Windows Forum

Ask something
Discussion Locked

FIND utility won't find

0 helpful
9 replies

by johnnyextreme 1 view

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
On XP Home edition PC I wanted to find my Outlook .pst file. In the Find utility I typed *.pst (I may have renamed the file from Outlook.pst to something else) and check the boxes for Search Hidden Files and Search System Folders, and specified AllHard Disks to search in. Find found 0 files, but of course I have two .pst files somewhere. Why won't Find find?

9 replies

by silverfireiii

I also put this answer in the first on you posted that came up user deleted.

First, before that I felt XP missed the files I would navigate to the and see if they are actually there. They should be in c:\Documents and Settings\your username\LocalSettings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
With your username be the name that you log on to the computer as. I have a feeling that they are not actually there. If they are you can just copy them to disk. You do definately have to choose to search hidden and system files in order to find them.
If they are not there I would open outlook.
1. Click File
2. Click Import and Export
3. Click Export to a File
4. Click Next
5. Click Personal Folder File (.pst)
6. Click Next
7. Click Personal Folders
8. Click Include Subfolders
9. Click Next
10. Choose where and what to save the file as
11. Click Finish
12. Then you will have a pst file

I hope that this helps.

by johnnyextreme

My .pst file would be in the location you mentioned, except that I know that it isn't. I'm aware of workarounds such as exporting to a new .pst. My question is why Find can't find it, and how to find these files Find can't find.

by silverfireiii

Why can't you export one and then see if windows finds the file. Obviously if windows finds the one you export there is no problem with search on the system the problem is that it is not being stored in a pst file.

by johnnyextreme

My Outlook is set up to use a Personal Folder file (pst) to store the messages, appointments, etc. There is the main pst file, then I also have an archive.pst file. I know where the archive.pst file is (c:\documents and settings\me\local settings\application data\microsoft\outlook\archive.pst) but Find didn't find either the archive.pst or the main .pst file.

by johnnyextreme

My system (Compaq Presario 7000US) came with a 2.75GB System_Sav partition (E:). This is a common practice with manufacturers these days as systems come preloaded with more software than will fit on a single restore CD. This partition doesn't showunder My Computer, nor is it listed as a searchable location using the Find utility. In fact, the only place it does show up is in the Computer Management MMC under Disk Management, and the only way to access it is by typing e:\ in the address bar.Apparently I thought this was a good safe place to hide my Outlook.pst file, 'cause that's where I found it.

This discussion is closed to new replies.