How to copy Outlook contacts

[gnGracie]

Hi. I have Outlook 2002 (10.2627.2625). How do I copy my "Contacts,"
either all of them or only selected contacts or groups to share with
another person? I'm not sure what type of file/extension to even look
for on my computer to copy. TIA for any help.

Brandy

 

[gnGracie]

I forgot to ask once I've copied my contacts, how do I transfer them to
another computer without wiping out that person's contacts; I just want
to add my contacts to hers. Thanks.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Hi. I have Outlook 2002 (10.2627.2625). How do I copy my "Contacts,"
either all of them or only selected contacts or groups to share with
another person? I'm not sure what type of file/extension to even look
for on my computer to copy. TIA for any help.

Create a new PST with File>New>Outlook Data File. Browse to the folder
where you'ld like it to be (or accept the default), give it a file name (or
accept the default - but I'd change it. It will have a file extension of
".pst"), and click OK. Give it a display name (or accept the default of
"Personal Folders" - but I'd change it), anc click Finish. The new PST will
be added to your Folder List. Right-click your Contacts folder and drag it
to the new PST. Release the mouse button and choose Copy. When the copy
completes, right-click the root of the PST (it will be named whatever you
chose for "display name" above) and choose Close. Close Outlook.

Put the new PST on whatever transfer medium you have that both you and your
intended recipient can access, such as a CD or a flash drive. You could
even mail it to them, but you should probably change the file extension to
something other than ".pst" before you do. When the other person gets it,
he or she should save it to the hard drive (in any folder that does not
contain another PST of the same name), make sure it is not read only, make
sure its extension is ".pst" again. then start Outlook. IN Outlook, s/he
should click FIle>Open>Outlook Data File. The PST will be added to their
Folder List and they'll have access to all of the contacts you put in it
exactly as they were on your machine. The recipient can then drag-and-drop
the contact entries to whatever folders are appropriate.

 

[gnGracie]

Hi Brian and thanks so much for your help. I can't get past the first
step. Whenever I try to "create a new PST with File>New>Outlook Data
File" I get an "OPERATION FAILED" error message and it won't let me go
any further. Any ideas about how I can get around this?

P.S. I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but I sync my Outlook with
OE on my Dell Axim (a PDA).

Thanks again.

Brandy

 

[gnGracie]

Dangit, I hit send too fast. I was trying to do it out of the "today"
menu rather than the contacts menu. Sorry bout that (it's been a long
day).

Okay, I created the new pst file and saved it, but it's not showing up
in my folders list (from Outlook Contacts). So, what am I doing wrong
here?

Again, thanks so much for everything.

Brandy

 

[gnGracie]

I'm scaring myself here, Brian. I'm now getting the message (whenever
I open up Outlook):

PERSONAL FOLDERS: The file C:\documents and settings...pst could not
be found

Then I hit OK and get

CREATE/OPEN PERSONAL FOLDER FILES

I exit out of this one by clicking the X.

My contacts are intact, but I'm not sure how to get rid of this message
now. The pst file I created is now in the same folder as my original
pst file, so I have "contacts" and "Brandy's contacts" and I'm afraid
to delete them. I believe I'll call it a night and return tomorrow
with fresh eyes and head. Don't give up hope on me, please. Just walk
me through a little bit more (smiling and batting my eyes sweetly).
Thanks so much.

Brandy

 

[Brian Tillman]

Dangit, I hit send too fast. I was trying to do it out of the "today"
menu rather than the contacts menu. Sorry bout that (it's been a long
day).

Okay, I created the new pst file and saved it, but it's not showing up
in my folders list (from Outlook Contacts). So, what am I doing wrong
here?

As I said, it will show up in the Folder List. Display the Folder List so
you can see all folders.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I'm scaring myself here, Brian. I'm now getting the message (whenever
I open up Outlook):

PERSONAL FOLDERS: The file C:\documents and settings...pst could not
be found

You've moved a PST without removing it from the mail profile. Is the file
name of the PST in this error message the name of the PST you created or the
name of the PST you were using. I suspect the former, but please verify.

My contacts are intact, but I'm not sure how to get rid of this
message now. The pst file I created is now in the same folder as my
original pst file, so I have "contacts" and "Brandy's contacts" and
I'm afraid to delete them. I believe I'll call it a night and return
tomorrow with fresh eyes and head. Don't give up hope on me, please.
Just walk me through a little bit more (smiling and batting my eyes
sweetly). Thanks so much.

Click File>Data File Management and tell me what you see.

 

[tcarp]

Hi Brian

I want to branch off the topic just a little and hopefully it won't disrupt
the thread.

I'm working in the BCM discussion group on a failure in Outlook. That
discussion has lead to copying my existing Outlook data to a new profile. I
got the new profile built and was able to connect the old .pst file to it.
However, it can only see the mail, not the contact information.

This thread is about the contact data so....

The step above where you right click on the contacts folder.... Is that
done inside Outlook? Are the contacts folders separate files from the .pst?

Tom

 

[Brian Tillman]

I'm working in the BCM discussion group on a failure in Outlook. That
discussion has lead to copying my existing Outlook data to a new
profile. I got the new profile built and was able to connect the old
.pst file to it. However, it can only see the mail, not the contact
information.

If you used File>Open>Outlook Data File to open the PST, then you'll have
access to all the data it contains. Make sure you use the Folder List view
if you want to see not only mail folders, but other folders as well. The
Mail view shows only mail folders and won't show Contacts, even if they're
there.

The step above where you right click on the contacts folder.... Is
that done inside Outlook?
Yes.

Are the contacts folders separate files from the .pst?

No. All Outlook data is in the same file.

 

[tcarp]

Thanks Brian

I've been able figure out how to get the .pst files into a profile and all
that's left are the email folders (sent, inbox, etc.).

I'm having trouble copying those over. Is it a good idea to do that or just
send new incoming mail to the new .pst file and slowly work off the stuff in
the older .pst? If I can copy them is there a trick to doing that?

Thanks

Tom

 

[Brian Tillman]

I've been able figure out how to get the .pst files into a profile
and all that's left are the email folders (sent, inbox, etc.).

If the PST ever contained other default folders, it will still contain thes
folders. Once Outlook has created the default folders, you can't delete
them.

I'm having trouble copying those over.

Open the source folder, select all the items in it with CTRL-A and then copy
the selection to the destination folder. You will have to display the
calendat in a table format first, though.

Is it a good idea to do that
or just send new incoming mail to the new .pst file and slowly work
off the stuff in the older .pst?

That's what I'd do.

 

[gnGracie]

Okay Brian, I've copied the four files/paths that show up when I open
data file mgmt:

1. ARCHIVE FOLDERS C:\Documents and Settings\Brandy ****\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\archive.pst
2. PERSONAL FOLDERS C:\Documents and Settings\Brandy****\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst
3. PERSONAL FOLDERS When I try to open this one (using the
"settings" button), I get the message saying that it (the pst file)
cannot be found
4. PERSONAL FOLDERS C:\Documents and Settings\Brandy Laws\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Brandy Contacts(1).pst

Both files (I accidentally created two pst files) are names I created
- I named one "contacts" and one "brandy contacts). I originally put
them on my desktop, then deleted the desktop icons, but they're still
in my Outlook folder.

As to displaying the folder list, I've been doing this by "View" -
"Folder List," and the folders it displays are Archive, Personal,
Personal, Outlook. When I try to expand the 1st Personal Folders I
get the message that it cannot be expanded because this set of folders
could not be opened... contacts(1).pst could not be found.

Again, thank you so much for everything! I'll wait and hear back from
you regarding what to do next.

Brandy

 

[Brian Tillman]

Okay Brian, I've copied the four files/paths that show up when I open
data file mgmt:

1. ARCHIVE FOLDERS C:\Documents and Settings\Brandy ****\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\archive.pst
2. PERSONAL FOLDERS C:\Documents and Settings\Brandy****\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst

So far so good.

3. PERSONAL FOLDERS When I try to open this one (using the
"settings" button), I get the message saying that it (the pst file)
cannot be found

What "settings" button?

4. PERSONAL FOLDERS C:\Documents and Settings\Brandy Laws\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Brandy Contacts(1).pst

Both files (I accidentally created two pst files) are names I created
- I named one "contacts" and one "brandy contacts). I originally put
them on my desktop, then deleted the desktop icons, but they're still
in my Outlook folder.

By creating a PST in OuUtlook (with File>New>Outlook Data File), you're also
adding it to your mail profile. By deleteing it without first removing it
from teh profile (with the File>Data File Management dialogue), you damage
your profile. However, you should be able to select it in File>Data File
Management and click Remove.

As to displaying the folder list, I've been doing this by "View" -
"Folder List," and the folders it displays are Archive, Personal,
Personal, Outlook. When I try to expand the 1st Personal Folders I
get the message that it cannot be expanded because this set of folders
could not be opened... contacts(1).pst could not be found.

The one that producins this error is probably the third one you mentioned.
Remove it as I describe above.

 

[Brian Tillman]

And then I assume I switch which pst receives incoming mail and then
remove the old pst from the data file list in the new profile.
(right?)

I'd do this first before copying the data from the old PST. And you must
stop and restart Outlook before the change to the delivery location will
take effect.

 

[gnGracie]

Brian, YOU DA MAN!!!!!!! Thank you so much. You managed to walk me
through this beautifully. I have now removed the unwanted duplicates
from my Outlook Data Files before deleting any more shortcuts, which
fixed the problem. Sorry for being such a pain - I always learn
better by watching, but thank goodness for your patience with me.
Thanks again for EVERYTHING!!!!!

Brandy

 

[Brian Tillman]

Brian, YOU DA MAN!!!!!!! Thank you so much. You managed to walk me
through this beautifully.

I'm glad you were able to accomplish what you wanted.

 

[tcarp]

I may have dug myself in a hole here. I moved all the email data over to the
new profile after setting the new default email folder. All seems OK.

Changed the default profile to the new one and rebooted XP.

The first message I tried to send doesn't appear to find the contacts folder
meaning that is shows that the address wasn't resolved when I click to have
it check the address book.

If I go to the Contact section in outlook it lists three My Contacts
folders. The first two are copies from the old profile and the third was the
one generated when the profile was created.

What are the techniques and tricks to get the contacts folders set up right?

Thanks

Tom

 

[tcarp]

I'm also getting a message that theres a change pending for normal.dot every
time I exit Outlook. I know how to set that feature in Word but why is
Outlook trying to change it?

Tom

 

[Brian Tillman]

I may have dug myself in a hole here. I moved all the email data
over to the new profile after setting the new default email folder.
All seems OK.

Changed the default profile to the new one and rebooted XP.

The first message I tried to send doesn't appear to find the contacts
folder meaning that is shows that the address wasn't resolved when I
click to have it check the address book.

If I go to the Contact section in outlook it lists three My Contacts
folders. The first two are copies from the old profile and the third
was the one generated when the profile was created.

Click Tools>E-mail Accounts>View or change existing directories or address
books>Next. Select the Outlook Address Book and click Remove. Stop and
restart Outlook. Click Tools>E-mail Accounts>Add a new directory or address
book>Next>Additional Address Books>Next. Select Outlook Address Book, click
Next, then Finish. Stop and restart Outlook. Now right-click each Contacts
folder you wish to appear in the Address Book, choose Properties, select te
Outlook Address Book tab, and check the box marked "Show this folder as an
e-mail Address Book" if it's not already checked.