Transferring Contacts/PSTs

[Guest]

I have 4 questions in one about Outlook contacts and PSTs:
I am migrating users from various form factor Dell and Gateway computers to
Dell D600 laptops. Various computers are running Windows 2000 SP4 or Windows
XP SP1. Some users are running Office XP, while others are running Office
2K3. The Dell D600 laptops will be running Windows XP SP2, Office 2K3 with
20GB HD & 512MB Ram. All personal folders and files from their old computer
is copied and saved into a company network share.
1. If a user has 'personal contacts' they've added to their contact list
that are not listed in the company's 'Global Address Book', what files in
their 'C:\Document & Settings\Username' folder do I copy to the same location
in their new D610 laptops?
2. What are PSTs? If I create and export a PST file from their old computer
into the company network share, complete their D610 and download the PST onto
their new laptop, where do I save the PST in there profile?
3. Ultimately, what Outlook folders and files on their old PC do I copy over
to the new D610 laptops so that after the transfer the user doesn't notice a
difference in their contact list?
4. Would Outlook XP folders and files (PSTs?) conflict with Outlook 2K3
folders and files after transferring them and then launching Outlook 2K3?
Thanks in advance for your response!

 

[Karl Timmermans]

Your approach will depend on your configuration beyond what you've
mentioned.

Simplistic description of PST files

This is a personal information store or otherwise referred to as "personal
folder file" (a single file with a PST extension) located on the
individual's computer that contains the person's contacts, email etc but
does not contain any settings such as views, filters, categories etc.
Default location of this file would be similar to:


"C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst"

(this is a hidden file by default so you may need to expose it in Windows
Explorer).


However, in an Exchange environment - PST files come into play in the
following scenarios:

#1 - The person has set default destination of their email to be other then
the Exchange mailbox and/or
#2 - They have created secondary PST files manually which you would need to
check on a user by user basis. The location of these files would need to be
checked individually to assure that you got them all. There is no
requirement that a user creates any secondary PST files in the suggested
default location.

Quickest and safest approach to migrate each user would be as follows:

#1 - Check to see if any PST files are in fact being used or if the user has
maintained everything in their Exchange mailbox (or other Exchange based
folders). If only Exchange is being used - simply configure the laptop as
usual enabling offline usage which will create an OST file (offline storage)
file. This will let the user use their data when not connected to the
server. The offline folder will sync with the Exchange server on first
connection. You could also opt to create a PST folder and set it as the
default destination for inbound email. You would then need to simply copy
whatever is in the Exchange mailbox folders to the equivalent folders in the
new PST file for everything to work "as it did before".

#2 - If the user does have additional PST files (or using a PST file as
his/her default email destination), record the location of these files
(right click --> --properties -- Advanced) , close Outlook and copy these to
whereever you want. When the laptop is ready, copy these files back to the
laptop (location doesn't matter but should be consistent from a support
standpoint). Open Outlook and then open each of these PST folders from
within Outlook. You may need to make sure that any contact folders used are
also Outlook Address Book enabled. Would strongly advise against anything
related to "Export/Import" in this scenario - while it is something that you
could use - just much safer, faster, cleaner to make copies of any PST files
in question.

#3 - Outlook 'XP PST files can be used in Outlook '2003 but PST files
created in Outlook '2003 format cannot be used in earlier versions of
Outlook.

#4 - If you happen to copy any PST files temporarily to a CD/DVD - then you
will need to make sure to reset the "Read Only" attribute when the file(s)
get copied back to the laptop.

#5 - If there are any "custom forms" being used originating from the user's
desktop (i.e. Personal forms lib) - then these will have to be re-published
on the laptop.

Karl
__________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0
"Power contact importers for MS Outlook '2000/2003"
http://www.contactgenie.com