Wizard for moving Outlook settings from one computer to another

Most Outlook settings and data can be moved from one computer to another. But
a wizard that would make it a one-step process would be better. It would
include things like the .pst file (of course), any rules, all account
settings (send and receive servers, usernames and passwords) and any
customizations a user had made.

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...installat ion

Frank S wrote:

Most Outlook settings and data can be moved from one computer to
another. But a wizard that would make it a one-step process would be
better. It would include things like the .pst file (of course), any
rules, all account settings (send and receive servers, usernames and
passwords) and any customizations a user had made.

Office XP and 2003 both have the Office Save My Settings wizard.
--
Brian Tillman

The Save my settings wizard doesn't save the data files (.pst, .ost, .pab)
nor does it save any rules you've set or account settings (send and receive
servers etc.) and the wizard doesn't seem to be in Office 2007--or am I
missing something?

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Frank S wrote:

Most Outlook settings and data can be moved from one computer to
another. But a wizard that would make it a one-step process would be
better. It would include things like the .pst file (of course), any
rules, all account settings (send and receive servers, usernames and
passwords) and any customizations a user had made.

Office XP and 2003 both have the Office Save My Settings wizard.
--
Brian Tillman

Frank S wrote:

The Save my settings wizard doesn't save the data files (.pst, .ost,
.pab)

The PAB is obsolete and shouldn't be used anyway. Otherwise, it's a fairly
simple process to modify the Save My Settings Wizard's control file to copy
the data files. In fact, there are comments in the control file showing
how. It will copy any files you tell it to copy. OSTs don't need to be
transferred because they'll be regenerated.

nor does it save any rules you've set or account settings (send
and receive servers etc.)

The account settings should be saved by the Save My Settings Wizard. That's
one of its default purposes. The rules are in the PST for non-Exchange
accounts using a PST, so transferring the PST should transfer the rules,
although you may have to reset the folders if any are named ni the rules.
Otherwise, you can export the rules prior to the transfer, transfer the RWZ
file as well, and import them afterward. You can have the Save My Settings
Wizard include the RWZ file, if you tell it where to find it.

and the wizard doesn't seem to be in
Office 2007--or am I missing something?

Unfortunately, you're not, but my understanding is that Vista is supposed to
take over the transfer function.
--
Brian Tillman

You're correct about the .ost and .pab files and I shouldn't have even
mentioned them.

I know that you can modify the wizard to include the .pst file but I don't
think that's something most users will want to do or even be cable of doing.

I still would like to see a wizard, just for Outlook, that would make it
easy to transfer all settings to another computer. I'm semi-retired and don't
travel as much as I used to, but when I do I like to move my mail to my
laptop and then back to my main desktop when I return--I don't think I'm
unique in doing that but I guess that's not something most users do.

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Frank S wrote:

The Save my settings wizard doesn't save the data files (.pst, .ost,
.pab)

The PAB is obsolete and shouldn't be used anyway. Otherwise, it's a fairly
simple process to modify the Save My Settings Wizard's control file to copy
the data files. In fact, there are comments in the control file showing
how. It will copy any files you tell it to copy. OSTs don't need to be
transferred because they'll be regenerated.

nor does it save any rules you've set or account settings (send
and receive servers etc.)

The account settings should be saved by the Save My Settings Wizard. That's
one of its default purposes. The rules are in the PST for non-Exchange
accounts using a PST, so transferring the PST should transfer the rules,
although you may have to reset the folders if any are named ni the rules.
Otherwise, you can export the rules prior to the transfer, transfer the RWZ
file as well, and import them afterward. You can have the Save My Settings
Wizard include the RWZ file, if you tell it where to find it.

and the wizard doesn't seem to be in
Office 2007--or am I missing something?

Unfortunately, you're not, but my understanding is that Vista is supposed to
take over the transfer function.
--
Brian Tillman

When the .ost file is 600MB or so, and you have to pull it down over a WAN
connection, you don't just want to rebuild it, when you have it on another PC
on the LAN. The tool should move OST's too!

"Frank S" wrote:

You're correct about the .ost and .pab files and I shouldn't have even
mentioned them.

I know that you can modify the wizard to include the .pst file but I don't
think that's something most users will want to do or even be cable of doing.

I still would like to see a wizard, just for Outlook, that would make it
easy to transfer all settings to another computer. I'm semi-retired and don't
travel as much as I used to, but when I do I like to move my mail to my
laptop and then back to my main desktop when I return--I don't think I'm
unique in doing that but I guess that's not something most users do.

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Frank S wrote:

The Save my settings wizard doesn't save the data files (.pst, .ost,
.pab)

The PAB is obsolete and shouldn't be used anyway. Otherwise, it's a fairly
simple process to modify the Save My Settings Wizard's control file to copy
the data files. In fact, there are comments in the control file showing
how. It will copy any files you tell it to copy. OSTs don't need to be
transferred because they'll be regenerated.

nor does it save any rules you've set or account settings (send
and receive servers etc.)

The account settings should be saved by the Save My Settings Wizard. That's
one of its default purposes. The rules are in the PST for non-Exchange
accounts using a PST, so transferring the PST should transfer the rules,
although you may have to reset the folders if any are named ni the rules.
Otherwise, you can export the rules prior to the transfer, transfer the RWZ
file as well, and import them afterward. You can have the Save My Settings
Wizard include the RWZ file, if you tell it where to find it.

and the wizard doesn't seem to be in
Office 2007--or am I missing something?

Unfortunately, you're not, but my understanding is that Vista is supposed to
take over the transfer function.
--
Brian Tillman

I need to find a way to keep the rules in the PST file active after the PST
file is copied to another computer and opened there.

Using Outlook 2007, these rules dissapear when a PST is copied to another
computer and opened there. This is a big problem: I use a rule to move
messages from IMAP to my inbox where I read and manage them.

I sync my outlook.pst file between my desktop and laptop, and need to keep
this rule active on both!
Thanks!


"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Frank S wrote:

The Save my settings wizard doesn't save the data files (.pst, .ost,
.pab)

The PAB is obsolete and shouldn't be used anyway. Otherwise, it's a fairly
simple process to modify the Save My Settings Wizard's control file to copy
the data files. In fact, there are comments in the control file showing
how. It will copy any files you tell it to copy. OSTs don't need to be
transferred because they'll be regenerated.

nor does it save any rules you've set or account settings (send
and receive servers etc.)

The account settings should be saved by the Save My Settings Wizard. That's
one of its default purposes. The rules are in the PST for non-Exchange
accounts using a PST, so transferring the PST should transfer the rules,
although you may have to reset the folders if any are named ni the rules.
Otherwise, you can export the rules prior to the transfer, transfer the RWZ
file as well, and import them afterward. You can have the Save My Settings
Wizard include the RWZ file, if you tell it where to find it.

and the wizard doesn't seem to be in
Office 2007--or am I missing something?

Unfortunately, you're not, but my understanding is that Vista is supposed to
take over the transfer function.
--
Brian Tillman

If you are importing or exporting the pst you lose your rules

"Erle" wrote in message
...
I need to find a way to keep the rules in the PST file active after the PST
file is copied to another computer and opened there.

Using Outlook 2007, these rules dissapear when a PST is copied to another
computer and opened there. This is a big problem: I use a rule to move
messages from IMAP to my inbox where I read and manage them.

I sync my outlook.pst file between my desktop and laptop, and need to keep
this rule active on both!
Thanks!


"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Frank S wrote:

The Save my settings wizard doesn't save the data files (.pst, .ost,
.pab)

The PAB is obsolete and shouldn't be used anyway. Otherwise, it's a
fairly
simple process to modify the Save My Settings Wizard's control file to
copy
the data files. In fact, there are comments in the control file showing
how. It will copy any files you tell it to copy. OSTs don't need to be
transferred because they'll be regenerated.

nor does it save any rules you've set or account settings (send
and receive servers etc.)

The account settings should be saved by the Save My Settings Wizard.
That's
one of its default purposes. The rules are in the PST for non-Exchange
accounts using a PST, so transferring the PST should transfer the rules,
although you may have to reset the folders if any are named ni the rules.
Otherwise, you can export the rules prior to the transfer, transfer the
RWZ
file as well, and import them afterward. You can have the Save My
Settings
Wizard include the RWZ file, if you tell it where to find it.

and the wizard doesn't seem to be in
Office 2007--or am I missing something?

Unfortunately, you're not, but my understanding is that Vista is supposed
to
take over the transfer function.
--
Brian Tillman

Hi DL,
I am just copying the pst file between computers- on a Gb lan, it is not too
slow.

Actually, I may have answered my own question- the rules problem was related
to having rules related to "on this machine only". These are not visible on
a different machine than the rule applies to, but is actually not erased.
The trick is to make new rules, WITH DIFFERENT NAMES, on each computer- then
copying the pst between computers makes the correct rule available on each
machine, leaving the rules for the other machine invisible, but still
there....

"DL" wrote:

If you are importing or exporting the pst you lose your rules

"Erle" wrote in message
...
I need to find a way to keep the rules in the PST file active after the PST
file is copied to another computer and opened there.

Using Outlook 2007, these rules dissapear when a PST is copied to another
computer and opened there. This is a big problem: I use a rule to move
messages from IMAP to my inbox where I read and manage them.

I sync my outlook.pst file between my desktop and laptop, and need to keep
this rule active on both!
Thanks!


"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Frank S wrote:

The Save my settings wizard doesn't save the data files (.pst, .ost,
.pab)

The PAB is obsolete and shouldn't be used anyway. Otherwise, it's a
fairly
simple process to modify the Save My Settings Wizard's control file to
copy
the data files. In fact, there are comments in the control file showing
how. It will copy any files you tell it to copy. OSTs don't need to be
transferred because they'll be regenerated.

nor does it save any rules you've set or account settings (send
and receive servers etc.)

The account settings should be saved by the Save My Settings Wizard.
That's
one of its default purposes. The rules are in the PST for non-Exchange
accounts using a PST, so transferring the PST should transfer the rules,
although you may have to reset the folders if any are named ni the rules.
Otherwise, you can export the rules prior to the transfer, transfer the
RWZ
file as well, and import them afterward. You can have the Save My
Settings
Wizard include the RWZ file, if you tell it where to find it.

and the wizard doesn't seem to be in
Office 2007--or am I missing something?

Unfortunately, you're not, but my understanding is that Vista is supposed
to
take over the transfer function.
--
Brian Tillman

I realize this post was awhile ago and I have been reading various posts on
this subject. I recently purchased a laptop and am going out of the country
for 2 weeks for business. I need to have my Outlook with me. My question is,
if I copy the .pst file from my PC and paste it into the folder where Outlook
resides on my laptop, will this bring over all of my contacts, calendar appt,
journal entries and emails along with the folders I have set up on my PC?
Will this also bring over the "rules" or will I have to edit them first so
they don't say "this machine only" or will I have to set up the same rules on
the laptop? I appreciate any help as I am leaving in a few days and want to
be sure I do this right!

Thank you in advance for any help!

"Erle" wrote:

Hi DL,
I am just copying the pst file between computers- on a Gb lan, it is not too
slow.

Actually, I may have answered my own question- the rules problem was related
to having rules related to "on this machine only". These are not visible on
a different machine than the rule applies to, but is actually not erased.
The trick is to make new rules, WITH DIFFERENT NAMES, on each computer- then
copying the pst between computers makes the correct rule available on each
machine, leaving the rules for the other machine invisible, but still
there....

"DL" wrote:

If you are importing or exporting the pst you lose your rules

"Erle" wrote in message
...
I need to find a way to keep the rules in the PST file active after the PST
file is copied to another computer and opened there.

Using Outlook 2007, these rules dissapear when a PST is copied to another
computer and opened there. This is a big problem: I use a rule to move
messages from IMAP to my inbox where I read and manage them.

I sync my outlook.pst file between my desktop and laptop, and need to keep
this rule active on both!
Thanks!


"Brian Tillman" wrote:

Frank S wrote:

The Save my settings wizard doesn't save the data files (.pst, .ost,
.pab)

The PAB is obsolete and shouldn't be used anyway. Otherwise, it's a
fairly
simple process to modify the Save My Settings Wizard's control file to
copy
the data files. In fact, there are comments in the control file showing
how. It will copy any files you tell it to copy. OSTs don't need to be
transferred because they'll be regenerated.

nor does it save any rules you've set or account settings (send
and receive servers etc.)

The account settings should be saved by the Save My Settings Wizard.
That's
one of its default purposes. The rules are in the PST for non-Exchange
accounts using a PST, so transferring the PST should transfer the rules,
although you may have to reset the folders if any are named ni the rules.
Otherwise, you can export the rules prior to the transfer, transfer the
RWZ
file as well, and import them afterward. You can have the Save My
Settings
Wizard include the RWZ file, if you tell it where to find it.

and the wizard doesn't seem to be in
Office 2007--or am I missing something?

Unfortunately, you're not, but my understanding is that Vista is supposed
to
take over the transfer function.
--
Brian Tillman