Backwards compatibility of Outlook 2007 .pst file

[senco]

Can Outlook 2007 .pst file be read and updated by Outlook 2003? Is Outlook
200 backwards compatible?
I have Outlook 2003 installed on several computers including a laptop.
Before I go on travel I copy my .pst file from my desktop to the laptop. I
consider installing Outlook 2007 on my desktop, but not sure if I will be
able to use the .pst files generated by Outlook 2007 on Outlook 2003.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Yes, Outlook 2003 is forwards compatible with Outlook 2007.

 

[senco]

Roady - please confirm whether you mean Outlook 2007 is *backwards*
compatible with Outlook 2003.
I do understand Outlook 2007 can read the pst files generated by Outlook
2003; but can Outlook 2003 read the files generated by Outlook 2007?

 

[Roady [MVP]]

I can give you that answer as well but that is not what you asked for. There
is a clear difference between forwards and backwards compatible. You asked
for forwards compatibility even though you used the term backwards
compatibility (which was just wrong).

Yes, Outlook 2007 is backwards compatible with Outlook 2003 as it can open
files created with Outlook 2003.
Yes, Outlook 2003 is forwards compatible with Outlook 2007 as it can open
files created with Outlook 2007.

 

[senco]

Robert, thank you very much for clarifying this. My terminology was incorrect.
I have bee looking now at Microsoft's FAQ on a site for the Office Ultimate
special offer ("Ultimate steal" , FAQ is in
http://store.digitalriver.com/servl...cePage&Env=BASE&Locale=en_US&SiteID=msshus#q7 ) and it says:Why shouldn’t Outlook 2007 be installed if I have Outlook 2003?
Once Outlook 2007 is installed you cannot revert back to Outlook 2003 as
they are not compatible. If you decide to purchase Office Ultimate 2007, all
data in Outlook 2003 will be converted to Outlook 2007.Could you explain what they mean?
In practice I would be looking to use the same .pst for going back-and-forth
between the desktop and the laptop. Could it be that this will work (as
per your answer), just that new outlook 2007 features will not work on 2003
and all the rest will? Or should I expect other difficulties?
Thanks, senco

 

[Roady [MVP]]

That info is incorrect. The only thing you should be aware of is that you
uninstall any previous version of Outlook first as only 1 version of Outlook
can be installed at a time. Transferring the pst-file back and forth between
2 systems gives you head aches enough. That it is between an Outlook 2003
and Outlook 2007 is the least of your worries. I would recommend only to
move back and forth secondary pst-file and never primary ones.

Note that most licenses allow you to install Outlook on your main desktop
machines and on 1 mobile device (laptop) of the main user of that machine.

 

[Craig Wildfeuer]

I have run into one issue of backwards compatability between Outlook 2k7 and 2k3. I have some users in one domain that are using 2k7, and when they attempt to make a calendar entry while on a workstation with 2k3, they get an error stating that the messaging interface has caused an error. Now, I have tried to replicate the error on other users, not using 2k7, but to no avail.

The compatability pack that MS offers only fixes documents that have been created and saved in a 2k7 format.

Any ideas, short of intalling 2K7 on all machines?

 

[Diane Poremsky {MVP}]

to make sure I understand the problem:

They use Outlook 20007 normally but occasionally use a workstation with
outlook 2003 to access the calendar in their exchange mailbox. when they do
so, outlook crashes?

Are they using roaming profiles?
what version of exchange?
did you try using detect and repair on outlook 2003?



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[VanguardLH]

I have run into one issue of backwards compatability between Outlook 2k...

The compatability pack that MS offers only fixes documents that have be...

Any ideas, short of intalling 2K7 on all machines?

<above overly long lines truncated at 76 characters>

Geez, what crappy NNTP client do you use that creates super-long lines
rather than physically wrapping them at 76 characters, or less?


Have they tried running Outlook (either version) in its safe mode
("outlook.exe /safe") to ensure that some add-on isn't screwing up?

When on the Olk2003 host, do they have permissions to the calendar? See
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912803 for method 2 on changing
permissions.

Has the latest Office service packs and updates been applied to both the
Olk2003 and Olk2007 hosts? One user reported the problem to Microsoft
(through a pre-paid trouble ticket at their company) saying, "Problem:
Getting error message while opening shared Calendar. Outlook: 2007,
Operating system: XP SP2, 100 computers in organization, 100 computers
affected." Microsoft's resolution at that time was, "We Could not
provide the resolution as this is a known bug in Outlook 2007. Hence we
are refunding you the amount charged for this ticket." I don't know if
they addressed the problem since then with an update. Upgrading from
Exchange 2003 to 2007 didn't get rid of the error. Through:

http://www.itexperience.net/2008/03...lem-persists-restart-outlook-in-outlook-2007/

I found http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/941275. I don't
see a download link so it doesn't look to be available yet for download.
You might have to call Microsoft to get the hotfix (they shouldn't
charge for the support incident if the hotfix applies to you).