Outlook appears to be there, but it's a basic framework as if my account had moved elsewhere and this is a new blank account.  My account doesn't seem to be visible anywhere obvious.

Just to give some background - may be relevant or not! On 25/9/12 I had a major computer breakage which was followed by an insurance paid full repair by a local company recommended by Apple.  This involved new hard disk, installation of Lion. They used my Time machine to import all my old data (incl emails). All fine, working fine.  Had emails coming in, full calendar, computer was working well (better than before if anything), no problems.  Then - about 2 weeks ago, maybe a bit more  - I got a hacking attack (diverted emails and spam looking as if from me sent to all my address book asking for money to be sent to rescue me from Spain!) . I contacted BTinternet security, changed my password and the emails were re-routed back to me.  Then I upgraded Norton Antivirus and the firewall following hacking attack (I had help from both BT and Norton technical support lines who set up everything for me - I'm not a tech expert - in fact quite useless!!).  Everything then seemed fine.  The problem with Outlook may arise from a) breakage (don't think so, everything ok after that) b) hacking (ditto) c) new firewall? d) new incompatible software? e) Apple and Microsoft playing silly games with incompatible software upgrades?

About 10 days ago - after the hacking attack, but not immediately afterwards, it worked for about a week - Outlook stopped working. This was intermittent at first - I couldn't receive but could send -then couldn't send but could receive.  Could download (pop messages) from btinternet yahoo intermittently to Outlook. Throughout I  could send and receive in Yahoo with no problems. So I did that, just popping the messages to my archive in Outlook intermittently.  After about a week of this go-slow it stopped working completely - neither send or receive . So I started using just my btinternet/Yahoo account without using Outlook at all -all fine.  I had the Outlook data file - all my old emails and calendar -just sitting there - which I wanted for reference.

But Yahoo mail's a really simple system and I use all my old emails for data (work and reference).  So- in order to get my incoming emails in decent order for future reference -  yesterday I started using Mail (within Mac). Again, all fine.  And the old Outlook files were there when I needed to check data in an old email or an email address.

BUT today wanted to check an old email, and ALL my historic emails in Outlook not there- whole account is blank. No calendar, no outlook, nothing. Not even empty folders. As if completely new account.  What do I do?

My computer is Mac OS X Version 10.7.5, processor is 3.2GHZ Intel Core 13, startup disk Macintosh HD, memory 4GB 1333 MHz RAM,  software is Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 (11G63),  Outlook was 14.2.4.

I don't mind not using Outlook, ok with Mail (yes, it's a bit cumbersome and doesn't have the same features as Microsoft Outlook but at least it runs!).  BUT I would like to get my old emails back! And my calendar!

They have all disappeared, it's as if - overnight - they have been wiped and the account never existed.  I did not delete these! 

I've spoken to Apple about using Time Machine to get the data back. BUT Time Machine was switched off as at 24/9/12 (ie the data used pre accident) and wasn't switched back on, so I would lose about a month's emails.  AND the Apple helpline guy - very helpful - said that sometimes there is loss of data from Microsoft files when they get these from Time machine so to ask Microsoft first.  

So - please - where can I look for them? What can I do? Idiot's guide please!!!

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