the previous default PST (R-click on that pst
folder
while in Folder View and select "Close foldername Folders"). If you
have
any information in your former PST that you'd like to transfer to your
new
default PST, you can drag and drop from one to the other before you
close
the old one.

Correct.