Setting Up Outlook To Use An Existing POP Data File

Question

How can I get Outlook to use an existing POP data file? I'm trying to move from one laptop to another, and have copied the Outlook POP file from the old machine to the new, but Outlook either ignores the data file and starts a new one, or else just won't read email messages into the existing data file at all. My email service is Verizon via AOL. My Outlook version is Outlook 2021 MSO (Version 2301 Build 16.0.16026.20002) 64-bit. My OS is Windows 11. So far, I've proven that I can send and receive messages on the new setup, but the problem now is getting newly arriving messages to go into the existing data file.

Answer 1

Hello Jon

Hi, I'm Karl and will be happy to help you today.

Just to confirm a few things first just to make sure we are both on the same page

#1 - THe account is currently configured as a POP account. Tp verify that, from within Outlook, go to

<File> --> <Account Settings> --> <Account Settings> --> <Email> tab

#2 - The existing file you want to use for the POP account is already added to the Outlook profile. To verify that is the case, from within Outlook, go to

<File> --> <Account Settings> --> <Account Settings> --> <Data Files> tab

If it is not already added to the profile, click on <Add> --> browse to the locaton of the existing PST file --> select it to add it to the profile

#3 - If the PST file you are changing from was set as the <default data file>, then set the newly added PST file as the default by selecting it and clicking on <Set as default>

#4 - Return to the <Account Settings> --> <Email> tab --> select the POP account

54 - Click on the <Change Folder> button and select the <Inbox> in the PST file you want to use

Important notes

a) if you have nay data in the PST file you changed from, you will need to copy that data to the PST file you set for the POP account. If you need any infrustions for that - just let me know

b) some people sometimes encounter an error sending messages ager making this change. If that happens to you, please let me and will provide the instructions on how to correct things

Answer 2

Karl,

Thank you very much for your quick reply. I've rechecked all my settings, and they all line up with what you provided. But I'm still not getting incoming messages. Any other possibilities?

Jon

Answer 3

Since I have no idea what your settings are in terms of "everything lining up" - impossible to provide any comment especially since you didn't confirm what steps you did or did not take but marked the response as not resolving your issue. There is only one way to set a different PST file as the email account delivery destination short of creating a new Outlook profile using the Control Panel Mail app.

Bottomline, if you have the POP account set to the correct <Inbox> folder in the correct PST file as was described, it is absolutely impossible for the email for the POP account to be delivered to the wrong <Inbox> folder so there is something definitely missing from this description. It's a process I've done countless times across all versions of Outlook

Answer 4

Karl,

My previous response yesterday (7 Feb at 1853 PST) was a little terse. I understand that "everything lining up" doesn't provide much detail. Today, I went through the process again, capturing screenshots along the way.

First, I confirmed that I'm using POP:

Next, I established my data file and set it as the default:

Then I went to the Email tab and selected the Inbox:

Finally, I did a Send Receive All Folders:

The result you're seeing here is what I'm still seeing several minutes later. Nothing is being sent, nor is anything being received.

I have found in earlier experiments that I can successfully send and receive if I'm starting out without using an existing POP file. But what I need to do is add to the existing POP file, not start over. At this point, I'm fairly well convinced that this is a Microsoft Outlook problem, not a Verizon / AOL problem.

Do you have any additional suggestions?

Thanks for helping.

Jon

Answer 5

Am a mre then a little confused by all of this. Specifically,

Your original post stated ".....but Outlook either ignores the data file and starts a new one," If the file shown in the screenshots is the "old" PST file, then there are various steps you have performed since Outlook would not create a PST file called <Verizon.pst> when a POP account is configured.

Without knowing what all has taken place - some comments

#1 - If you copied the PST file was copued from the old computer while Outlook was open, there is a good chance that data corruption could occur

#2 - If the <Verizon.pst> file is the result of exporting the mailbox to a new PST file, that would not be the correct procedure - you need to <copy> the original PST file with Outlook closed to the new computer

#3 - If the PST file was not correctly copied, it could well result in everything from the server being downloaded again and depending on how much data is on the server, that could take a while

#4 -I's also possible that the PST file has been corrupted in which case you would need to run ScanPST on it to remove any potential underlying errors. It could take multiple runs of ScanPST to get all underlying errors

How to repair your Outlook personal folder file (.pst)

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/troubl...

One thing that I can assure you beyond any shadow of a doubt is that this is not an Outlook "bug". As mentioned, I've gone through this process more times than I care to remember using all versions of Outlook on both my own systems since I maintain multiple configurations (both physical and virtual) as well as walking other users through the exercise - it works with the exception as noted in my first response with the various steps required. What I am not sure about is what all has transpired which can introduce all kinds of variables.