How do I merge two contact files, not mail merge

[Butch]

Hi, I some how ended up with two contact files in Outlook 2003. One is
called 'Contacts' and the other is called 'Contacts in Personal Folder'. I
use Windows mobil 5 for my pda and some how the older file keeps syncing with
my pda now. Contacts is the older file. How do I merge the two files with
out causing duplicates. I have done web searches and looked in MS Knowledge
Base but only finding merges to mail references, not merging two contact
files. If ne one knows how to merge them or get rid of contacts and change
the contacts in personal folder to contacts with out losing all my contacts
please help.
thx

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

Are you also using an Exchange Server mailbox along with Outlook?

 

[Brian Tillman]

Hi, I some how ended up with two contact files in Outlook 2003.

Outlook doesn't have "contact files".

One
is called 'Contacts' and the other is called 'Contacts in Personal
Folder'.

This are contacts folders, not files. Moreover they're not really folders.
Outlook just presents a familiar interface for you. All your contacts,
mail, calendar, tasks, etc. are in the same data store. You have two such
data stores: your regular folders (which may be a Personal Folders file - a
PST or it might be an Exchange mailbox. We don't know because you didn't
say what type of account(s) you have) and a PST called "Personal Folders".

I use Windows mobil 5 for my pda and some how the older
file keeps syncing with my pda now. Contacts is the older file. How
do I merge the two files with out causing duplicates.

A judicious copy of the contents of one of those fodlers to the other will
do that. Just drg-nd-drop the nonduplicates.

I have done
web searches and looked in MS Knowledge Base but only finding merges
to mail references, not merging two contact files. If ne one knows
how to merge them or get rid of contacts and change the contacts in
personal folder to contacts with out losing all my contacts please
help.

If you want the "Contacts in Personal Fodlers" to be your defauly contacts
folder, click Tools>E-mail Accounts>Next and change the "Delivery new e-mail
to the following location" drop-down at the lower left to be the data store
containing the Contacts folder you want to use. Stop and restart Outlook
and all your default folders will switch to the PST you chose.

 

[Butch]

How would I know if I am using Exchange Server? I do not believe so but its
possible, since Microsoft usually has many things running at the same time
with out the user knowing it.