Access to Outlook.pst denied

[jmt356]

I just replaced my Outlook.pst with one from another computer and then went to open up Outlook and got this error message:
“Unable to open your default e-mail folders. File access is denied. You do not have the permission required to access the file C:/Users/HP User/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Outlook/Outlook.pst.”

I don't understand why I am getting this error message. Under the Security tab of the Outlook Properties of the pst, "Allow" is checked for System, Account Unknown, and Admistrators for Full Control, Modify, Read & execute, Read, and Write of the pst. What else do I need?

[jmt356]

I don't know if this might be part of the problem, but the new .pst doesn't have the same fancy icon as the old. Please see the attached image. The image on the left is the Outlook data file. On the right is the pst. I believe the pst should like like the data file (I think that's how it looks on the old computer).

[StuartR]

You show that the file is under a folder for a user called "HP User", so I guess that is your username. The permissions you listed do not include access for HP User. Modify the file permissions to give Full Control to the username that you use when you log in.

[HansV]

The icon in the file on the right is that of Outlook; that on the left is a generic Office icon.

Apart from what Stuart suggested, right-click the .pst file andselect Properties from the context menu.
If the Properties dialog contains a button "Unblock", click that.
If the "Read-only" check box is ticked, clear it.
Then click OK.

I strongly recommend displaying the extensions of files:
- In Windows Explorer (in Vista/7), click Organizer > Folder and Search Options.
- Activate the View tab.
- Clear the check box "Hide extensions for known file types".
- Click OK.
This gives you a better idea of what kind of files you're seeing.

[jmt356]

There are only 2 accounts on this computer: Alexa and John. However, under Local Disk (C:) / Users, the folders listed are Default (hidden), HP User, John, and Public. I assume HP User is the same as Alexa because the documents in Documents in HP User are those displayed when logged in as Alexa.

Let me clarify what I said above. Under the Security tab of the Outlook Properties of the pst, "Allow" is checked for the following Group or user names: System, Account Unknown, and Admistrators (HP User-PC\Administrators) for Full Control, Modify, Read & execute, Read, and Write of the pst. I believe the account I am in (Alexa) is included in Administrators because (i) it has administrative privileges; and (ii) for the reason stated above, it is synonymous with HP User.

The Properties dialog does not contain a button "Unblock" and the "Read-only" check box is not ticked.

[StuartR]

...I believe the account I am in (Alexa) is included in Administrators because (i) it has administrative privileges; and (ii) for the reason stated above, it is synonymous with HP User...

Please grant access to the account you are using, don't assume that Administrator access is sufficient.

[jmt356]

How do I grant access to Alexa when it's not even listed as a User? Under Local Disk (C:) / Users, the only listed users are Default (hidden), HP User, John, and Public, and all of them have access for Full Control, Modify, Read & execute, Read, and Write of the pst.

On a separate and perhaps related note, I have also tried to copy over all of my Documents from the old laptop to the new. Whenever I try opening a folder in my Documents in the new laptop, I get a permissions error. The only way I have found around this error is to open the folders in Windows Explorer, click Continue when "You don't currently have permission to access this folder" pops up, click Continue again when "Windows needs your permission to continue" pops up. That unlocks the folders for the purpose of opening in MS Word. It also causes the folder icon to change from that displayed on the right of the attached image to that displayed on the left of the attached image with the two people in the corner of the folder.

I try this same technique with the Outlook.pst (opening it via Windows Explorer), but nothing happens when I double click on the pst.

[StuartR]

The first post in this thread says:

...Under the Security tab of the Outlook Properties of the pst, "Allow" is checked for System, Account Unknown, and Admistrators for Full Control, Modify, Read & execute, Read, and Write of the pst. What else do I need?

The latest post says

...the only listed users are Default (hidden), HP User, John, and Public, and all of them have access for Full Control, Modify, Read & execute, Read, and Write of the pst...

Which of these is correct?

[DaveA]

It appears to me that the Default account "HP User" was "Renamed" to Alexa. So all of Alexa's files and folders are in the "HP User" folder.

This is the major issue with renaming a user account.

JMT,
Are you logged into YOUR account or Alexa's account?
If you are in your account and thee setting within Alexa's account was set NOT to share their files, then you MUST use the "Alexa account.

[jmt356]

Stuart, the former statement is correct. I correct the latter statement to:
Under Local Disk (C:) / Users, the only listed users are Default (hidden), HP User, John, and Public.
Under the Security tab of the Outlook Properties of the pst, the only listed users are System, Account Unknown, and Admistrators (HP User-PC\Administrators), and "Allow" is checked for all of these users for Full Control, Modify, Read & execute, Read, and Write of the pst.


DaveA, I agree with your observation. However, I am logged into Alexa’s account and yet am experiencing these permissions problems.

[StuartR]

...Under the Security tab of the Outlook Properties of the pst, the only listed users are System, Account Unknown, and Admistrators (HP User-PC\Administrators), and "Allow" is checked for all of these users for Full Control, Modify, Read & execute, Read, and Write of the pst...

On the security tab you should find an Edit... button. Click this and you will see the same information in a Permissions dialog box. Then click the Add... button and you will be able to add another username to the list.

[jmt356]

I am using Outlook 2003 with Windows Vista Home.

When I go to the Security tab of teh Properities window of the pst I'm trying to open, there is a Continue button and an Advanced button. I click Continue and then Continue again and I come to a Permissions for Outlook.pst window with a single Security tab. In that tab, there is a section above that states the following:
"Group or user names"
"SYSTEM
"Account Unknown
"Administrators (HP User-PC\Administrators)"

There is an Add... button beneath it. I click on that and a Select Users or Groups window appears. There are 3 sections in which to add text:
- "Select this object type," in which "Users, Groups, or Built-in security principals" is typed in and an Object Types button on the right;
- "From this location," in which "HPUSER-PC" is typed in and a Locations button on the right; and
- "Enter teh object names to select (example)," in which nothing is typed in.
There is an Advanced button on the bottom. I have no idea where to go from here.

If this window is not familier to your version of Outlook / Windows, let me know and I can provide a screen shot of the window.

[StuartR]

You are getting close!

Click the advanced button on the Select Users or Groups dialog box
This will display a new dialog box
Click Find Now
This will display a list of all the users and groups and enable you to select the username you want
OK your way back to the Permissions dialog box and check Full Control for this user
OK your way back to the Security Properties dialog box and click OK one more time to dismiss all the windows