Importing mail from old (97-2002) style folder to 2003 version

[resonator80]

I recently got Outlook 2003 and would like to have my mail in the newer
2003 type folders. I am presently using my old 97-2002 style folder for
the main mail folder.

I created a new 2003 folder, and the only way I could see to transfer
data was to drag and drop. This is very slow and, in the end, I found I
had not imported contacts and calendar information. So I have gone back
to the old folder for now.

Is there a way to do this transfer efficiently and get all information
transferred?

Thanks.

Bill Edelstein
Schenectady, NY

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Drag/Drop or Copy to Folder... is the best way. Importing can work, but
you'll lose data, and its easy to import it into the wrong location.

 

[resonator80]

Contacts, Calendar, Notes and Rules did not transfer. Any idea why not?

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein
Schenectady, NY

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

No. I wasn't watching what you did.
Tell us.
Rules will only transfer if you reuse the PST file or if you export them
separately to a RWZ file.
You need to use a list view of your Calendar so you can select all the
entries and copy them to the other Calendar Folder.
Contacts and Notes copy just fine.

 

[resonator80]

I used the list view and did the transfer, but encountered the
following problem. When I designated the new file as the one to send
and receive email, it created its own contact and calendar file. The
others had to be brought in with a different name. I then ended up with
two contact files. Same with calendar. Outlook would not let me delete
the "default" contact file and rename the other one.

How do I use the RWZ file to transfer rules?

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein
Schenectady, NY

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You copy the _contents_ of a Folder from one PST file to another, not the
Folders themselves. The Folders have already been created in the new PST and
you should use those Folders.
To copy rules, you must export them to a RWZ file from the old version, then
import them into the new.
For most users, it just makes more sense to reconnect their old PST file
unless they think they are going to exceed the 2 G limit. I've used my
current PST file for 8 years. It is 30 MB.

 

[resonator80]

OK, I guess that is what I am doing, i.e. using the old file.

New (but related) problem. I have two identical outlook files in my
folder list. They both simultaneously receive mail. I am not sure if I
am getting each message twice, or if the second entry is just a kind of
image.

I tried changing the name of one of the files, and it ended up changing
both names. Now I can't change either name back, and can't get rid of
one image.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein
Schenectady, NY

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You corrupted your profile. I bet you tried importing somewhere along the
line.
You'll have to create a new profile from scratch to get rid of the ghost.

 

[resonator80]

OK, so how do I create a new profile?

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

It is very common to get a duplicate or "ghost" Personal Folders file if you
do not migrate your previous Outlook Data File correctly to Outlook 2003.
Once you do, your Outlook profile will be corrupt and you must start over
with a new profile.

First you create a new profile:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;829918&Product=out2003
Then you configure this profile to use your previous PST file as its default
instead of using the new one it creates:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx
Just make sure you place your previous PST file somewhere _other_ than the
default location so you don't run the risk of overwriting the PST file that
Outlook creates.

 

[resonator80]

OK, that worked. I have my official outlook.pst file safely out of the
default place, and I now have a new profile which points to the
outlook.pst file.

Next problem: The email program is not associated with my contact
folder. The contact folder is there, visible, and contains all my email
addresses.

How do I get the email program to point to these contacts?

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

The email program?
Do you mean the Outlook Address Book?
If so, just enable your Contacts Folder as an email address book in its
properties.

 

[resonator80]

I tried that, but I get this message:

"The address list could not be displayed. The Contacts folder
associated with this address list could not be opened; it may have been
moved or deleted, or you do not have permissions. For information on
how to remove this folder from the Outlook Address Book, see Microsoft
Office Outlook Help.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

What I told you to try could not generate that message. You did something
else.
Read the long version:
http://home.indy.rr.com/russval/addressbook.htm#Lose

 

[resonator80]

I messed around with it and finally it looks OK.

Thanks again,
Bill Edelstein