Import pst without duplicates?

  • Thread starter Thread starter nowiit
  • Start date Start date
N

nowiit

I'm using Office/Outlook 2003 and moving a user from an older computer to a
new one. Outlook is set up with a POP3 account and, therefore, is pulling a
copy of each new email into the local outlook.pst file ("Leave a copy of
emails on server" is checked so they can check mail from off site). When I
set up a new computer, I install Office and set up Outlook for the user and
then copy the old .pst file from the old computer and import the old .pst
file into Outlook.
Once the new Outlook is configured, it begins to receive any new emails and
any old ones not deleted from the remote mail server. Then when I do the
import, it doesn't matter what settings I use concerning importing duplicates
- I get duplicates of each of the emails just pulled from the mail server.
How can I avoid this messy cleanup?
Thanks,
NOrthern WIsconsin IT
 
nowiit said:
I'm using Office/Outlook 2003 and moving a user from an older computer to a
new one. Outlook is set up with a POP3 account and, therefore, is pulling a
copy of each new email into the local outlook.pst file ("Leave a copy of
emails on server" is checked so they can check mail from off site). When I
set up a new computer, I install Office and set up Outlook for the user and
then copy the old .pst file from the old computer and import the old .pst
file into Outlook.
Click to expand...

Oops. Not a good idea! Try File/Open/Outlook Data File and browse to
where you saved it.

M
 
M said:
Oops. Not a good idea! Try File/Open/Outlook Data File and browse to
where you saved it.

M
.
Click to expand...
Okay. Here's what I tried: I installed Office (2k3). I copied the .pst file
from the old computer to a folder on the new computer. I disconnected from
the network so that it wouldn't pull new items when I set up the email
account. I started Outlook, which ran the wizard to set up a new email
account, which I did. I then clicked "File/Open/Outlook Data File" and chose
the copied file.

I now have two "Personal Folders" in the "All mail folders" section of
Outlook.

Did I do something wrong? Should I not have set up the email account before
opening the old .pst file?
Thanks. nowiit
 
I now have two "Personal Folders" in the "All mail folders" section of
Outlook.

Did I do something wrong?
Click to expand...

No, that's what you should see. If you want to keep your existing default
folders because they contain something you want to keep, then open each of the
old PST's folders, select the data you want (the non-duplicated material) from
each, and copy the selection to the corresponding default folder. When you're
done, close the old PST by right-clicking the root and choosing Close.

If you have more information you want to keep in the old PST (i.e., less
duplicate matter), then copy it from the default folders to their
corresponding folders in the old PST, then set htat old PST as your default on
Tools>E-mail Accounts>Next - the "Deliver new e-mail to the following
location" drop-down, then close and restart Outlook. You can then close what
will then be the non-default PST.
 
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