Transferring MS Outlook 2003 Files Between Two Computers Using WIN XP Pro: I have an aging desktop computer (circa 1998) and a newer laptop (circa 2006). I did have MS Outlook 2003 installed on both computers. The desktop just died but I did a full backup to an external hard drive just before this debacle. [I’m also in the process of ordering a new desktop.] So I’d like to transfer my e-mail files (including folders, contacts, etc) from the external hard drive to the laptop. What needs to be included and what’s the best way to do this, please, without losing anything. Thanks. Mike

Outlook questions should be posted in the 'Office Software' forum. I don't use Outlook, but I suggest that you go to 'Help' and look for 'Export' and 'Import'.

CHECK IT OUT http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287070 IT SHOULD ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPORT YOUR PST FILE

Here's what I do. Create a folder named Outlook (preferably on a partition other than the OS.) Copy the old pst file to that location. As the new user, start Outlook but do no configuration. That will generate the Outlook.pst in the default path of C:\Documents and Settings\userid\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook. Close Outlook. Delete that pst file. Reopen Outlook, and it will say it can't find the pst file. Browse to the location of the old file you copied over. That's it. Then, just recreate your email accounts. "So won’t you give this man his wings What a shame To have to beg you to see We’re not all the same What a shame" - Shinedown

Make sure you can view the hidden files and folders. Go to documents and settings. Click on the folder with your name ie user,mike,sara etc. Click the folder that says local data and then click the folder that says application data. Find microsoft and then the outlook folder. Copy the files in that folder and export them to your desktop or any exturnal drive that you are using. When you install your outlook on the new computer you can then go to that folder and import them into your outlook. Do not config the outlook. You can also rename the new outlook folder as outlookold.pst and then install the folder you copied into that folder. When you open outlook it will open the new files.

Before my old desktop deep-sixed I (fortunately) backed up my C: and data disk to an external hard drive using the PC Backup (Version 7.2) software program which compresses all backed up files. So I don't think it's a matter of taking an outlook.pst file and copying or importing it to my laptop. When restoring backed-up files to a different computer than that from which it was backed up, PC Backup requires that files to be restored must: (a) first be selected from the backup disk (the external HD); then (b) "imported" so that it can then (c) be restored to a pre-selected directory in the new computer (my laptop). But ... when I did (a) and looked searched the backup HD under C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook ... there was no outlook.pst file ... just a group of tiny files: - outcmd.dat, Outlook.nk2, Outlook.xml, Outlook.src, Outlook.fav, and OutlPrint. On my external HD I also have earlier earlier archived C:backups. In the aforementioned backup directories there were also ... no Outlook.pst files. BTW ... I examined my laptop and checked the box for "Show Hidden Files and Folders" … and also unchecked the box for "Hide Extensions for Known File Types." Since my laptop already has Outlook 2003 ... an Outlook.pst file does appear in the aforementioned directory. However, I hadn't used the laptop for e-mailing in a long time since I used the desktop for this. So the laptop Outlook 2003 program was practically empty of message data! However ... the resident Outlook.pst file is 2,556,928 in size! Now I don't recall the size of the desktop Outlook.pst (that I backed up to the external HD) but it sounds suspiciously similar in size. Now I'm totally confused. To top it all off ... I tried doing an Outlook Send/Receive on the laptop and got this error message: ! Task 'pop-server.comcast.net - Receiving" reported error (0x8004210A): 'The operation timed out waiting for a response from the receiving (POP) server. If you continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or Internet Service Provider (ISP).' Thanks.

Since you've already opened Outlook, right-click on the Personal Folder at the very top of the folder list. Properties, Advanced. What's the path? Did you search your old drive for *.pst? It's possible the name wasn't outlook.pst "So won’t you give this man his wings What a shame To have to beg you to see We’re not all the same What a shame" - Shinedown