In preparation to install W7, I started backing up all of my data to an
external HD. I followed the instructions linked from here on how to back up
Outlook '07 from Vista HP but now all of my data from it is gone from both my
pc and external HD; Outlook is still there, but no data.

In Documents, there are Archive, Backup & Outlook icons but when opened say,
"This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this
action. Create an association in the Set Assoc. control panel" which I
haven't done. The same is true for the copy I made to the external HD.

What happened and more importantly, how do I retrieve this critical missing
data? I didn't delete anything or even move it.