Topic: Moving Outlook files

[patrickjw]

I have just bought a new PC and have successfully moved all my documents across.  Except, that is, for the Outlook mail file.  I have 18 months of mail to retain.  Ideally I'd like to move it lock stock and barrel with existing folders etc.

Most of the advice in the MS Office help section leaves a lot to be desired but I can't help thinking that many people must face this situation.

Any ideas?

[Clive]

 Patrick.  One of our techies will be along shortly to help you with your problems.

[Adept]

Hi patrickjw

It should be fairly straightforward to move your Outlook data to a new system. I'm assuming that this is a standalone PC, not connected to a fileserver?

Outlook stores it's data in a file with a .pst extension. On my PC (Windows XP and Office XP) it is called Personal Folders.pst and is found in the C:\Documents and Settings\Sean\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\ folder. All you need to do is find your PC's equivalent of this file (use search on the start menu) and copy the file to a folder on your new PC.

The file must then be imported into your new Outlook. Start Outlook and choose file | Import and Export. Choose Import from another program of file and press next. Choose Personal Folder File (.pst) from the list and press next. Click Browse and navigate to the .pst file you just copied and click next. Make sure Include subfolders is ticked and select Import Items into the same folder is selected and Personal Folders is showing below that. Click Finish.

Your data should then be imported into Outlook, folders intact!

[Simon]

Hi Patrick, and welcome to PC Pals.  We hope your problem will soon be solved.  


Edited by Sandra as I had moved and merged these threads  

[DJ]

Yep, Adepts right (as usual   ).

I backup my outlook .pst file every so often and it's very easy to move the file from one PC to another.

Good Luck - let us know how you get on.

by the way!

DJ1UK

[patrickjw]

Thanks guys; I'll try it out.

Thanks also to David B for recommending the site.

[Adept]

Thanks also to David B for recommending the site.

We remember him fondly

[Simon]

I backup my outlook .pst file every so often and it's very easy to move the file from one PC to another.

Funny you should say that, DJ.  Having completed my formatting and re-installation of XP, I used Outlook as my default mail client, and set up all my stuff in it.  You're right, it was easy transferring mail, because I has saved the .pst files to disc before I binned XP, but once I had put all my mail settings into Outlook, then wanted to export them to another mail client, no such luck!  I couldn't see where Outlook kept the mail account settings (.iaf files in Outlook Express), so had to set up OE manually.  I could then export mail account setting from OE to Incredimail and Mozilla, with no trouble.