What is the best way to get the data from my PST - presently in the
older Outlook 97-2002 format - into a new PST in the newer Outlook
2003 Unicose format? (I am using Outlook 2003)

I've had Outlook installed as part of MS Office for a few years,
starting with, I believe, OL 97.

Each time I upgraded to a new version, I just ran the installer and
allowed it to use the default. When it sensed, or asked and I
responded, the previous version's data it just "took over" the
existing PST. Always seemed OK to me.

But now that I have had Office/Outlook 2003 installed for over a year,
I get a lot of errors that I did not understand, but I was always able
to keep using everything so I didn't worry much about them. But the
errors are getting more frequent and are beginning to affect me more
and more. Like when I click on To: while composing an email message
to add recipients and some contacts just do not show in there, yet
they are there in my default contacts folder and that is set as the
address book. Also at times, when I am opening, editing, and saving
contacts, after I edit a few Outlook cannot open anymore. I get
memory errors but the memory is actually in good shape.

Now, however, I realize that these errors appear to be, at least in
part, due to using a PST file with an Outlook 97-2002 format.
Scanpst.exe, Inbox Repair Tool, and even reinstalling Office does not
fix the errors. I've read what I can find out about this and it seems
that all of the above-mentioned tools do not touch the user files,
even though they appear to be the problem. That would explain why the
errors persist. However from what I've read, the PST I use cannot be
converted from the OL 97-2002 format to the newer Unicode OL 2003
format. Likewise, all articles claim that importing the existing PST
data into a new Unicode PST is nothing but trouble. Yet apparently
there are ways to somehow get the old PST's data into a new OL 2003
format.

I appreciate any help with this!

--
Jim McGowan

On Sun, 21 May 2006 02:13:22 -0400, Jim McGowan <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>What is the best way to get the data from my PST - presently in the
>older Outlook 97-2002 format - into a new PST in the newer Outlook
>2003 Unicose format? (I am using Outlook 2003)
>
Verify that your current .pst file in Outlook 2003 is using the
Unicode format. If it is not, create a new .pst file using the new
format. Then, open the older .pst file in Outlook 2003 (make sure not
to overwrite a .pst file with the same name!) and copy everything that
you want to transfer from the older .pst file folders into the newer
format .pst file's folders.
--
<<<SgtRich>>>
Chicago, Illinois, USA

On Sun, 21 May 2006 01:41:43 -0500, SgtRich
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Sun, 21 May 2006 02:13:22 -0400, Jim McGowan <(E-Mail Removed)>
>wrote:
>
>>What is the best way to get the data from my PST - presently in the
>>older Outlook 97-2002 format - into a new PST in the newer Outlook
>>2003 Unicose format? (I am using Outlook 2003)
>>
>Verify that your current .pst file in Outlook 2003 is using the
>Unicode format. If it is not, create a new .pst file using the new
>format. Then, open the older .pst file in Outlook 2003 (make sure not
>to overwrite a .pst file with the same name!) and copy everything that
>you want to transfer from the older .pst file folders into the newer
>format .pst file's folders.

SgtRich,

Current PST is definitely not Unicode. So I will create a new PST
within 2003 and that should then be Unicode.

As for the "...copy everything..." direction, You mean via the regular
copy/paste commands? How much can be copied at a time? Eg, within
the email folders can I grab the contents entire folders and Ctrl+C /
Ctrl+V? And how do I copy/paste calendar events? Copy the whole
folder named Calendar?

Thanks.

--
Jim McGowan

The most reliable way is simply to copy the contents of one folder to
another (Select All > Copy to Folder...). Copying the folder itself will
create a second folder which cannot be set as default. Many users are
tempted to use Outlook's import routine to transfer data. Avoid it. It is
flawed. It will lose data and have other unintended consequences such as
creating a duplicate PST file.
For folders such as calendar, you'll need to create a list view (e.g., "By
category") so you can select all appointments at once. --
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Jim McGowan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sun, 21 May 2006 01:41:43 -0500, SgtRich
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 21 May 2006 02:13:22 -0400, Jim McGowan <(E-Mail Removed)>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>What is the best way to get the data from my PST - presently in the
>>>older Outlook 97-2002 format - into a new PST in the newer Outlook
>>>2003 Unicose format? (I am using Outlook 2003)
>>>
>>Verify that your current .pst file in Outlook 2003 is using the
>>Unicode format. If it is not, create a new .pst file using the new
>>format. Then, open the older .pst file in Outlook 2003 (make sure not
>>to overwrite a .pst file with the same name!) and copy everything that
>>you want to transfer from the older .pst file folders into the newer
>>format .pst file's folders.
>
> SgtRich,
>
> Current PST is definitely not Unicode. So I will create a new PST
> within 2003 and that should then be Unicode.
>
> As for the "...copy everything..." direction, You mean via the regular
> copy/paste commands? How much can be copied at a time? Eg, within
> the email folders can I grab the contents entire folders and Ctrl+C /
> Ctrl+V? And how do I copy/paste calendar events? Copy the whole
> folder named Calendar?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Jim McGowan

On Sun, 21 May 2006 06:42:17 -0400, "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>The most reliable way is simply to copy the contents of one folder to
>another (Select All > Copy to Folder...). Copying the folder itself will
>create a second folder which cannot be set as default. Many users are
>tempted to use Outlook's import routine to transfer data. Avoid it. It is
>flawed. It will lose data and have other unintended consequences such as
>creating a duplicate PST file.
>For folders such as calendar, you'll need to create a list view (e.g., "By
>category") so you can select all appointments at once. --
>Russ Valentine
>[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks Russ. This is what I needed.

Much appreciated!

--
Jim McGowan

Jim McGowan <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> As for the "...copy everything..." direction, You mean via the regular
> copy/paste commands? How much can be copied at a time? Eg, within
> the email folders can I grab the contents entire folders and Ctrl+C /
> Ctrl+V? And how do I copy/paste calendar events? Copy the whole
> folder named Calendar?

Posted many times by me and others. Google Groups is your friend.
<http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.outlook/msg/6c494918872e06fc>
--
Brian Tillman

On Mon, 22 May 2006 15:36:16 -0400, "Brian Tillman"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Jim McGowan <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> As for the "...copy everything..." direction, You mean via the regular
>> copy/paste commands? How much can be copied at a time? Eg, within
>> the email folders can I grab the contents entire folders and Ctrl+C /
>> Ctrl+V? And how do I copy/paste calendar events? Copy the whole
>> folder named Calendar?
>
>Posted many times by me and others. Google Groups is your friend.
><http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.outlook/msg/6c494918872e06fc>

Thanks Brian - I always try searching directly here on Usenet here,
with Agent Forte.

Senseless, I guess...

--
Jim McGowan

On Sun, 21 May 2006 06:42:17 -0400, "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>The most reliable way is simply to copy the contents of one folder to
>another (Select All > Copy to Folder...). Copying the folder itself will
>create a second folder which cannot be set as default. Many users are
>tempted to use Outlook's import routine to transfer data. Avoid it. It is
>flawed. It will lose data and have other unintended consequences such as
>creating a duplicate PST file.
>For folders such as calendar, you'll need to create a list view (e.g., "By
>category") so you can select all appointments at once. --
>Russ Valentine
>[MVP-Outlook]

Well, all has been moved to the new PST. Good and bad news:

Good - it all went relatively painlessly. A heck of a lot of copying,
dragging, etc. Re-creating rules, search folders, etc. But
eventually I finished.

Bad news: Outlook 2003 is acting up now that I am using the
2003-format PST. Rules keep failing. I have rules set up to move
messages to certain folders for certain email accounts. I set them all
up, run them as a test - all is well. They all work when I test them.
Then I get a message that matches a rule and I get a rules error
saying that the target folder doesn't exist. I fix it - it breaks.
Continually.

Next, after setting up three or four search folders, before I finsh
the third or fourth, Outlook terminates. No warning at all, no error
message, no audible alert. It just quietly closes. And when I open it
again there are no search folders.

Plus, it is definitely slower than it was before the switch.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

--
Jim McGowan

2 suggestions:
1. Reset your rules by stepping through them and directing them to the
proper Folders. I do not understand why rules would be affected if all you
did was copy data from another PST file. There must be more to this story.
Did you change the default delivery location for this profile?
2. Reset your Outlook Address Book by removing it from the profile,
restarting Outlook, and re-adding it. I do not understand why search
functions would be affected if all you did was copy data from another PST
file. There must be more to this story. Did you change the default delivery
location for this profile?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Jim McGowan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sun, 21 May 2006 06:42:17 -0400, "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>The most reliable way is simply to copy the contents of one folder to
>>another (Select All > Copy to Folder...). Copying the folder itself will
>>create a second folder which cannot be set as default. Many users are
>>tempted to use Outlook's import routine to transfer data. Avoid it. It is
>>flawed. It will lose data and have other unintended consequences such as
>>creating a duplicate PST file.
>>For folders such as calendar, you'll need to create a list view (e.g., "By
>>category") so you can select all appointments at once. --
>>Russ Valentine
>>[MVP-Outlook]
>
> Well, all has been moved to the new PST. Good and bad news:
>
> Good - it all went relatively painlessly. A heck of a lot of copying,
> dragging, etc. Re-creating rules, search folders, etc. But
> eventually I finished.
>
> Bad news: Outlook 2003 is acting up now that I am using the
> 2003-format PST. Rules keep failing. I have rules set up to move
> messages to certain folders for certain email accounts. I set them all
> up, run them as a test - all is well. They all work when I test them.
> Then I get a message that matches a rule and I get a rules error
> saying that the target folder doesn't exist. I fix it - it breaks.
> Continually.
>
> Next, after setting up three or four search folders, before I finsh
> the third or fourth, Outlook terminates. No warning at all, no error
> message, no audible alert. It just quietly closes. And when I open it
> again there are no search folders.
>
> Plus, it is definitely slower than it was before the switch.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Jim McGowan

On Mon, 22 May 2006 20:43:54 -0400, "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>2 suggestions:
>1. Reset your rules by stepping through them and directing them to the
>proper Folders. I do not understand why rules would be affected if all you
>did was copy data from another PST file. There must be more to this story.
>Did you change the default delivery location for this profile?
>2. Reset your Outlook Address Book by removing it from the profile,
>restarting Outlook, and re-adding it. I do not understand why search
>functions would be affected if all you did was copy data from another PST
>file. There must be more to this story. Did you change the default delivery
>location for this profile?

Russ,

1. I do keep stepping through the rules and creating them from
scratch. It's like the rules are OK and the target folders recognized
when I first create them and click on "Apply" right then, but then do
not recognize them when trying to process an actual incoming message.

And yes, after creating the new PST and new folders, and then copying
all messages from the old PST, I went into "Accounts" and reset the
mail delivery location to this newly created PST. Wasn't I supposed to
do that? It was the only way I could find to have an Inbox, etc.,
created for this PST and to have new messages go to these folders.

It does seem that this would be the likely place for something to go
wrong, as essages nowl being directed to this PST and the rules not
recognizing the target folders would seem to indicate that something
is failing in the mail direction/location.

I'll try walking through it once again - checking the default PST and
re-creating all rules once more.

I'll also reset the address book as you suggested.

Thanks.

--
Jim McGowan