Importing OneNote 2003 Notebook

[JFAZNY]

When I installed OneNote 2007, I chose to keep my 2003 version intact during
the install. However I want to import the 2003 Notebooks to use in 2007.
How can I do that?

 

[Erik Sojka]

You have both versions installed?

The file formats for both programs are incompatible, so you need to create
a copy of your 2003 data before converting it, otherwise you won't be able
to access that data again in 2003.

You should close both programs, go to your default "My Notebook" location
in 2003 (under "My Documents" by default) and copy that folder to a new
location. Then open that folder as a new Notebook in OneNote and that
should trigger the primpts for the conversion process.

 

[JFAZNY]

Erik

I do have both installed as I am dealing with some licensing issues and need
to ensure I can go back to 2003 as a last resort.

I made the copy and went to that backup folder and noticed that instead of
just one or a couple of ".one" files (per Notebook) I have one for every
section. What I thought would be Notebooks are instead top-level folders.

When I tried one of these sections (.one file), it opened in 2007 and
prompted me to upgrade it - I chose not to .. yet.

Is there any way to convert on a larger scale as I have a hundred or so
sections in 2003 = hundred or so .one files?

Thanks for your response

 

[JFAZNY]

Erik - (not sure if you're getting this more than once but MS keeps
displaying server erros to me!)

Anyhow, I do have both versions installed as I'm trying to overcome some
licensing issues and need 2003 as a last resort.

I made backup folder of all "My Notebook" folder and went to open a
notebook. What I realized is that the notebooks are actually listed as
folders and then subfolders, and then the sections as ".one" files.

So how do I open the whole Notebook as I have a hundred or so sections?

Thanks

 

[Erik Sojka]

Don't copy to/from the Backup folder, but to a new folder. Make it simple
and put it the folder under "OneNote Notebooks" under "My Documents" which
is the default location for a new Notebook in ON2007.

I think the firt time ON2007 runs and it finds 2003 sections it will prompt
for a mass upgrade of the files. You're past that point, so I think your
only option is to have ON convert a file as you use it for the first time.
YOu should be able to quickly dismiss the dialig box and begin the
conversion by memorizing the keyboard shorttcuts for the dialig box.

 

[JFAZNY]

Erik

I tried exactly what you said. First I uninstalled ON2007, I copied 3
folders and 4 files from my 2003 folder to the Onenote notebooks folder, then
I tried to install and keep both => didn't convert or ask anything.
Uninstalled again, copied files to the folder and tried install again with
convert => didnt convert anything. I then tried uninstall 2007, delete all
files from 2007 folder, copy the 2003 folders/files to the 2007 folder,
install 2007 with convert => it then comes up with No Notebooks at all.

I'm at a loss. Once 2007 tries to install all backing out ability is gone?
Or is this simply showing that the Onenote 2007 uninstall does not truly
clean out everything it installed?

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Erik Sojka]

Are you copying just the *.ONE files to the root of the OneNote Notebooks
folder? Are you copying those files into a *folder* underneath OneNote
Notebooks?

I realize I should have been clearer, and that I omitted a step. IIRC, if
you are not upgrading your 2003 installation (and the contents of "My
Notebook" then you need to open up a notebook containing the old files.
Get everything reinstalled, copy your 2003 files into a new folder under
"OneNote Notebooks" and then from Windows Explorer, right-click on that
folder, and select "Open as Notebook in OneNote". I think that should
prompt a full conversion of the contents of each section file.

If it doesn't (It's been a while since I've done anything related to
conversion of 2003 files, sorry my memory is fuzzy!) you should still be
able to convert the 2003 files as needed when you navigate to each one.

 

[JFAZNY]

I believe I did what you are saying to a degree, but became frustrated by
none of it working, so I uninstalled 2007 and reinstalled 2003 so I can
perform my work. I read on some of the other threads that a licensing issue
may also be an obstacle for me as I wanted to use a license from am Office
2007 Ultimate copy that a friend was donating to me - just to make the ON
2007 MS legal. However, I believe I will need to uninstall the trial version
at that point and use the CD from that copy and only select to install ON
2007. At that point I will see if the procedure you added will work. The
friend is delivering the copy this Wednesday so I'll have to share the
results at that point.

Thanks so much