I imported a PST archive and now I see duplicate mails or missing folders
PST import is error-prone. The import can stop halfway, folders can shift, and if you are not careful you paste it onto the wrong mailbox.
Try this first
- 1Stop further imports. Each new attempt makes duplicates worse.
- 2Make a copy of the original PST (the source) to a safe location. Do not work on top of the source.
- 3Open the imported structure in Outlook and check where it went wrong; usually in the root under a separate folder with a date name.
- 4For duplicates: use a tool like Outlook's own 'Mailbox Cleanup' or a specialised dedupe tool. Test on a copy first.
When to bring us in
PST work is admin work and data-critical. Call us before you run 'remove all duplicates'; there have been multiple cases where a dedupe script wiped the originals. We do this on a separate mailbox copy.
See also
- We have backups but we do not know if they workA backup that cannot be restored is not a backup. Testing matters as much as taking the backup.
- Suspected ransomware: what to do RIGHT NOWThe first 30 minutes are critical. One wrong move spreads the damage. Read before acting.
- Someone accidentally deleted an important folderUsually fine to recover. The trick: do not save anything new on that drive until you know how.
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