Copying Outlook From One Laptop to Another

[procket52]

My primary laptop is A. I have a backup laptop B. I used Intellimover software to move all my data files and settings from A to B approximately one month ago. No problem, the move went according to plan.

However, every week or so I would like to move all of my Outlook folders and In Box Messages from A to B so that I have in effect a copy of Outlook on Laptop B that mirrors Laptop A current information. I have tried to copy all of the files in both User/Application Data/Microsoft/Outlook and also Local Settings/Application Data/Microsoft/Outlook from A to B but without any success. The Outlook In Box on Laptop B refuses to update and reflects only the information as of the original date that I used Intellimover. Does it have something to do with hidden files or identities that prohibits me from doing this sort of update from one laptop to another. Surely it can't be that difficult although I must admit that I find nothing user friendly about Outlook at all.

Thank you in advance for any assistance that the forum can provide me.

[deddard]

I must admit I never had much success with transferring Outlook info.
Perhaps synchronising the two with synch utility may help. I haven't checked to see if it is compatible or freely available (I have it for a PDA) so you may need to just check MSs site for details. A synchronising utility is generally the best way to go if possible.

The other thing I would suggest is a switch to Thunderbird. Unless you have a pressing need for Outlook (such as synching with other work users, calendar etc) then Thunderbird is every bit as capable, and a complete no-brainer to copy info to and from.

I back my hdds up, and also do fresh re-installs now and then. This obviously affects email settings etc, but with Thunderbird, all you do is grab the Profile (which has an identifying number/letter sequence name) and put it into your new PC's Thunderbird folder; and make sure that the profiles.ini file shows the correct profile name. This is a manual way of doing things, but it does work.

A summary for you would be:

Download and install Thunderbird on both machines.
Run Thunderbird on machine 1 (the one with the latest Outlook files)
Import settings from Outlook into Thunderbird.

Go to Documents and Settings>UserName>Application Data>Thunderbird and open the 'profiles.ini' file. at the bottom of the file will be a line saying something like:

Path=Profiles/0ab1cdef.default

Make a note of it (or just copy it to notepad)

Now run Thunderbird on machine 2. (the one with the least updated Outlook files)
Close Thunderbird down immediately without actually doing anything (no imports, no email setup etc)

Now go to Documents and Settings>UserName>Application Data>Thunderbird and open the 'profiles.ini' file. Open the file, and copy the name of the profile from machine one into this file.

Path=Profiles/0ab1cdef.default

Back on machine 1, look in Documents and Settings>UserName>Application Data>Thunderbird>Profiles and you'll find a folder (which is all your settings) with the same name that is in profiles.ini.
Copy this file.

Go to machine 2, go to the same place (Documents and Settings>UserName>Application Data>Thunderbird>Profiles) and delete the profile that is there.
Now paste the profile from machine 1 into the profiles folder.

You'll have the same emails on both machines.

From now on, all you need to do is copy the most up to date profile and paste it in the least up to date machine's profile folder.
It also means you can back up extremely easily by copying the folder to a safe location.

[Paul Komski]

Cant stand Outlook myself and TB certainly is a good email client. Restoring a backed up pst file is the usual methodology and there are lots of hits (including one from Microsoft (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287070)) under a Google Search (http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=restore+backup+pst+outlook&btnG=Google+Search&meta=).

I like the idea of using TB to transfer the email components of Outlook but the Calendar and other stuff wouldn't of course work with that method. The TB profile folder will have a different specific name (of eight random letters and the .default file extension) on each new installation and also it can be put anywhere on your pc as long as the profile.ini file references it correctly. If it is placed in a different location the profile.ini reference must use the full path to it and not just the relative path which it uses when the profile is in its default location.

[procket52]

Paul and Deddard, thank you very much for the timely and comprehensive replies. I will look into TB as a potential alternative to Outlook. Kind regards.

[juniper]

This is very easy to do..

open outlook and click file import/export, click export to a file | select .pst

select mailbox and select/check subfolders (can also just select inbox or whatever)

select where you want the backup file and your done now move the file to other machine and import it.

(this is how you make backups by the way for when you like leave a company and want to take your e-mail with you.)

during import you should be prompted to only add new stuff so you dont have duplicate e-mails.

[Paul Komski]

This is very easy to do.Usually yes - but not straightforward if Outlook is setup on an Exchange server.

[procket52]

Again, thanks to all for the help. Juniper, I just finished following your instructions and it worked seamlessly. Your comment about the duplicate feature is a good one and certainly helps speed up the transfer process.

Paul, I guess I am lucky I am not set up on an Exchange server since the transfer worked just fine. Again, I appreciate the help from everyone. I am sure that there are other folks out there that can benefit from this thread since it would seem that at some point in time, everyone moves to a new PC or laptop. Regards.

[juniper]

Usually yes - but not straightforward if Outlook is setup on an Exchange server.

Exchange server is no different works exactly the same. No magic needed if connecting to exchange or any other mail server, If the mail is downloaded into the outlook client
no matter where it got it from you can back it up move it and restore it just like that.

I have .PSTs burnt to CD from everywhere Ive worked and restore them on my home computer. I've also done this at so many client sites running exchange, groupwise, and other mail servers it aint even funny.