Outlook Contacts .pst versus .pab file

[Dwayne Heafner]

I will try to be as clear as I can. Our facility does not have Exchange
unfortunately. I do have a way of backing up Outlook data. I export a .pst
file to the server under the users drive. Then I change the data file to
read that .pst file from that point on so nothing is stored locally on the
client. The file is then backed up every night. Thought I was smart doing
this. The problem occurs when adding a device that is used to hot sync with
Outlook contacts. The sync fucntion looks for the file *.pab and not a .pst.
Well that no longer exists because I got rid of that computer that held that
local .pab file with the contacts. My question is how do I take the current
contacts which reside in a *.pst file or just in Outlook and save it into a
*.pab so when I load hotsync it will find that *.pab under the the local
settings for that user. I have tried a number of things without success.
Importing and exporting doesn't let you do it.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Since Outlook has not used a PAB file in over 10 years, how can there be any
sync software that must sync with a PAB? Seems unlikely if not impossible.
There is nothing else you are doing that would constitute good practice:
1. You never backup Outlook data by exporting it. That process is deeply
flawed and in no way would constitute a valid backup. You backup Outlook
data by copying the PST file only after Outlook is completely closed.
2. You never access a PST file over a network connection. Well documented
for years:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297019

If your sync software requires a PAB, you are way overdue for an update. You
are risking data loss in many ways here.

 

[Dwayne Heafner]

Thanks for the info. I actually didn't load the Hot Sync for this device
myself. I have a non IT perosn that helps me out from time to time. It
happened to be the CEO's computer and device so he went and tried to reload
and he ran into the problem. So I will go try it myself. Sorry about that
because I don't always get the most reliable info unless I do it myself. As
far as using the .pst. I am not comfortable with this process but not having
Exchange and not having any staff to really do preventive maintenance on our
computers this is really the only way I have found that I can backup the data
on a day to day basis. I guess I could been used for 10 years but running
Office 2003 when I go to add a new address book the file it creates has the
extension .pab. I wonder why that is. To be honest I have been asking Santa
very diligently for Exchange. Maybe I will get it. HA! Thanks for you time
and expertise.

Since Outlook has not used a PAB file in over 10 years, how can there be any
sync software that must sync with a PAB? Seems unlikely if not impossible.
There is nothing else you are doing that would constitute good practice:
1. You never backup Outlook data by exporting it. That process is deeply
flawed and in no way would constitute a valid backup. You backup Outlook
data by copying the PST file only after Outlook is completely closed.
2. You never access a PST file over a network connection. Well documented
for years:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297019

If your sync software requires a PAB, you are way overdue for an update. You
are risking data loss in many ways here.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I will try to be as clear as I can. Our facility does not have Exchange
unfortunately. I do have a way of backing up Outlook data. I export a
.pst
file to the server under the users drive. Then I change the data file to
read that .pst file from that point on so nothing is stored locally on the
client. The file is then backed up every night. Thought I was smart
doing
this. The problem occurs when adding a device that is used to hot sync
with
Outlook contacts. The sync fucntion looks for the file *.pab and not a
.pst.
Well that no longer exists because I got rid of that computer that held
that
local .pab file with the contacts. My question is how do I take the
current
contacts which reside in a *.pst file or just in Outlook and save it into
a
*.pab so when I load hotsync it will find that *.pab under the the local
settings for that user. I have tried a number of things without success.
Importing and exporting doesn't let you do it.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You definitely deserve more support for IT needs than you're getting.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks for the info. I actually didn't load the Hot Sync for this device
myself. I have a non IT perosn that helps me out from time to time. It
happened to be the CEO's computer and device so he went and tried to
reload
and he ran into the problem. So I will go try it myself. Sorry about
that
because I don't always get the most reliable info unless I do it myself.
As
far as using the .pst. I am not comfortable with this process but not
having
Exchange and not having any staff to really do preventive maintenance on
our
computers this is really the only way I have found that I can backup the
data
on a day to day basis. I guess I could been used for 10 years but running
Office 2003 when I go to add a new address book the file it creates has
the
extension .pab. I wonder why that is. To be honest I have been asking
Santa
very diligently for Exchange. Maybe I will get it. HA! Thanks for you
time
and expertise.

Since Outlook has not used a PAB file in over 10 years, how can there be
any
sync software that must sync with a PAB? Seems unlikely if not
impossible.
There is nothing else you are doing that would constitute good practice:
1. You never backup Outlook data by exporting it. That process is deeply
flawed and in no way would constitute a valid backup. You backup Outlook
data by copying the PST file only after Outlook is completely closed.
2. You never access a PST file over a network connection. Well documented
for years:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297019

If your sync software requires a PAB, you are way overdue for an update.
You
are risking data loss in many ways here.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
message

I will try to be as clear as I can. Our facility does not have Exchange
unfortunately. I do have a way of backing up Outlook data. I export a
.pst
file to the server under the users drive. Then I change the data file
to
read that .pst file from that point on so nothing is stored locally on
the
client. The file is then backed up every night. Thought I was smart
doing
this. The problem occurs when adding a device that is used to hot sync
with
Outlook contacts. The sync fucntion looks for the file *.pab and not a
.pst.
Well that no longer exists because I got rid of that computer that held
that
local .pab file with the contacts. My question is how do I take the
current
contacts which reside in a *.pst file or just in Outlook and save it
into
a
*.pab so when I load hotsync it will find that *.pab under the the
local
settings for that user. I have tried a number of things without
success.
Importing and exporting doesn't let you do it.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I guess I could been used for 10 years but running
Office 2003 when I go to add a new address book the file it creates has
the
extension .pab. I wonder why that is.

The Personal Address Book feature became obsolete back when Microsoft
introduced the Outlook Address Book service which allows Outlook to resolve
mail addresses from Contacts folders. You do not add address books in
Outlook, you add Contacts folders. Outlook 2003 allows one to add a PAB to
one's mail profile so that an existing PAB can be referenced for backward
compatibility.