import contacts from Outlook 2000 to Outlook 2003

[Guest]

On my old Dell computer, I have MS Outlook 2000. I'm told that my contacts
are in the "mailbox.pst" file, which I have located in the folder titled
C:\Windows\ Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

What does ".pst" mean? Does the ".pst" file contain my contacts?

I want to import my contacts into my new Dell computer, which has MS Outlook
2003. I have located a ".pst" file but it is titled "Outlook.pst" and its
address is
C:\Documents and Settings\Barry G\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

How do I import my contacts? Copy the "mailbox.pst" file and place it into
the new computer's "Outlook" folder? Leave the "Outlook.pst" file in the new
computer's "Outlook" folder or delete it? If I delete the "Outlook.pst"
file, should I change the name of the "mialbox.pst" to "Outlook.pst"?

I'm new at all this and would appreciate some help.

Thanks,

Barry G

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

All Outlook data is contained in one file with a PST extension.
You should never import a PST file unless you have a special need to lose or
misplace data.
Just open it in Outlook if you want the data from it.

 

[Brian Tillman]

On my old Dell computer, I have MS Outlook 2000. I'm told that my
contacts are in the "mailbox.pst" file, which I have located in the
folder titled C:\Windows\ Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Windows 98 or ME, I'll bet.

What does ".pst" mean?

It;s the file extension for the "Personal Folders File" and may stand for
"personal store".

Does the ".pst" file contain my contacts?

Most likely, yes.

I want to import my contacts into my new Dell computer, which has MS
Outlook 2003.

Never import a PST.

I have located a ".pst" file but it is titled
"Outlook.pst" and its address is
C:\Documents and Settings\Barry G\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook

The name of the PST ("outlook" or "mailbox") is unimportant and can be
anything. This sounds like the PST on your new machine. The installation
of Outlook 2003 creates one in this location.

How do I import my contacts? Copy the "mailbox.pst" file and place
it into the new computer's "Outlook" folder?

Copy the old PST, yes, but in what folder you place it is immaterial, as
long as you don't overwrite an existing PST that Outlook is referencing.
There's nothing wrong with placing it in the same folder as the new PST, but
there's no requirement to do so. Personally, I'd place it elsewhere.

Leave the "Outlook.pst"
file in the new computer's "Outlook" folder or delete it? If I
delete the "Outlook.pst" file, should I change the name of the
"mialbox.pst" to "Outlook.pst"?

Do this and you will corrupt your mail profile in Outlook 2003. I'd advise
keeping your new PST, since Outlook 2003's PST format is different than that
of Outlook 2000. Put your old PST in some folder, then open Outlook and
click File>Open>Outlook Data File. Browse to the old PST, select it, and
click OK. You'll now have access to all the data it contains. You can move
or copy entire folders, if they're not the default folders. For the default
folders (Contacts, Inbox, Taks, etc.), you'll have to open each, select all
the items in it (CTRL-A usually works for that), then click Edit>Copy to
Folder, specifying the corresponding default folder in the new PST as the
destination. For the Calendar, CTRL-A won't work to select everything
unless you switch to a list view like By Category first.

When you're done copying, right-click the root of the old PST and choose
Close to remove it from the Folder List.