Fix: You Are Attempting To Archive Your Data To A Outlook 97-2002 PST

Microsoft Outlook is the preferred choice of most of the personal and professionals for communication purposes. It is a communication platform that facilitates more than performing conversation between the users. Moreover, apart from sending and receiving emails, it contains more utilities like: contacts, calendars, tasks, journals, and so on. Therefore, it is categorized as a PIM, i.e. Personal Information Manager. As long as development is concerned, an Outlook has still remained consistent on that section.

The users have undergone a number of upgrades that have improved Outlook’s performance extremely over the years. Thus, the evolution contains converting the default repository client from ANSI PST to Unicode type PST. The upgraded and latest versions of Outlook generate UNICODE type PST files by default. This error message appears “you are attempting to archive your data to an Outlook 97-2002 data File (.pst)” when a user tries to Convert ANSI PST to UNICODE type. That is exporting personal folder file from previous MS Outlook versions like 97, 2000, 2002, 2003 to new versions like Outlook 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007 etc.

Familiarize the Error Message and Error Scenarios

“You are attempting to archive your data to an Outlook 97-2002 data file (.pst) that does not support Unicode. To choose an Outlook data file that supports multilingual Unicode data. Click OK.”

First, go through the following scenario that will help to make you understand the procedure to resolve the error effectively. The scenario is taken from the forum site:

“I am facing an occurrence of the following error when trying to attempt the Archive settings to one of the staffs workstations. Thus after improving from Outlook 2003 to MS Outlook 2010. I did a complete uninstall and re-install of Office 2010, and the error is still persistent. The error while archiving folder, you are attempting to archive your data to a Microsoft Outlook 97-2002 personal folder file (.pst) which is a non-Unicode data file. Even, I am unable to turn on my archiving settings because of this error. So, please help me by providing an appropriate way to resolve this error effectively. Thank you any help would be surely appreciated.”

So, in the upcoming section we are going to discuss the methods to fix the same error that occurs when you try to archive a personal folder file from lower Outlook editions to a higher versions manually.

Resolve Outlook PST File Issues: Manual Solution

If you are not able to move your Outlook emails into an older ANSI PST data file to UNICODE PST file. Because of the error message, you are attempting to archive your data to an Outlook 97-2002 data file (.pst). So, here in the upcoming section we are going to discuss some steps to resolve the error. You have to follow all the steps in sequence to get positive outcome.

Step 1: First, you have to take backup for future security of data loss.

Step 2: Generate a new pst-file by

Outlook 2003 & Outlook 2007
File->> New->> Outlook Data File

Outlook 2010
Home tab->>button New Items->>More Items->>Outlook data file

Step 3: Now, after prompted Microsoft Outlook 2003 and 2007 only, opt “Office Outlook Personal Folders File (.pst)” and click “OK”.

Step 4: Here, a new dialogue appear, where you can set the encryption settings, display name or alternatively add a password on the PST data file.

Step 5: Afterwards, to make easier copy your contacts, journals tasks, notes and calendar folders. You have to choose “Folder List” by using “CTRL+6” keys.

Step 6: Afterwards, transfer all the desired folders from the ANSI PST file to the newly generated UNICODE PST file.

Step 7: You can also do this by using Drag & Drop or right-click and move. This copy also copies all the sub folders.

Limitations of the Manual Method

Here, are some constraints to execute the procedure manually. So, the user should aware of them a few of them are listed below. Have a look:

1. It is very time-taken and tedious way.
2. The manual way may lose your crucial data.
3. It might be challenging for novice users.
4. You can not move large PST file manually.

Professional Approach to Repair the Error

The above-stated method has some constraints even users should not aware of them. We, come-up with an appropriate approach to resolve the issue. Thus, users can go for a reliable third-party tool such as “SysTools PST Upgrade”. With the help of this software, the user can migrate data from Outlook Unicode PST to ANSI PST and ANSI PST to UNICODE PST File Format without a bit of data loss. It is capable enough to repair the ‘You are attempting to archive your data to an Outlook 97-2002 data file (.pst) which is a non-Unicode data file error without any inconvenience.

Working Steps of The Application

Step 1: First, you have to download & install the software into your local machine.
Step 2: Insert MS Outlook PST files and folders.
Step 3: Here, choose PST file format

Step 4: Finally, hit on “Start” button to begin the process to Upgrade or Downgrade PST Files.

Final Word’s

It is very common that Outlook users may be stuck in tedious issues. Thus, above we have described the manual solution, which helps to fix “you are attempting to archive your data to an Outlook 97-2002 data file (.pst)” error. But these manual ways have some limitations, which may affect the whole procedure or working of Outlook. Moreover, we have also recommended a third-party solution, through which users can easily resolve this error. So, it all depends on the user they can opt any one of them as per their concern.