Missing Outlook data files after upgrading to Windows 8?

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Last reviewed on April 13, 2012

The good news: In all likelihood, the data files aren't really missing. When Windows 8 upgrades your computer, it creates a folder called "windows.old" and it contains all of the files used by the previous Windows installation, including your user account files.

To recover your data files (and other personal files) open Windows Explorer and go to C:Windows.old\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook. Your old data files should be there, or in the Outlook Files folder in My Documents (the old My Documents!).

Because the folders under the AppData folder are usually marked hidden, you may need to configure Windows Explorer to display hidden files and folders or remove the read only flag from the properties of the AppData folder and apply it to all child folders.

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Written by

Diane Poremsky
A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999 and involved in IT support since 1985, Diane is the author of several books and video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.