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

Karl,

I too am confused. I would think that all of this should work, but here we are. To respond to your points:

#1: I closed Outlook on my old machine. Then, just to be sure, I logged off and logged back on again. Then, without opening Outlook, I copied the .pst file. So I'm sure that the file was not flagged as open or anything like that.

#2: No, I just copied the file per above, and did not do any kind of export.

#3: At this point, nothing is being received. From previous experience, without the .pst file in place, I had observed that Outlook would try to download everything. This tells me two things: (1) With the current settings, Outlook can receive messages as long as the .pst file is not present; and (2) Something about the presence of the .pst file is causing Outlook to be unable to receive messages.

#4: Thanks for the advice on ScanPST. I did run ScanPST on the new laptop against the .pst file. See the screenshot:

Then I ran Outlook, resulting in the following:

After doing this, I noticed a text document in the Outlook Files folder. It appears to be a dump from ScanPST. Here's a partial dump:

Microsoft (R) Inbox Repair Tool

© 2021 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Version 16.0.16026.20006

**Beginning NDB recovery

**Attempting to open database

**Attempting to validate header

**Attempting to validate AMap

**Attempting to validate BBT

**Attempting to validate NBT

**Attempting to validate BBT refcounts

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (354) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (414) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (59A) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (774) 

??BBT entry (19140) has different refcount in RBT (46 vs 2) 

??BBT entry (2B67C) has different refcount in RBT (8 vs 3) 

??BBT entry (6ED10) has different refcount in RBT (8 vs 3) 

[Lots if similar rows]

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FF17BA) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FF3A3A) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FF7C96) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FF93AE) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FF9FEA) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FFC9BA) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FFE20E) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FFE25A) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (8FFE6FA) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (900135A) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (900652C) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (9006532) 

??BBT entry (900B024) has different refcount in RBT (3 vs 2) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (90159A8) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (90159AE) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (901CB34) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (901CB3A) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (901D020) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (901DBF6) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (901DBF8) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (901DC08) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (901DC20) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (901DC26) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (902726C) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (9027270) 

??Couldn't find BBT entry in the RBT (9027274) 

**Attempting to validate header NID high-water marks

**Beginning PST/OST recovery

**Attempting to recover all top-level objects

\*\*Store created by build: 16.7466 

  !!Folder invalid high-water-mark (nidi=1A76D, nidiHigh=1A77A) 

  !!Search folder invalid high-water-mark (nidi=1A774, nidiHigh=1A775) 

**Attempting to walk all folders

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 40, RowID = 58D2C4 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 36, RowID = 5059E4 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 35, RowID = 505A04 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 32, RowID = 4FFF24 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 29, RowID = 4EF304 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 28, RowID = 4EF324 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 5, RowID = 356624 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 4, RowID = 356604 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 3, RowID = 3565A4 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 1, RowID = 2998E4 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 0, RowID = 269324 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 3, RowID = 768964 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 2, RowID = 6C27C4 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 0, RowID = 24BD84 

    Failed to add row to the FLT, irow = 990, RowID = 240924 

  !!Contents Table for 1A6522, row doesn't match sub-object: 

    irow = 27, RowID = 5D1604 

  !!Contents Table for 1A6522, row doesn't match sub-object: 

    irow = 18, RowID = 578564 

  !!Contents Table for 1A6522, row doesn't match sub-object: 

    irow = 9, RowID = 55AA64 

  !!Contents Table for 1A6522, row doesn't match sub-object: 

    irow = 6, RowID = 558864 

  !!Contents Table for 201EA2, row doesn't match sub-object: 

    irow = 2, RowID = 5A6604 

  !!Contents Table for 25EB82, row doesn't match sub-object: 

    irow = 998, RowID = 66E384 

**Attempting to locate any orphaned folders/messages

**Performing final HMP validation

**Attempting to check top-level objects for consistency

  ??Deleting SDO 

**Updating folder hierarchy

**Attempting to fix original file

**Attempting to copy back BBT

**Attempting to copy back NBT

At this point, I'm still stumped. From the above dump, it appears that the .pst file that works perfectly well on my old machine doesn't work on the new one, even after running ScanPST. Maybe I need some kind of workaround instead of a direct "transplant" of the .pst file.

Jon

Answer 2

In terms of your previous reply, the only thing I find conflicting as compared to your original post which stated, "but Outlook either ignores the data file and starts a new one,". If that were true, then the steps described in #1 cannot possibly be accurate.

In terms of running ScanPST - did you just run it once or as was stated when I provided the instructions

<<

It could take multiple runs of ScanPST to get all underlying errors

<<

*** when trouble-shooting issues, the devil is always in the details

To eliminate the PST file being corrupt and the underlying cause of this, would suggest running a simple test and that is to create a new Outlook profile using the Control Panel Mail app and configure the account again to see if you continue having a receiving problem

---

a) - With Outlook closed open the Control Panel <Mail> app

Just in case you need info regarding how to access the Control Panel Mail app, that's described in the following article

How to Open Control Panel in Windows 11

https://www.lifewire.com/open-control-panel-in-...

b) - Select <Show Profile> --> <Add> --> give the new profile a name (no need to remove the existing Outlook profile)

c) - Configure your email account *** for this exercise, let Outlook create a new PST file

d) - Set the newly created Outlook profile as the default for the next time Outlook is opened otherwise it'll use the old profile

Required Forum Disclaimer: The above links are non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

---

>>

Maybe I need some kind of workaround instead of a direct "transplant" of the .pst file.

<<

I can't say this enough - there are no generalized issues using an existing PST file on a Win 11 system. I've done that routine far too many times already so it's not speculation. However, that does require that there are no issues with the PST file itself.

Out of curiosity, just how much data is contained in the Verizon mailbox on the server?

Answer 3

Karl,

I noted your comment about "multiple runs of ScanPST," and did so. After 5 runs, I got what appears now to be a relatively clean .pst file. See below:

It wasn't perfect, but ScanPST did not offer a "Repair" function at this point.

I started Outlook again with this mostly-repaired version, and got the same result: no messages being read in.

With Outlook closed, I was able to get the Control Panel, but was unable to proceed past that. I could not get to the <Mail> app.

To your question about the size of the Verizon mailbox on the AOL server: it presently has over 37,000 messages in the Inbox, with much lower counts in Sent, Spam, etc. As you can see in the screenshot, the Verizon.pst file is over 9 GB in size. AOL does not offer any reasonable way to do selective deletions to, say, delete everything before 2023; you delete everything or go message by message.

I sincerely appreciate your continued efforts, but feel free to break off if you need to do so. If nothing else, this has been a great learning experience for me. Thank you very much.

Jon

Answer 4

>>

With Outlook closed, I was able to get the Control Panel, but was unable to proceed past that. I could not get to the <Mail> app.

>>

What you see in Control Panel when you open it depends on whar <catgory> is selected as per the screenshot. Fro the sake of simplify just going to refer to one way - select the <Large Icon> category

>>

To your question about the size of the Verizon mailbox on the AOL server: it presently has over 37,000 messages in the Inbox, with much lower counts in Sent, Spam, etc. As you can see in the screenshot, the Verizon.pst file is over 9 GB in size. AOL does not offer any reasonable way to do selective deletions to, say, delete everything before 2023; you delete everything or go message by message.

<<

That's a lot of data so would take some time for things t download if the pointers in the PST file have been corrupted in terms of what has already been downloaded.

.