Tech Question: Recovering MS Outlook program from old hard drive... help!

[Snowdog]

I've noticed some among us seem fairly tech savvy, so I thought I'd see if I can find the answer to my question here from folks I've come to trust and respect.

Here's the story:  My father-in-law uses Outlook (an Att.net account) for his email and recently had his computer crash.  The computer would not boot from the hard drive, but pulling the hard drive, I am able to access the data on it using my computer seemingly without any problems. 

I purchased him a new Gateway laptop that uses the same operating system he used before (Win 7) and attempted to set up his email for him. Here's the problem: He had Outlook 2007 or 2010 (I'm not certain yet) on his older PC and only has Outlook 2003 on the replacement laptop that I place on there from the MS Office disk I have.   
For whatever reason, I am unable to successfully link his att.net account to Outlook 2003 despite following severals detailed walk throughs found on line. However, he can send and receive just fine if he logs in using Yahoo email, which he doesn't like (old dog, new tricks type thing I guess).  Also, his email address ends in @att.net and is not a free Yahoo account.  He was previously able to check this account using Outlook.

I gleaned some info using Google and found some statements concerning Outlook 2003 not being supported by Bellsouth (his DSL provider), with Outlook 2007 being the minimum. 

I priced Outlook 2007 and would seriously rather not pay $99 for the program if it's something that can be retrieved from his old hard drive.

First off, is a registered version of Outlook (or MS Office for that matter) something that can be transferred from an old hard drive to a new one?  If so, how the heck do I do this? 
The MS Office suite (not a trial version) came preloaded on his old computer, so we do not possess the Microsoft Office disk. 
If I can retrieve this program and place it on his new computer, that would be excellent!

BTW, I am a novice when it comes to computers an only have a limited working knowledge in this field, so if you have the answer, please speak in layman terms so I don't get turned around.   

Thanks in advance! 

[lee n. field]

I gleaned some info using Google and found some statements concerning Outlook 2003 not being supported by Bellsouth (his DSL provider), with Outlook 2007 being the minimum.

Sounds like BS to me.

Outlook 03, irrc, does not attempt to autodetect server settings.  

This might help: http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401570&cv=801#fbid=0l0eEWbohsS.  It looks like it needs some custom pop and smtp port settings.

service            pop3                                 smtp                              ssl required?  pop3 login
bellsouth.net    inbound.att.net / 995    outbound.att.net / 465    Yes         CustomerID@bellsouth.net    

Setting these is buried in the outlook advanced settings.  

Getting his old mail might be a problem.  His outlook mail store will be in a pst or ost file, in a hidden folder inside his user profile.  You'd need to spelunk his old hard disk for his pst or ost file, then import it into outlook.  I'm not sure, off the top of my head, that Outlook '03 supports ost files.

First off, is a registered version of Outlook (or MS Office for that matter) something that can be transferred from an old hard drive to a new one?  If so, how the heck do I do this?  

If you have the license key, I might be able to come up with an install disk, or find a place online to download the trial.  (MS drops trial versions for old versions of office when new ones come out, so you might be getting this from a dubious source.)

You won't be able to just copy the program and have it work.  Ofice '03 and above cache install files somewhere on the hard disk.  A geek might be able to retrieve the cached install files, and make them usable.

[Snowdog]

Ok, so here's an update.  If it doesn't sound right, please let me know.   

I was told by a coworker that since no disk was included with the PC, I need to determine the product key.   If I can locate the product key, I simply need to download the program and activate it using the product key.

Again, the Office Suite on his old computer (purchased new two years ago) came preloaded with MS Office, so it's not a pirated copy. 

Thanks!

[lee n. field]

http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401573#fbid=0l0eEWbohsS

Support page on setting up email with Outlook '03

Select POP3, and then click Next.
In the User Information section:

    Under Your Name field, enter your name the way that you want it to appear to other people.
    In the E-mail Address: field, enter your full AT&T email address e.g., YourName@att.net. If you are setting up this account for an AT&T Email Alias, input the alias email address in this field.

In the Server Information section:

    In the Incoming Mail (POP3 or IMAP) Server field, enter inbound.att.net
    In the Outgoing Mail (SMTP) Server field, enter outbound.att.net

In the Logon Information section:

    In the User Name: field, enter your full email address. If you are setting up this account for an AT&T Email Alias, input the full email address of the ID (Primary or Sub Account) associated with the email alias in this field. Do not input the email alias address in this field.
    In the Password field, enter your password.
    Select the Remember password check box.

Select More Settings.
Select the Outgoing Server tab.
Verify these settings:

    The check box beside My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication is selected.
    The radio button Use same settings as my incoming mail server is selected.

Select the Advanced tab.
Verify these settings:

    The Incoming mail (POP3) should be port 995, and the check box beside This server requires a secure connection (SSL) is selected.
    The Outgoing mail (SMTP) should be port 465, and the check box beside This server requires a secure connection (SSL) is selected.

Click OK.

[never_retreat]

You will have to update outlook to the version he had, the data files are not backward compatible.
Other than that grab his old .pst file and move it over to the same directory it was in and it should work.

[lee n. field]

Other than that grab his old .pst file and move it over to the same directory it was in and it should work.

I think you'd have to do some work to tell it to use that particular data file.  I don't think you can just drop it in.  Easier to just import it.

[Snowdog]

Wow, some good info here.  Thank you Lee N. Field and Never_Retreat!

I just downloaded a free program called Belarc Advisor and it was able to give me the product keys for everything on my computer, including the OS and MS Office.  Hopefully when I run it on my PC at home, it will detect the MS Office program on the second drive (his old hard drive) and obtain the key from it. 

I think my FIL is resigned to losing any saved email but really only wants his contacts and the ability to access his email using Outlook.  I intend to spend some time at my in-laws tomorrow to see what I can salvage. 

By the way, I was able to locate the contacts on his old hard drive and hope I can import them as a group rather than enter them in Outlook one at a time (as there are 73 of them).  This guy as absolutely chomping at the bit as he's fairly active for a man of 76 years and does a lot of charity work.  He's about a week behind on his emails, so he's a mess.  I'm hoping I can get this squared away for him tomorrow.

[RocketMan]

The are a number of free programs that will find product keys on secondary drives.  I don't recall if Belarc advisor can do that as it has been awhile since I last used it, but I would not be surprised if it did.
Winkeyfinder, ProduKey, and Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder might be worth a try.  You generally have to stear them to the registry files on the target drive in order for them to extract product keys.

[never_retreat]

I think you'd have to do some work to tell it to use that particular data file.  I don't think you can just drop it in.  Easier to just import it.

I think if the file is the same name then you won't have to. If not you just have to go into the outlook setting and choose the right data file.