Recurring items didn't import?

[Guest]

I'm in the process of changing computers; my old one uses Outlook 2000 and
the new one uses Outlook 2003. I exported all of the personal folder files
from Outlook 2000 and imported them into 2003. However, all of my recurring
items seem to be missing.

All of my reminders to make tax payments are missing, as well as other
day-to-day reminders. Although my Contacts lists still lists birthdays in
the "details" section, all of the recurring reminders disappeared. Calendar
appointments seem to be gone. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I'm in the process of changing computers; my old one uses Outlook
2000 and the new one uses Outlook 2003. I exported all of the
personal folder files from Outlook 2000 and imported them into 2003.
However, all of my recurring items seem to be missing.

Exporting and importing is guaranteed to lose data. Go back to the original
machine and simply copy your old PST to the new machine and open it with
File>Open>Outlook Data File. Then, either copy the information from the old
folders to the new ones or just make the old PST the delivery location.

See http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/backupandrestore.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the info. As I'd been using Outlook 2003 for a week, I didn't
want to lose any data I'd added in that week. So I couldn't do the simple
task of merely replacing my new Outlook.pst file with the old one.

So, this required me to copy the old PST file to the new computer, as you
suggested, and then opening it in Outlook 2003, side by side with the new PST
file. Then I copied the files added or changed in the last week (to the best
of my memory) from the new PST to the old one. Then I was able to disable
the new PST file by renaming it with a ".old" filename extension, and
transfer the revised old PST file to the location Outlook expects to find it.
Now my recurring items have been restored.

A new problem is that when I click on the "Folders List" icon at the left,
the folders window now shows three "personal folders." They all appear to be
relating to the same PST file, and I can't remove the two unnecessary
folders; it won't let me delete them. One of the extra folders was created
when I opened the old PST, in order to copy data between the two PST files.
I don't know how the third extra folder was created. If you have any
suggestions on how to delete these duplicative folders, I'd be grateful.

And now a general rant . . . if export and import is a bad way to go,
because you lose data, why does Microsoft offer it? Copying the entire PST
file from the old computer to the new computer isn't difficult, but the only
instructions I found were to use Export/Import. I've been using
Export/Import to do backups, but no more, since I now realize they are
useless. I'll use the PST Backup utility referred to in the link you
provided.

Problems like this are why I will do anything in my power to avoid upgrading
computers and Office in the future. As Microsoft would benefit by selling
upgrades, it would seem they would make an effort to make the process easier.

End rant, and thanks again for your assistance.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Thanks for the info. As I'd been using Outlook 2003 for a week, I
didn't want to lose any data I'd added in that week. So I couldn't
do the simple task of merely replacing my new Outlook.pst file with
the old one.

And it's a good thing you didn't because doing it incorrectly would have
corrupted your mail profile.

So, this required me to copy the old PST file to the new computer, as
you suggested, and then opening it in Outlook 2003, side by side with
the new PST file. Then I copied the files added or changed in the
last week (to the best of my memory) from the new PST to the old one.
Then I was able to disable the new PST file by renaming it with a
".old" filename extension, and transfer the revised old PST file to
the location Outlook expects to find it. Now my recurring items have
been restored.

That's not quite proper. You should have changed your delivery location to
the old PST (Tools>Email Accounts>Next, at the bottom left), stopped and
restarted Outlook, and then closed the other PST with right-click>Close.
You have corrupted your mail profile by copying one PST over the top of
another. Outlook doesn't care where the PST is. You could have left it in
its original location.

A new problem is that when I click on the "Folders List" icon at the
left, the folders window now shows three "personal folders."

Yup. Corrupt mail profile. Now you'll need a new one. Control
Panel>Mail>Show Profiles>Add. Point the new profile at the PST where you
want to receive your mail with the Data Files button.

And now a general rant . . . if export and import is a bad way to go,
because you lose data, why does Microsoft offer it?

Well, in the event you have no recurring data, it generally works.

I've been using Export/Import to do backups, but no
more, since I now realize they are useless. I'll use the PST Backup
utility referred to in the link you provided.

You could also just copy the PST to another folder after closing Outlook,
since that's all the PST Backup utility does. It just reminds you of it on
the schedule you choose.

 

[Guest]

This worked, although it deleted all of my email accounts in the process. I
had to rebuild all seven of them from scratch. So far, I don't think
anything else was damaged or lost. It was maddening, because it forced me to
use a wizard, and kept wanting to rename the outlook.pst file to something
else, like outlook1.pst.

It's been my experience that relocating files, to places where Windows
doesn't expect to find them, creates problems. I just had a big problem
attempting to change the location of the My Documents folder to my D: drive.
Even though I followed MS directions, when I rebooted, it managed to freeze
my desktop. All I could do was reboot. It eventually "thawed" after an
hour, once again allowing me access to My Computer, and I changed the My
Documents folder back to its default location.

Thanks again for your assistance.

 

[Brian Tillman]

It's been my experience that relocating files, to places where Windows
doesn't expect to find them, creates problems.

FOr some things, sure, but not for Outlook PSTs.

I just had a big
problem attempting to change the location of the My Documents folder
to my D: drive. Even though I followed MS directions, when I
rebooted, it managed to freeze my desktop.

I use TweakUI for things like that.