Microsoft KB Archive/286162

= OL2002: You Cannot Open Default Mail Folders =

Article ID: 286162

Article Last Modified on 4/19/2001

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Outlook 2002 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q286162





SYMPTOMS
When you start Microsoft Outlook, you may receive the following error message:

The file :\ .pst could not be found.

Outlook then displays the Create/Open Personal Folders File dialog box.



CAUSE
This behavior occurs if Outlook is delivering messages to a personal folders (.pst) file, and if any of the following conditions are true:
 * The .pst file that Outlook delivers your messages to is located on a server that is currently unavailable.
 * The .pst file that Outlook delivers your messages to is corrupted, and Outlook can not open it.



RESOLUTION
Use the information in the following section to resolve this behavior.

How to Open a New Personal Folders (PST) File
If you want to open a new .pst file, type a name for the new file in the Create/Open Personal Folders File dialog box, and then click Open.

Personal Folders (PST) Files That Are Located on a Network Server
Contact your system administrator to check the availability of the network server where your .pst file is located.

Corrupted Personal Folders (PST) File
If you suspect that your .pst file is corrupted, you may be able to recover the file by using the Inbox Repair Tool.

Use the following steps to use the Inbox Repair Tool:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
 * 2) Type scanpst.exe in the Named box, and then click Find Now.
 * 3) In the list of found files, double-click the Scanpst.exe file.
 * 4) Specify the name of the .pst file that you want to repair, or click Browse to browse for the .pst file.
 * 5) Click Start.

If there is an error, you have the option to make a back up of the file before you attempt any repairs.

The log file for the repair process has the same name as the .pst file with a .log extension. If you repair a file named Mailbox.pst, the log file is named Mailbox.log.



MORE INFORMATION
Unless you use Microsoft Exchange Server Service, Outlook requires a .pst file to store your messages, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks. If Outlook is unable to find a .pst file, the only other folders that you can open are the file system folders, by using Outlook as a document explorer.

Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb KB286162

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