Combining PST files

[FrankSpokane]

I have Outlook 2003 on my XP computer with several years of saved messages. I
would like to move this pst file to my Vista computer, but I already have
many saved messages in Outlook 2007 on that one.

Is there a way to import my Outlook 2003 pst file to my Vista computer and
combine it with my existing Outlook 2007 file ? Or is there a way to have
both and refer to one as the older file, etc.

Thanks for all suggestions.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I have Outlook 2003 on my XP computer with several years of saved messages. I
would like to move this pst file to my Vista computer, but I already have
many saved messages in Outlook 2007 on that one.

Is there a way to import my Outlook 2003 pst file to my Vista computer and
combine it with my existing Outlook 2007 file ? Or is there a way to have
both and refer to one as the older file, etc.

Do not import. Copy the PST to the Vista machine, placing it in a folder
where you have access, such as the Documents folder or a subfolder thereof.
Start Outlook and click File>Open>Outlook Data File. Browse to the copied
PST, select it, and click OK. All done. If you want to redistribute the
data, click/drag/drop or Ctrl-click/drag/drop works well.

 

[FrankSpokane]

"If you want to redistribute the
data, click/drag/drop or Ctrl-click/drag/drop works well. "

Does that mean it's easier to just maintain the 2 pst files and switch
between them as needed ?

Could you be more specific on how to combine - or redistribute the data ?

Thanks

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

"If you want to redistribute the
data, click/drag/drop or Ctrl-click/drag/drop works well. "

Does that mean it's easier to just maintain the 2 pst files and switch
between them as needed ?

Could you be more specific on how to combine - or redistribute the data ?

If both PSTs are in yor mail profile, you'll see them both in your Navigation
Pane and you can use them both equally easily. Some poeple find fewer folders
easier to manage and if you're one of them, copying the data from the added
PST to the default PST and then removing the added PST leaving only one folder
set may be more to your liking.

Each of your PSTs will have all the same default folders in them. Since
Outlook allows only one default Calendar, Contacts, Inbox, etc., you cannot
copy a second Calendar to the default PST and have it combine with the
Calendar already there. Instead, you'll need to select the second Calendar to
open it, switch the view to a table view (like By Category) to see all of the
entries in that folder, select them all with Ctrl-A, then either click the
selection and drag it to the default Calendar (for Move) or Ctrl-click the
selection and drag it to the default Calendar (for Copy) to combine the
contents. You can also click Edit>Copy (or MOve) to Folder, specifying the
default folder with the same name as the destination.

Once you have copied the contents of all the folders in the added PST, you can
close that PST by right-clicking its root in the Navigation Pane and choosing
Close. As I said, though, you don't have to combine them if you don't wish to
do that.