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Resolved Will my pst. files be deleted if I change accounts in Outlook 2007

Discussion in 'Microsoft Mail (Outlook / OE / Windows Mail)' started by onefinger, 2013/11/03.

  1. 2013/11/03
    onefinger

    onefinger Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hi all

    I have a POP3 Account set up in Outlook 2007 and I have exported my mail to pst. data files.

    I am just about to change ISP's this week and my aim is save my pst. files and still have them showing in the left hand pane and to change the e-mail account to the new one.

    If I delete my inbox, and I have a pst. of my full inbox, will the pst.'s still be there when I change accounts so that I can view the e-mails from my old ISP or do they disappear when you change accounts?

    I cannot find the answer to this anywhere. I have made folders too that show in the left pane with e-mails in them, although they are stored in a full pst., if you view a pst. in Outlook the folders do not show?

    Can anyone tell me please the best way around saving my old e-mails to view and to have the new e-mails showing in my main inbox from my new ISP?

    Hope you can understand what I mean. :confused: Thank you.

    I am using ADSL Broadband on a Windows 7 64 bit operating system.
     
  2. 2013/11/03
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member

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    I used to have ISP account with JUNO a few years back, and in 2008 I switched to BellSouth DSL (now AT&T). All I did with my JUNO .pst file was to change it over to BellSouth. I did not delete any folders in the process. I just kept using the same inbox for my new mail account.

    You can also create new folders in the left pane and setup rules to filter your incoming mail to these folders. If you don't want to mix your old mail with your new, just create a new folder to store the new mail in and call it whatever you want (inbox 2, etc).

    You can even create a new .pst file and merge the two, but I have never tried that option before.
     
    Last edited: 2013/11/03
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  4. 2013/11/04
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    First set up a backup for your .pst file - this should be done as a matter of course as is the case with all your personal data .....

    How to automatically back up your personal folders file in Outlook

    Then go to Tools > Account Settings > New tab and follow the Wizard through to create a new account for your new ISP.

    When Outlook sends & receives it will download mail from both your new account and the existing account.

    All existing emails will be retained and will show up in Outlook as before - newer ones will be from your new ISP. Do not delete any emails unless you would have done so anyway. When deleted they are no longer in the .pst file once the deleted items folder has been emptied.

    The old account can be removed once it is closed by your old ISP.
     
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  5. 2013/11/04
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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  6. 2013/11/04
    onefinger

    onefinger Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thank you for your answers.

    I have quite a lot of "personal folders" that I sort my e-mails into manually James Martin. What puzzles me is that, although I know those "personal folders" are included in the pst. back-ups, if you open a pst. it doesn't show those folders. It just shows an inbox, a search folder and deleted items. However I have had to re-install Outlook before and load a pst. and it is then that you discover that everything is contained in it.
    What I would like to do is to have a folder just containing pst.'s and e-mails from my old ISP and use my inbox just for the new ISP e-mails but my inbox is a little complicated to me and I cannot see how to do that yet?

    Pete C, I do regularly backup using the pst. wizard but just downloaded the Back-up tool from your link. I have backed up just my "personal folders" with it for the first time. Thank you for that, I like the Options on it and the reminder to back-up on it.
    Thank you for confirming that I will get e-mails from my old ISP and my new one if I keep the old e-mail address in there. Is this done by selecting "e-mail accounts" from the Tools Menu and then selecting "New" from up over it, then just follow the wizard?
    I am not sure what you mean about if I delete the old e-mails that they won't be in the pst. file, as I thought the pst. files were not affected by doing so? Is this only if I delete the account in "e-mail account settings" of my old ISP address?
    I don't want to lose those pst.'s so does this mean I have to leave the old ISP address in the "account settings "? Sorry I am confused about this.

    Thank you SpywareDr for confirming the e-mails will still be there when my new ISP takes over.

    If I am to have both connections coming through to my Outlook this must mean that when I set up my TP-Link WD-8960 Modem/Router I cannot use the Quick Setup like I was going to, to find the new connection. Wouldn't this automatically delete the old connection and keep the new one?
    I would have to add another account to my router wouldn't I so that the old e-mail account was live too until it was disconnected?

    Lastly my inbox is a bit complicated because when I first started out online I never knew about backing up the pst. files so when I had to reboot Windows I lost my e-mails. I never had the "save a copy of e-mails to the server" ticked either. Hence I have two of everything, two inbox, two sent mails etc. but somehow I have a third inbox with very old items in it.
    Im the AppData/Mcirosift/Oulook location my inbox are listed as: Outlook and Outlook(2).
    Is it possible to combine inboxes or do I just leave it like it is?
    My personal folders (e.g. for separate headings e.g bills, receipts etc) make my folder tree even longer in the left hand pane. If I have to load a pst. after a reboot it does load it back exactly like it is but it seems messy to me and needs tidying.

    Can anyone let me know if I need to add a new connection rather than losing the old one to my ADSL Modem/Router and if so does anyone know how to do this on the TP-Link?

    Thank you all for your answers, it is much appreciated.
     
  7. 2013/11/04
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member

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    I don't recall ever having an issue like this. When I installed Outlook 2007 on my new Windows 7 machine, I copied the old .pst file from my XP setup and pasted it to C:\Users\newert2\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook. When I opened Outlook, the folder tree was intact with all of my messages. I just had to create a new AT&T POP email account to send & receive mail.

    It's not possible to have a .pst inside of a (mail) folder. A .pst (Personal Storage Table) file contains all emails, contacts, calendar items, tasks, and notes.

    Would it not be possible to right-click on the root folder in the left pane of Outlook and create a new inbox for the new ISP? Maybe call it Inbox 2, or the name of your new ISP account?

    To the left of Outlook Today, I have a column named "Mail ". under that is a list of favorite folders (Inbox, Sent Items, Outbox, and Unread Mail). below that window is another window with a heading called "Mail Folders ". By clicking on the double, down arrows is a listing (folder tree) of all my folders. I can right-click on any of these folders and create a new folder and name it what I want. My advice would be to right-click on the root folder (my root folder's name is AT&T - Yahoo) and create a new folder for your new messages unless Pete and SpywareDr have better ideas. :)
     

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    Last edited: 2013/11/04
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  8. 2013/11/04
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member

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    I'm not trying to answer for SpywareDr, but if I read your post correctly, it sounds like you have two .pst files? If so, sounds like you need to merge the two. A Google search pulled up a lot of hits...



    Found a free merging tool with the option to purchase the pro version...


    I can't vouch for it as I have never used anything like it before, but I just wanted to give you some options if needed.
     
    Last edited: 2013/11/04
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  9. 2013/11/05
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Yes. You can have multiple accounts in Outlook - see screenshot below, and Send/Receive will receive from all and incoming emails will all end up in the Inbox. When you create new mail you have the choice of account from which to send it, but on hitting Send they will all go into the Outbox. Inbox & Outbox are common folders for all accounts.

    You will also see from the screenshot that I locate my .pst file on another drive which is backed up hourly.

    James is correct in saying that ALL your Outlook data is contained in the .pst file - mail, contacts, folders etc. When I go travelling I copy the current .pst file from my desktop to the laptop and on my return reverse the process.
    The .pst file contains all your current Outlook data, that is everything that you see in Outlook when it is open. Closing Outlook is similar to closing say Word - the current version of the document is saved complete with edits, deletions etc.

    If you delete old emails and do NOT empty the Deleted Items folder then the contents of that folder will be retained in the .pst file, but to what end? If deleted they are clearly not wanted and should be ditched completely. I have Outlook set to empty the Deleted Items folder when Outlook is closed.
    No - deleting an account is effectively deleting an instruction to Outlook to connect to that ISP to receive or send emails from/to it. The emails already in the .pst file are NOT affected.
    The router does not come into the equation at all - you add a new account to Outlook, that's it.

    I am not at all clear as to why you want to separate emails from your old ISP from your new ISP - they will effectively be distinguished by the date received or sent except in the changeover period when both ISP's may be in operation.
     

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  10. 2013/11/05
    onefinger

    onefinger Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    James Martin I have finally realised where I made an error, with the help of what you guys are saying here, when I reinstalled Windows 7 back some years ago. When I reinstalled Outlook 2007 I never realised that the original Outlook pst. was there (I never knew where to look for it back then). Somehow Outlook made an Outlook(2)pst. so I inadvertently started saving mail to this file, hence the my two in-boxes. What I should have done was to change it so keep on saving in the original pst. It was your screenshot Pete C that made me suddenly realise even though I have looked at those settings recently on my computer.

    I see what you mean James Martin, that an inbox cannot be moved to a mail folder. Thank you for the suggestion about right clicking the inbox and creating another folder. My new ISP mail is showing up in my inbox together with my old ISP mail as you all told me it would.
    Thank you for providing the pst. merge tool, it does seem like a good idea.

    I like the way you can even travel with your pst. file Pete C, you have made me realise how much more can be done with saving mail.
    I always empty my deleted folder once I am sure I have not mistakingly deleted anything. I use the option "delete all deleted e-mails" in one go.
    It is reassuring to know that deleting an account does not effect the pst.

    Thank you all for your answers, I have learnt quite a lot from your posts.
     
  11. 2013/11/05
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member

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    Onefinger, perhaps you've never heard of this, but be sure to compact your .pst file(s) after deleting many unwanted emails, etc.

    Start button > Control Panel > Mail (32 bit) > Data Files > Settings > Compact Now. (make sure Outlook is closed before attempting this)
    This will shrink your .pst file(s) and help to keep Outlook functioning correctly. It's a process that needs to be done periodically - especially if you handle a lot of mail.

    If, after you merge the two files, compact again.

    It's possible to manage two or more .pst files in Outlook at the same time, and a Google search will show you how. I prefer to handle just one file myself.

    Good luck and take your time. Be sure to make backup copies of your two files as Pete said before attempting any merger in case something goes wrong.
     
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  12. 2013/11/05
    onefinger

    onefinger Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thank you for the advise on compacting the pst. James Martin, I saw that option when looking around in Outlook but have never used it. I will try that one. I have backed up all my data files to an external hard drive so no problem there if I merge the two pst.'s.

    I have just come across another problem, since about an hour or so ago, Outlook keeps asking for my password, a Network Password dialog. box pops up. I put in the password and even tried tried selecting the box remember this password but now my incoming server cannot receive mail to my inbox. I have tried testing and it cannot receive and this password box pops up every time. I have checked all of my settings and nothing has changed. I have remember my password checked in Account Settings too.

    It was working for incoming and outgoing mail before, so wonder why now?
     
  13. 2013/11/05
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member

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    Sounds like you may need to contact your ISP.

    Check this link out too...

     
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  14. 2013/11/06
    onefinger

    onefinger Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thank you for the link James Martin. I see a lot of people have the same problem with this pop-up appearing every time a connection is not made to the server for the incoming mail. This cannot be solved by typing the right password in or even if you select save this password to my list.

    The first thing I tried was the "Repair option" above the "Account Settings ". This enabled the green ticks to appear after the test in the outgoing and incoming server connections for old IPS and new ISP mail. However the message underneath said " A test e-mail message could not be sent. You might need to adjust your e-mail account settings to send e-mail messages.
    I re-looked at the account settings again but all ok. I still could not receive mail.

    I then looked at the first stage of trying to fix this problem from your link. Number one being that either your Outlook Profile might be corrupt or the profile settings could be wrong.

    I went to Control Panel in Windows 7 and selected Mail (32bit) from the headings. The Mail Setup Dialog. box opened and I selected "Show Profiles ". On the General tab Outlook was showing in the box only. I made sure that "Always use this profile" was selected.
    Although Outlook was highlighted in the drop down box at the bottom I clicked on the down arrow to see if any other sections could be made, there were none except another Outlook, which I assume is the same. However in doing so I had to click "Apply" to save changes and then OK.

    I tried to send/receive in my Outlook and all the mail arrived from the new ISP server and no network password box popped up and has not since either.
    Probably one of the easiest fixes ever and something only tried by chance.

    Hopefully there will be no more problems in this respect. Thank you all for helping.
     
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  15. 2013/11/06
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member

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    I sure am glad to hear things are working for you again, onefinger. :)

    Outlook can be a beast to deal with unless you know the in's & out's of all those check boxes. Your situation was a learning curve for me as well.

    A word of advice, after I created an AT&T POP account, I used the snipping tool to take snapshots of account settings, and I saved these images in a special folder on a USB drive (or wherever) for reference if needed again. It comes in handy in case I have to trouble shoot Outlook or create a new account after a fresh install of Windows.
     
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  16. 2013/11/06
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Please mark your thread as 'Resolved'.

     
  17. 2013/11/06
    onefinger

    onefinger Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks James Martin, that is a good idea about keeping the settings too.

    I will mark it as resolved SpywareDr. I haven't used this forum for sometime & forgot how helpful it was.
     
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  18. 2013/11/06
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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