How can I delete "phantom" .pst folders from Outlook?

[Puzzled Jeff]

These "phantom" .pst folders all show that they have: Invalid ''.pst'' Paths
in Outlook/Office XP

I'm running Windows XP Pro with all of SP1 and SP2. I have a P4 chip with
512M RAM. I am using Office XP (Office 2002) with all updates and upgrades
already installed from Windows Update.

Here's my problem and after searching several different forums and doing a
google search, I have not found the complete reference or solution.

The Problem: When I open Outlook and go to my Outlook email inbox and then
open the folders list, I have a number of what I am calling ''Phantom''
folders of original archived data appearing in the Folders drop down list
(e.g. ''Aug 2006 archived'', ''Nov 2005 archived'', ''January 2006
archived'', etc.), but if I try to open them, I get an error message that
states that the identified or described path is invalid and that the file
cannot be accessed. Additionally, if I go to and open Control Panel, then
open ''Mail'' and then open ''Data Files'', only the real original Outlook
Personal Folders and other real archive .pst folders that are accessible are
listed; NOT the inaccessible Phantom ones. Even more bothersome is the fact
that if I try to delete the Phantom ones, I get a message that says access is
denied. And significantly, the original archive files are still on my primary
and usb hard drives and those archive files (which are now Phantom archive
.pst folders in Outlook)are not in excess of 2 gigs of data, hence Windows
Outlook's truncating tool is not the solution (at least I do not think it is.

The Conundrum: Since the paths for the Phantom archived .pst folders are not
valid, and since access is denied when I try to open or delete them, but
since the Phantom folders appear in the ''Folders'' list in Outlook, how am I
to locate and delete whatever is making the Phantom folders be listed in the
Outlook Folders window, especially since the folders are not listed in the
''Data files'' window when I open ''Mail'' from Control Panel. (note: I have
run the inbox repair tool without any success.)

It's as though once I opened the dang original archived .pst file using
Outlook, I became stuck with it. (It would be fantastic, as I am bound to
imagine, to put my cursor on the folder, click to highlight it, push
''delete'', and voila, the folder would be gone. Will that ever be possible??)

(Another note: I can still open the original archived .pst file of the now
Phantom .pst folder in Outlook and in the folder list the original archive
.pst file is listed just above the Phantom one. And I can close the original
.pst archive file, but not the Phantom one.)

So, I hope that this is not new to some folks and that they have a solution
for me to implement. Any and all assistance will be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Oliver Vukovics]

Hi Jeff,

if youd search for "Delete Ghost PST" you will find this site:
http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/ghosts.htm

On this site is a description of your problem.

We also developed a freeware tool (Public Fix Profile) for this behavior of
Outlook, but it is untill now only available in german language:
http://www.publicshareware.de/public-fix-profile.html

I hope this is what you are searching for. ;-)

--
Oliver Vukovics
Share Outlook without Exchange: Public ShareFolder
Synchronize your Outlook: Public SyncTool
http://www.publicshareware.com

"Puzzled Jeff" <Puzzl...@discussions.microsoft.com> schrieb im
Newsbeitrag news:E7712773-5641-4A9D...@microsoft.com...

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Unfortunately, the tips on editing the registry no longer apply to current
versions of Outlook, because in Outlook 2003 and above one can no longer
identify which key points to the ghost. So creating a new profile or using
your utility are the only solutions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Oliver Vukovics" <tr...@outlookstore.com> wrote in message
news:Oc2Fcv2...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

[Oliver Vukovics]

Hi Russ,

thank you for this information. For Jeff it could be interesting to edit the
registry key because he is using Outlook 2002:

> I am using Office XP (Office 2002) with all updates .....

[Russ]
...because in Outlook 2003 and above one can no longer

identify which key points to the ghost

I will ask our developers how they developed the Fix Profile tool, to see if
they also have this information and if they considered this.

Thanks a lot for this information.

--
Oliver Vukovics
Share Outlook without Exchange: Public ShareFolder
Synchronize your Outlook: Public SyncTool
http://www.publicshareware.com

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <rus...@gmail.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:OJvTv22o...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

[Puzzled Jeff]

Hi, Russ, Oliver:

Thanks for your input and suggestions. After researching this issue over
the past week, I realized that creating a new Profile was an option and that
I could easily configure the new profile to use the original .pst data file.
But when one creates a new Profile, all of the added shortcut icons on the
left side menu are gone and all of the rules for e-mail one has made with the
Rules Wizard are lost, so it can be quite a pain to re-create them.

I will certainly explore your suggestions and if you find some way to get
the German fix into English so I can understand it, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks and hope you're having a good weekend wherever you are.

"Oliver Vukovics" wrote:

> Hi Russ,
>
> thank you for this information. For Jeff it could be interesting to edit the
> registry key because he is using Outlook 2002:
>
> > I am using Office XP (Office 2002) with all updates .....
>
> [Russ]

> ....because in Outlook 2003 and above one can no longer

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

It should not be necessary to create new rules since they will migrate with
the PST file. You can also migrate your FAV settings.
Take a look at these pages for info on Outlook data transfer:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Puzzled Jeff" <Puzzl...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:10797601-2AEC-49CF...@microsoft.com...

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

We discovered this change in both Outlook 2003 and 2007 and confirmed it
with the Outlook developers. It's too bad, too, because as you know ghost
PST files became a greater problem with both versions. I can send your
developers the notes I have on it if they need them (and if I can find
them).

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Oliver Vukovics" <tr...@outlookstore.com> wrote in message

news:urLYg92o...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

[Puzzled Jeff]

Russ -- I did indeed check out the pages you referenced, but they appear to
deal with backups for use with other computers on which Outlook is installed
-- more than how to move or migrate your tool bar and shortcut or other user
defined settings from one Profile to another Profile. Any thoughts, ideas, or
tips about how to easily transfer shortcut bar or toolbar settings between
different Profiles while on the same computer and while using the same
original Outlook/Office XP(2002) program??

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

They're the same. That's why I posted this information. You said it
yourself. You migrate data to a new profile the same way you migrate to a
new installation.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Puzzled Jeff" <Puzzl...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:A939E5D1-D57E-4A7C...@microsoft.com...