What is SAFEST way to import Outlook 98 to Outlook XP???

[Alan Mailer]

I am about to attempt to load Outlook XP onto my computer. I'm
currently using Outlook '98. The Office XP Professional disk is
telling me that I have to *remove* my current Outlook 98 application
before the disk will install Outlook XP.

Since I can't find my Office 98 installation disks, I'm risking losing
Outlook 98 as an application option if I continue to load Outlook XP.
I obviously want to be very careful to create a file (pst?, something
else?) that will load into the newer version of Outlook XP after I
have installed it. The obvious goal is to end up running Outlook XP
with *all* of my old Outlook 98 information (contacts, tasks, calendar
appointments, saved email, etc...)

Could somebody tell me if all I need to do is

1) Use my existing Outlook 98 to 'export' a .pst file.
2) Uninstall Outlook 98.
3) Install Outlook XP.
4a) Import the saved .pst file to Outlook XP, or, alternatively...
4b) Start Outlook XP and do File/Open and 'open' my saved Outlook 98
pst file.

.... I'm obvioulsy being very cautious about this because once I
uninstall Outlook 98 I may not be able to go back to it; if something
goes wrong with the Outlook XP install.

Could somebody lead me in the most safe direction? Thanks.

 

[Patricia Cardoza - [MVP Outlook]]

When you do an uninstall of Outlook 98, it should retain your current pst
file. TO be safe however, find any file with an extension of .pst on your
hard drive and make a backup copy of it somewhere else on your hard drive or
on a CD (if you have a CD burner). The Outlook uninstall program won't go
looking for all .pst files and delete them.

Then when you install Outlook XP, it may very well find the existing PST
file for you. If not, simply go into the Mail applet in Control Panels and
go to the data files section. You'll need to point the default data file to
your existing PST file while Outlook is closed. Then reopen it and it should
find the existing PST file.

--
Patricia Cardoza
Outlook MVP
http://blogs.officezealot.com/cardoza/

Author, Special Edition Using Microsoft Outlook 2003
Author, Absolute Beginner's Guide to OneNote 2003
Lead Author, Access 2003 VBA Programmer's Reference

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[Brian Tillman]

Since I can't find my Office 98 installation disks, I'm risking losing
Outlook 98 as an application option if I continue to load Outlook XP.
I obviously want to be very careful to create a file (pst?, something
else?) that will load into the newer version of Outlook XP after I
have installed it.

You already have one. OL98's PST can be used with no problem in OL2002
(it's not Outlook XP; it's Outlook 2002, part of Office XP).

1) Use my existing Outlook 98 to 'export' a .pst file.

Don't export the PST. Just make a copy of it. See also
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm

4a) Import the saved .pst file to Outlook XP, or, alternatively...

Don't import anything.

4b) Start Outlook XP and do File/Open and 'open' my saved Outlook 98
pst file.

Yes. Actually, when you create your OL2002 mail profile, you'll add a
Personal Folders service that you can point at the OL98 PST.