Migrate Outlook 2003 from XP PC to new Vista computer

[TCS]

I am migrating my outlook profiles to a new computer.
My current laptop is running Win XP-Pro SP3 with Outlook 2003
I have two profiles
Profile 1 is “TCSIC†and uses both a POP3 email account and an exchange
server and bringing my server email to my local machine. I do not use any
other features of the server Outlook.
Profile 1 has 3 data files listed,
Personal Folders - “Personal Folders(1).pstâ€
TCSIC Folders – “outlook.pst†(Mail Delivery)

Profile 2 is “Tims†and uses one POP3 email account.
Profile 2 has 3 data files listed,
Personal Folders - “Personal Folders(1).pstâ€
Tim’s Folders - “mailbox.pstâ€
Tim’s Folders – “mailbox.pst†(Mail Delivery)

I have installed Office 2003 on my new laptop which is running
WinVistaHomeBasic SP2. I have installed all updates for Vista and Outlook
2003.

I have exported from Profile 1 TCSIC Folders including sub-folders and the
folders created when I set up the Exchange server email account. This created
two back up files, “backup.pst†and 3Ybackup.pstâ€

I have also exported from Profile 2 Tim’s Folders including sub-folders.
This created two back up files, “TCSbackup.pstâ€

1) What is the best way to install the existing profiles into the new
Outlook program?
2) If I simply restore the folders, will the folders be installed into the
proper profiles?
3) If I restore the “backup.pst†file for the TCSIC profile, will both email
accounts be correctly installed?
4) Do I need to restore the “Personal Folders(1).pst?
5) If I restore just the two files, “outlook.pst†and “mailbox.pst†will all
components of my two profiles be restored and will Outlook give me the
selection of profiles when I start Outlook?

Thanks,
Tim

 

[Roady [MVP]]

That's not the way that you should backup and restore Outlook.
There is no need to use the export function at all; simply copy over your
pst-file and reconnect them to Outlook after you have configured your mail
profile on the new machine. To reconnect a pst-file use;
File-> Open-> Outlook Data File...

For more information about how to backup and restore Outlook see;
http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm

If you want to backup your Outlook settings, profile configuration and data
all at once and easily restore them on your new machine, then you could use
a special Outlook backup utility such as;
http://addins.howto-outlook.com/abf_outlookbackup
If you decide to order use ABF-1HTJ8 to get a discount.

Other backup utilities are listed here;
http://www.howto-outlook.com/tag/backup
Make sure that they support backing up the mail profile and restoring it to
another version of Windows and/or Outlook. I know the one from ABF does
that.

 

[TCS]

Thanks Roady,

My primary concern is not routine backup and restore, but to transfer my
existing profiles and emails to a new PC running Outlook 2003 on Vista Home
(32 bit). I am coming off of an old laptop rinning Outlook 2003 on XP-Pro SP3.

Do I need to set up the email accounts before I open the copied .pst(s) file?
In my local settings folder I have the following pst files:
outlook.pst
mailbox.pst
Personal Folders.pst

I believe, maybe incorrectly, that the outlook.pst file contains the TCSIC
profile, the mailbox.pst file contains the TCS profile and the Personal
Folders.pst file contains the extra (duplicate) folders.

Does the outlook.pst file contain all profiles?
Does the outlook.pst file contain my MS Exchange Server email account?
What is contained in the mailbox.pst file?
What is contained in the mailbox.PAB file?


Note that my Exchange Server email is maintained on my local machine.

I also have a recently added file "outlook.ost", the timing of the
appearance of this file leads me to believe this is associated with my
recently established Exchange Server email account.
What is contained in the outlook.ost file?
Do I need to copy the outlook.ost file?

Can I just copy the outlook.pst and mailbox.pst then open the new outlook
using the outlook.pst file?

Will these two files bring along my MS Exchange Server email account, TCSIC
POP3 account, TCS POP3 account in addition to all other Outlook objects/data?

If I do not copy the Personal Folder.pst file will the duplicate folders go
away?
Will I lose any objects/data if I do not copy the Personal Folders.pst file?

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Backing up routinely or migrating to another computer are similar situations
and both covered in the guide I pointed out to you.

You indeed need to configure Outlook with all your mail profiles and account
first before you can open your pst-files.

Never ever overwrite an pst-file to get it opened in Outlook.

Pst-files do not contain mail profile or account settings.

The ost-file is the cache file of your Exchange account; you do not need to
migrate this file.

What's in which pst-file is entirely up to you. The first pst-file that is
being created by Outlook is usually called Outlook.pst and if you created an
archive, then there is Archive.pst, but all additional ones are ones you've
created yourself.

The pab-file is file format where previous versions of Outlook stored the
contacts in. You've probably already migrated those to your Contacts folder
a long time ago.

 

[TCS]

Thanks again Roady,

I have since discovered that my pst files are in 97-2002 ANSI format.
What would be the proper sequence to export/import/copy/open to convert my
files to Unicode format?

Should I export my files then copy the exported files to the new machine and
then import them into the pst file created by OL2003?
What concerns should I have regarding using the export/import feature
causing corruption during this conversion?

PS: I purchased ABF Outlook Backup but when I started the backup, it only
showed one of my profiles. I have an email out to support, but have not
received a response yet.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I have since discovered that my pst files are in 97-2002 ANSI format.
What would be the proper sequence to export/import/copy/open to convert my
files to Unicode format?

See this: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ansi-to-unicode.asp

Should I export my files then copy the exported files to the new machine and
then import them into the pst file created by OL2003?
What concerns should I have regarding using the export/import feature
causing corruption during this conversion?

Exporting is never advised when transferring data from one Outlook to another.
Exporting (and importing) ALWAYS loses data.

 

[TCS]

Hi Brian,

So you would use "Method 2" (Manual) described in the reference
"http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ansi-to-unicode.asp"?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

So you would use "Method 2" (Manual) described in the reference
"http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ansi-to-unicode.asp"?

In fact, I did use that method when I migrated from Outlook 2000 to Outlook
2003.

 

[TCS]

Hello Robert,

Thanks for all of the detailed information and references. The details
really help to understand the exact steps needed to perform this operation
with a minimum of difficulty.

Could you please take a quick look at the process that I intend to use and
point out any steps that might cause error or corruption.

I also have 3 more questions (in CAPS) if you could be so kind as to respond
to them.

Thank you,
Tim

PROCEDURE

To convert Outlook 2003, ANSI 97/2002 format, profile data to Outlook 2003,
Unicode 2003 format data and transfer/migrate the data to a new computer.
From Win XP-Pro to Vista Home.

Only the pst files need to be transferred to the new PC.
The data contained in the Outlook profiles is wholly contained in the pst
files.
The profiles are saved in the registry.
Do not use the export/import feature provided in Outlook.

1. Install Outlook 2003 on the new computer and install all updates.
2. Using the mail setup from the old PC as a guide, set up ALL mail
accounts on the new machine by opening Control Panel/Mail/Mail Setup/E-Mail
Accounts.
3. Open OL2003 on the new machine a Unicode (2003) pst file will
automatically be created.
4. Leave Outlook open.
5. Copy the ANSI (97/2002) format pst file from the old PC (C:\Documents
and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook) into
a temporary directory on the new PC.
6. Change the file name of the ANSI pst file to something other than
“outlook.pstâ€, different from the name of the newly created Unicode pst file.
7. Copy the differently named ANSI pst file to the outlook file directory
on the new PC (C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook).
8. From the Outlook menu, select File/Open and open the ANSI pst file. This
will display the ANSI profile’s folders in addition to the newly created
Unicode folders generated when Outlook was opened the first time.
Note: You cannot copy the folders themselves because you cannot have more
than one default folder of a particular name.

WHAT IF THE ROOT FOLDERS ON THE NEW PC ARE NAMED “PERSONAL FOLDERS†AND THE
ROOT FOLDERS IN THE ANSI PST FILE ARE NAMED “TCSICâ€. CAN I COPY WHOLE
FOLDERS?

9. Open each of the folders in the ANSI profile, select all the items using
Ctrl-A, then copy the selection (either with right-click/Drag, Ctrl/Drag or
Edit>Copy to Folder) to the corresponding folder in the newly created
(Unicode) profile.
For the Calendar, you'll need to change the view to a table view like Events
or By Category in order for Ctrl-A to work.

Note: The conversion from ANSI to Unicode will happen in the copy process.

10. Using the mail setup from the old PC as a guide, set up Outlook Data
Files on the new machine by opening Control Panel/Mail/Mail Setup/Outlook
Data Files.
11. When you're done copying all the folders in the ANSI profile’s folders,
right-click the ANSI profile’s root and choose “Close†to remove it from the
mail profile.

AFTER I COPY THE ITEMS OR FOLDERS TO THE UNICODE FOLDERS AND CLOSE THE ANSI
PST FILE, CAN I DELETE THE ANSI PST FILE?

12. Navigate to the Outlook file directory and delete the ANSI pst file.
13. If multiple pst files representing multiple profiles are being converted
and transferred to the new computer, follow the above steps for the
individual pst files and profile folders.
14. For multiple pst files and profiles folders, set up the subsequent
profile’s mail accounts and data files by opening Control
Panel/Mail/Profiles/Show Profiles/name/Properties.

IF I FIND THAT MY DATA/FOLDERS ARE CORRUPTED, CAN I UNINSTALL OUTLOOK FROM
THE NEW COMPUTER, DELETE ANY PST FILES AND START OVER WITH NO REMAINING
ARTIFACTS LEFT BEHIND TO RECORRUPT A NEW INSTALLATION?

 

[TCS]

ps: IF I MOVE THE ITEMS INSTEAD OF COPY, WILL THE CONVERSION FROM ANSI TO
UNICODE STILL TAKE PLACE?
I WOULD LIKE TO USE MOVE INSTEAD OF COPY TO RETAIN THE ORIGINAL "LAST
MODIFIED DATES".

 

[TCS]

Hi Robert,

I received a response from ABF-OutlookBackup and included it in this reply.
The current version of Outlook Backup Version 3.1.9 Build 59 does not
support Microsoft Exchange Server mail accounts.

As far as I understood you have two profiles - one with POP3 accounts only
and second with POP3 and Exchange server accounts. Am I correct?
And that is the problem. The current version of ABF Outlook Backup doesn't
work with Exchange server data and it just skips profiles which contain
Exchange server accounts (even if POP3 accounts are in these profiles also).
Thus, your Exchange server accounts won't be backed up&restored with ABF
Outlook Backup. If you want to backup POP3 accounts from this second profile,
you should move them to another profile - to the first one or to a new.
Best regards.
Natalia Guskova,
ABF software, Inc.

I am currently seeking a refund from ABF.

 

[TCS]

Thanks very much for your help. It seems everything went well.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Thanks very much for your help. It seems everything went well.

You're welcome.