Missing contacts

[Robert Reznikoff]

Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.

 

[Robert Reznikoff]

I don't believe I understand your suggestion. I deleted a Personal Folder
that contained contact files. The only Deleted Folders that I am familiar
with are shown under a Personal Folder. Looking at the Personal Folders
that remained and searching the Deleted Files thereunder, I didn't find
anything that appears to be a deleted Personal Folder. Obviously there is
something that I am not getting. Is there another Deleted Items Folder that
would show a deleted Personal Folder?

You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Robert Reznikoff]

Also, is there a way to merge without duplication, Contact Folders in
different Personal Folders?

You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I don't believe you posted very clearly. If you deleted the entire PST file,
all your information is gone and you should restore from backup. All Outlook
data is contained in the PST file. None of the information is stored
separately and there is no such thing as a "Contacts File."
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I don't believe I understand your suggestion. I deleted a Personal Folder
that contained contact files. The only Deleted Folders that I am familiar
with are shown under a Personal Folder. Looking at the Personal Folders
that remained and searching the Deleted Files thereunder, I didn't find
anything that appears to be a deleted Personal Folder. Obviously there is
something that I am not getting. Is there another Deleted Items Folder
that
would show a deleted Personal Folder?

You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it
is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that
also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You copy the information from one folder to another, then run a duplicate
checker on it.
http://www.slipstick.com/addins/contacts.htm#dupes
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Also, is there a way to merge without duplication, Contact Folders in
different Personal Folders?

You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it
is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that
also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Robert Reznikoff]

I didn't specifically delete a .pst file. I merely highlighted the contact
folder and hit delete. I had read earlier that by deleting a personal
folder that the information would still be retained in the LPST File. Did I
get that wrong also?

Referring to your other response, I couldn't figure how to copy one Contact
List under one Personal Folder into another Contact List in another Personal
Folder. Specifically, how would I do that?

I don't believe you posted very clearly. If you deleted the entire PST file,
all your information is gone and you should restore from backup. All Outlook
data is contained in the PST file. None of the information is stored
separately and there is no such thing as a "Contacts File."
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I don't believe I understand your suggestion. I deleted a Personal Folder
that contained contact files. The only Deleted Folders that I am familiar
with are shown under a Personal Folder. Looking at the Personal Folders
that remained and searching the Deleted Files thereunder, I didn't find
anything that appears to be a deleted Personal Folder. Obviously there is
something that I am not getting. Is there another Deleted Items Folder
that
would show a deleted Personal Folder?

You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it
is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that
also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Decide what you really did and then post it accurately. Read your posts.
They are patently inconsistent. Do not expect us to read your mind.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I didn't specifically delete a .pst file. I merely highlighted the contact
folder and hit delete. I had read earlier that by deleting a personal
folder that the information would still be retained in the LPST File. Did
I
get that wrong also?

Referring to your other response, I couldn't figure how to copy one
Contact
List under one Personal Folder into another Contact List in another
Personal
Folder. Specifically, how would I do that?

I don't believe you posted very clearly. If you deleted the entire PST file,
all your information is gone and you should restore from backup. All Outlook
data is contained in the PST file. None of the information is stored
separately and there is no such thing as a "Contacts File."
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I don't believe I understand your suggestion. I deleted a Personal Folder
that contained contact files. The only Deleted Folders that I am familiar
with are shown under a Personal Folder. Looking at the Personal
Folders
that remained and searching the Deleted Files thereunder, I didn't find
anything that appears to be a deleted Personal Folder. Obviously there is
something that I am not getting. Is there another Deleted Items Folder
that
would show a deleted Personal Folder?


You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you
actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it
is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that
also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the
contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst
file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Robert Reznikoff]

I am not a programmer or familiar with the internal workings of Outlook.

In simple terms, I had four folders listed as Personal Folders. Each had a
number of identical folders listed below them, among which were folders
labeled Contacts. I highlighted two of the Personal Folders and then
deleted them. All the folders below also disappeared. I read that even if
a Personal Folder was deleted, the information was retained in a .PST file.
I now would like to recover the information listed as Contacts and then
merge it with one of the Contact Folders under another Personal Folder. Can
it be done, and if so, how?

Decide what you really did and then post it accurately. Read your posts.
They are patently inconsistent. Do not expect us to read your mind.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I didn't specifically delete a .pst file. I merely highlighted the contact
folder and hit delete. I had read earlier that by deleting a personal
folder that the information would still be retained in the LPST File. Did
I
get that wrong also?

Referring to your other response, I couldn't figure how to copy one
Contact
List under one Personal Folder into another Contact List in another
Personal
Folder. Specifically, how would I do that?

I don't believe you posted very clearly. If you deleted the entire PST file,
all your information is gone and you should restore from backup. All Outlook
data is contained in the PST file. None of the information is stored
separately and there is no such thing as a "Contacts File."
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I don't believe I understand your suggestion. I deleted a Personal Folder
that contained contact files. The only Deleted Folders that I am familiar
with are shown under a Personal Folder. Looking at the Personal
Folders
that remained and searching the Deleted Files thereunder, I didn't find
anything that appears to be a deleted Personal Folder. Obviously

there
is

something that I am not getting. Is there another Deleted Items Folder
that
would show a deleted Personal Folder?


You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you
actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it
is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that
also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the
contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the ..pst
file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Robert Reznikoff]

I am not a programmer and I do not understand the internal workings of
Outlook. My naming conventions might also be wrong. But in the simplest
way I will try to explain what I have done and what I would like to do. I
had four Personal Folders each of which had identically named folders below
them. I decided to delete two of the Personal Folders. To do this I
highlighted two folders and hit the Delete key. They and their sub-folders
disappeared. I later discovered that some of the contacts in one of the
folders that disappeared contained information I wished to restore. I read
somewhere that deleting a Personal Folder did not delete the information and
that it was still retained in a .PST file. I would like to restore one of
the Contact Folders and merge it into one of the remaining Contact Folders.
Specifically, and in simple terms, how can I do that?

You copy the information from one folder to another, then run a duplicate
checker on it.
http://www.slipstick.com/addins/contacts.htm#dupes
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Also, is there a way to merge without duplication, Contact Folders in
different Personal Folders?

You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it
is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would remain. I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that
also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You don't even have an option to delete a Personal Folders file in Outlook,
so your post still makes no sense.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am not a programmer or familiar with the internal workings of Outlook.

In simple terms, I had four folders listed as Personal Folders. Each had
a
number of identical folders listed below them, among which were folders
labeled Contacts. I highlighted two of the Personal Folders and then
deleted them. All the folders below also disappeared. I read that even
if
a Personal Folder was deleted, the information was retained in a .PST
file.
I now would like to recover the information listed as Contacts and then
merge it with one of the Contact Folders under another Personal Folder.
Can
it be done, and if so, how?

Decide what you really did and then post it accurately. Read your posts.
They are patently inconsistent. Do not expect us to read your mind.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I didn't specifically delete a .pst file. I merely highlighted the contact
folder and hit delete. I had read earlier that by deleting a personal
folder that the information would still be retained in the LPST File. Did
I
get that wrong also?

Referring to your other response, I couldn't figure how to copy one
Contact
List under one Personal Folder into another Contact List in another
Personal
Folder. Specifically, how would I do that?


I don't believe you posted very clearly. If you deleted the entire PST
file,
all your information is gone and you should restore from backup. All
Outlook
data is contained in the PST file. None of the information is stored
separately and there is no such thing as a "Contacts File."
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I don't believe I understand your suggestion. I deleted a Personal
Folder
that contained contact files. The only Deleted Folders that I am
familiar
with are shown under a Personal Folder. Looking at the Personal
Folders
that remained and searching the Deleted Files thereunder, I didn't find
anything that appears to be a deleted Personal Folder. Obviously there
is
something that I am not getting. Is there another Deleted Items Folder
that
would show a deleted Personal Folder?


You would simply retrieve it from the Deleted Items folder. If you
actually
deleted it from there as well, then you really did want it gone and it
is.
You would have then have to restore from backup. I trust you backup
your
data.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Somehow I had created 4 Personal Folder Files. I deleted two of
these
files. Each of these files contained Contact Files. I read
somewhere
that
I could delete the contact folder, but the .pst file would
remain.
I
now
find that one of them that I deleted contained a Contact File, that
also
disappeared, and I need to get that file back. If all of the
contact
information is retained in a .pst file, how do I bring back the .pst
file
with contact information in a useable form?

 

[Brian Tillman]

I didn't specifically delete a .pst file. I merely highlighted the
contact folder and hit delete. I had read earlier that by deleting a
personal folder that the information would still be retained in the
LPST File. Did I get that wrong also?

There should be no way for you to delete a folder named "Contacts" from a
PST. Outlook should complain when you try. What's an "LPST" file?

 

[Brian Tillman]

In simple terms, I had four folders listed as Personal Folders. Each
had a number of identical folders listed below them, among which were
folders labeled Contacts.

Where were you seeing these? In Outlook? In Windows Explorer? If in
Outlook, what view were you using? What version of Outlook?

I highlighted two of the Personal Folders
and then deleted them.

There's no way you this could happen. If you were to hightligh "Personal
Folders" and press Delete, nothing would happen.

All the folders below also disappeared. I
read that even if a Personal Folder was deleted, the information was
retained in a .PST file.

"Personal Folders" = "PST" The display name "Personal Folders" is the
default display name given to any PST you create. The display name is what
shows up in the Folder List and represents the root of the PST. You can
create folders within the PST and some of them you can also delete. They'll
show up ad children of the "Personal Folders" display name. Folders with
the default names "Calendar", "Contacts", "Inbox", "Outbox", "Tasks",
"Notes, etc. cannot be deleted. Anything else that is deleted will be moved
to the Deleted Items folder. All new PSTs contain only the single folder
"Deleted Items", unless you add the other folders yourself or make the PST
your deliivery location, which will cause Outlook to create all the default
folders.

I now would like to recover the information
listed as Contacts and then merge it with one of the Contact Folders
under another Personal Folder. Can it be done, and if so, how?

We really don't know exactly what you did, since what you describe shouldn't
be possible, so it's not possible to say whether or not you can recover.