NEED HELP SOON: Win7 Files & Settings Transfer Wiz & Office Outlook PST Mailboxes

[Tecknomage]

I'm going to help a friend setup his new DELL with Win7 Pro & Office
2007 this weekend 4/6.

I have used the [Files and Settings Transfer Wizard] between WinXP SP3
systems many times at work. But I've always transferred the user's
folder that had the Outlook PST files to ensure the mailboxes were
transferred, but that was with *Office 2000 or 2003* installed in
source and Office 2003 in destination.

How well will the *Win7* [Files and Settings Transfer Wizard] work
from a WinXP with Outlook 2000 to Win7 with Outlook 2007?

In Win7 with Office 2007, where exactly (path) are a user's Outlook
PST files kept?

As you can guess, this will be my first Win7 setup.

 

[Joel]

I'm going to help a friend setup his new DELL with Win7 Pro & Office
2007 this weekend 4/6.

I have used the [Files and Settings Transfer Wizard] between WinXP SP3
systems many times at work. But I've always transferred the user's
folder that had the Outlook PST files to ensure the mailboxes were
transferred, but that was with *Office 2000 or 2003* installed in
source and Office 2003 in destination.

How well will the *Win7* [Files and Settings Transfer Wizard] work
from a WinXP with Outlook 2000 to Win7 with Outlook 2007?

In Win7 with Office 2007, where exactly (path) are a user's Outlook
PST files kept?

As you can guess, this will be my first Win7 setup.

It's been a long time since I used Office 2000, but there should be an
export function in Outlook 2000 that creates one gigantic PST file
that can then be imported into his new copy of Outlook. I'd at least
try it that way first.

 

[Joel]

And you would have advised the OP to do a very stupid thing. PST files
must be *opened*, not imported. Outlook 2000 has the old type of .pst
file which has a limit of 2 gigs. The new .pst files have no limit and
are set by default to 20 gigs. The .pst file doesn't need to be
exported. It needs to be copied to external media and then pasted into
the new computer where, after installing Outlook 07, one should go to
File/Open/Personal data file and navigate to where the .pst was pasted
and open it. Then one can move all the emails to the new .pst file and
then close the old one.

Importing does not keep using the exported PST file copied from the
old computer - it just imports the data into the new installation. It
will be saved by Outlook 2007 natively. Your method is really more
complex. As long as the export is done with all folders selected for
exporting, it's a cleaner method for transferring - it does take time
to build the exported PST on the old computer, but one can just let it
work in the background until it's done.

 

[Peter Foldes]

Alias

You were correct with your answer to the OP in the alt.group. Importing and
Exporting will corrupt the files

 

[Joel]

Alias

You were correct with your answer to the OP in the alt.group. Importing and
Exporting will corrupt the files

I guess that's why I've done it that way multiple times, for a family
member who actually uses Outlook for God knows what reason, and has
changed computers multiple times, and it didn't "corrupt" anything.
And I guess you enjoy using a product that you claim "corrupts" files
for absolutely no good reason. Two for two on Microsoft Office
lameness.

 

[Joel]

I wonder what the good folks in microsoft.public.outlook think of this
exporting/importing method.

I wonder why you care, Ubuntu toy-Linux-distro luser. I only answered
the OP to be helpful, since I loathe MS Office, even though I run
Windows, but happen to have done this for another person's computer.
It's funny how you'll stoop to spamming the Outlook NG just to troll
a.win7.gen.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]]

I guess that's why I've done it that way multiple times, for a family
member who actually uses Outlook for God knows what reason, and has
changed computers multiple times, and it didn't "corrupt" anything.
And I guess you enjoy using a product that you claim "corrupts" files
for absolutely no good reason. Two for two on Microsoft Office
lameness.

I think "corrupt" is too strong. It's undeniable, however, that importing and
exporting _change_ the data. It's undeniable also that importing and
exporting leaves out some of the data, like links between contacts and
calendar events, Distribution Lists, and other metadata. Importing and
Exporting is for moving data between Outlook and other non-Outlook programs,
not for moving data between Outlook instances.

 

[Tom Willett]

Perhaps sometimes with some people, but not all the time, nor most of the
time. Our company did it numerous times with numerous flavors of Outlook
many many times over the years. Not one iota of corruption. But, we have
discontinued using Outlook anyway.

: Alias
:
: You were correct with your answer to the OP in the alt.group. Importing
and
: Exporting will corrupt the files
:
: --
: Peter
:
: Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
: Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
:
: : > Joel wrote:
: >>
: >>>> It's been a long time since I used Office 2000, but there should be
an
: >>>> export function in Outlook 2000 that creates one gigantic PST file
: >>>> that can then be imported into his new copy of Outlook. I'd at least
: >>>> try it that way first.
: >>> And you would have advised the OP to do a very stupid thing. PST files
must be
: >>> *opened*, not imported. Outlook 2000 has the old type of .pst file
which has a
: >>> limit of 2 gigs. The new .pst files have no limit and are set by
default to 20
: >>> gigs. The .pst file doesn't need to be exported. It needs to be copied
to
: >>> external media and then pasted into the new computer where, after
installing
: >>> Outlook 07, one should go to File/Open/Personal data file and navigate
to where
: >>> the .pst was pasted and open it. Then one can move all the emails to
the new
: >>> .pst file and then close the old one.
: >>
: >>
: >> Importing does not keep using the exported PST file copied from the
: >> old computer - it just imports the data into the new installation. It
: >> will be saved by Outlook 2007 natively. Your method is really more
: >> complex. As long as the export is done with all folders selected for
: >> exporting, it's a cleaner method for transferring - it does take time
: >> to build the exported PST on the old computer, but one can just let it
: >> work in the background until it's done.
: >>
: >
: > I wonder what the good folks in microsoft.public.outlook think of this
: > exporting/importing method.
: >
: > --
: > Alias
:

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

No, it won't corrupt the files. It can corrupt the profile. In the specific
case in this thread, importing is acceptable as much of the hidden crap that
is not exported can't be used in Outlook 2007 and won't be moved either.
Importing can be faster than moving everything manually. (Hidden things,
like Views and Published forms are stored in folders - if you don't move the
folder, you lose these things.)

PST Conversion methods are here:
http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ansi-to-unicode.asp
Last modified date, links, and anything using the items GUID is messed up by
import/report, but these are also affected by copying - only Moving will
preserve the data and I'll bet most people who use the open and move method
actually copy, not move, the data.

Importing should not be used when you are moving to a new computer and
keeping the same version of Outlook. Its not recommended when you are
upgrading 1 version, but when upgrading multiple versions or from ANSI to
Unicode, its acceptable. Why? Because each new version of Outlook adds more
properties and hidden content. Outlook can add the properties to the
existing pst, but it's better to make a new one. Importing is the easiest
and less confusing "KISS" method for many users to upgrade to a pst.

Yeah, for a long time Microsoft recommended importing when opening the pst
would be better, but in the last few years we've gotten just as bad by
insisting that all import/exports are evil and should *never* be used.


--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com/

Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Do you sync your mailbox with a smartphone or pda?
http://forums.slipstick.com/showthread.php?t=39473

 

[Joel]

Did you know that insulting people is not an acceptable way of
conducting yourself in a debate? In fact, you lose as soon as you start
your insults.

Who the f--- are you kidding? You're the one who brought their group
into your manufactured "debate", troll. That one MSO fanboy happened
to support your insane statement doesn't add much to the debate,
unless you would take his word for it just to suit your agenda (which
it appears you would).

 

[Joel]

You wanted proof and Peter gave it to you.

Am I supposed to know *what* proof he claims he has just because, like
you, he spouted some ridiculous tripe? I have successfully used my
suggested method, multiple times. Maybe Peter made some mistake. And
why did another poster contradict him, other than myself? Doesn't
that "prove" anything, or is it only "proof" if someone makes an
assertion that supports *you*, dips---?

If you can wait, I am sure
that more Outlook experts

Is that anything like "military intelligence"?

will correct you as well.

And I will laugh at their Wintendo luserdom.

You hurling insults
towards me and Ubuntu does nothing for your credibility except to reveal
how desperate you are to be right.

I am right - you are a joke of a Linux user, and Outlook along with
all of MSO is a complete piece of trash, and my suggested method does
work. I stand by it all.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Exporting is for moving data between Outlook and other non-Outlook

programs, not for moving data between Outlook instances.

Not necessarily. If you only need to move *some* data to another outlook,
say calendar and contacts, then exporting to a pst is fine. Moving a
multi-GB pst for 200 contacts is nuts and exporting recurring calendar items
to another format removes the recurrences.

Also, if the person uses Copy to move the data into the new pst, everything
that import breaks is broken by Copy. Only Move will reserve the properties.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com/

Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Do you sync your mailbox with a smartphone or pda?
http://forums.slipstick.com/showthread.php?t=39473

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Yeah... when the Exchange admin uses Exmerge, they are importing/exporting.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com/

Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Do you sync your mailbox with a smartphone or pda?
http://forums.slipstick.com/showthread.php?t=39473

 

[Gordon]

How well will the *Win7* [Files and Settings Transfer Wizard] work
from a WinXP with Outlook 2000 to Win7 with Outlook 2007?

Don't use WET for Outlook data - it WILL corrupt the mail profile.
See here on how to transfer Outlook data:
http://gordonb-p.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E60CE3038809E993!2580.entry

 

[Gordon]

Importing does not keep using the exported PST file copied from the
old computer - it just imports the data into the new installation.

(Courtesy of Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook])

Importing an entire PST may well corrupt your profile and may create a ghost
PST that you can't close. Importing PST's will lose:
1. Custom Forms
2. Custom Views
3. Connections between contacts and activities
4. Received dates on mail
5. Birthdays and anniversaries in calendar
6. Journal connections
7. Distribution Lists

Opening a PST file will preserve all of these. That is why we do not advise
people to import a native file into Outlook.

 

[Gordon]

I guess that's why I've done it that way multiple times, for a family
member who actually uses Outlook for God knows what reason, and has
changed computers multiple times, and it didn't "corrupt" anything.

Then you have been extraordinarily lucky.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Ask your friend what dates ALL of his emails are set to now. Then ask he

or she if he or she is happy with that.

Only the last modified date is changed when you import/export pst to pst.
Sent and received dates are not touched.

If you are moving from OE/Mail/Live mail and use Outlook's Import command,
then the received (and last mod) date is changed - use export from OE
instead.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com/

Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Do you sync your mailbox with a smartphone or pda?
http://forums.slipstick.com/showthread.php?t=39473

 

[Joel]

(Courtesy of Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook])

Importing an entire PST may well corrupt your profile and may create a ghost
PST that you can't close. Importing PST's will lose:
1. Custom Forms
2. Custom Views
3. Connections between contacts and activities
4. Received dates on mail
5. Birthdays and anniversaries in calendar
6. Journal connections
7. Distribution Lists

Opening a PST file will preserve all of these. That is why we do not advise
people to import a native file into Outlook.

A better recommendation for WLMail and Thunderbird has never been
written.

 

[Leythos]

And you would have advised the OP to do a very stupid thing. PST files
must be *opened*, not imported.

Showing just how little you know about Windows again Alias.

Outlook export to PST is the proper method unless you have your own
Exchange server.

Outlook 97, 2000, XP, all export just fine to a PST, and it can be
larger than 2GB, since it's an export, not a daily use file.

As for how to get it into Outlook 2007, it should be IMPORTED, as is the
standard for stand-alone migration.

Done this thousands of times, never had a problem.

 

[Leythos]

You were correct with your answer to the OP in the alt.group. Importing and
Exporting will corrupt the files

No, he's not correct and it will not corrupt the files.

Just yesterday I exported Outlook 97 data, the entire tree, and imported
it into Office 2007 and it worked perfectly.