Migrated Outlook.NK2 file but autocomplete still not working

[browniebodrum]

Just got a new laptop running Vista, successfully got Outlook2003 running on
the new one but although I've followed all the instructions carefully about
copying and restoring the NK2 file on the new latop, and I've replaced the
new NK2 file that Outlook automatically created with the NK2 file from the
old laptop (running XP), autocomplete STILL isn't working. I've read through
all the stuff on the Ingressor site and repeated the procedure several times
to no avail. What am I missing or doing wrong? I'm on day five of trying to
get this new laptop set up how I want it and getting exhausted so any help
will be gratefully received...

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Rather hard for us to tell, don't you think? Perhaps if you told us exactly
what you did we could figure out what you did wrong. Leave out no detail.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

is the file name identical on the old and new NK2? does autocomplete work if
you let outlook create and use a new NK2 file?

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



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[browniebodrum]

I'm a bit surprised at your sarcasm, Russ - I did exactly what it says on the
Ingressor page, and since you have recommended that procedure many times, I
did not think it necesssary to repeat it all here. The only difference is I
did not 'rename' the NK2 file before backing it up from the old machine,
because the profile name is the same on the old and the new machine (Outlook
in both cases). But if you really want me to start from the beginning, here
goes... Earlier today, when I realised autocomplete was not working because
I'd forgotten to bring the NK2 file over from the old machine, I first
checked to see where the new installation puts its NK2 file. I found it in
here: C:\Users\[myname]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook. The file was 3K
and was called Outlook.NK2. It had been behaving correctly in that
autocomplete was working with just two new email addresses I had entered
manually earlier today. So I renamed it Outlook old.NK2 and then restored
from my remote back up device Outlook.NK2 from the old laptop, first to a
temporary folder and then by moving it to
C:\Users\[myname]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook. This is all with
Outlook closed. On reopening Outlook and beginning a new email, no
autocomplete entries are offered and the Outlook.NK2 file has not been
modified in any way - it still has the same timestamp as when it was restored
from the remote hard drive. Outlook has not created another new one, either.
Does that explain the procedure I've followed?

 

[browniebodrum]

Hello Diane. The answers are 'Yes' and 'Yes'. I've just posted more info
about the procedure I followed in answer to Russ's response, but just to
reiterate, I did not 'rename' the NK2 file before backing it up from the old
machine, because the profile name is the same on the old and the new machine
(Outlook in both cases). The new Outlook.NK2 file which Outlook created had
been behaving correctly in that autocomplete was working with just two new
email addresses I had entered manually earlier today. But obviously I would
prefer to carry on with the old NK2 file as it has so many more entries in
it. In an attempt to replace it with the 'old' one, I renamed the 'new' one
Outlook old.NK2 and then restored from my remote back up device Outlook.NK2
from the old laptop, first to a temporary folder and then by moving it to
C:\Users\[myname]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook. This is all with
Outlook closed. On reopening Outlook and beginning a new email, no
autocomplete entries are offered and the Outlook.NK2 file has not been
modified in any way - it still has the same timestamp as when it was restored
from the remote hard drive. Outlook has not created another new one, either.

 

[browniebodrum]

Diane - I've got it working now - I restored the NK2 file again from the back
up device. I think there were two possible reasons it didn't work before,
one is that I previously restored the file on its own from the backup device,
rather than including its path, or, I had had filed to notice I still had
Skype running and perhaps that was preventing Outlook from being closed
properly, if it's interfaced with my contacts. Thanks for responding so
promptly, anyway.

is the file name identical on the old and new NK2? does autocomplete work if
you let outlook create and use a new NK2 file?

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Just got a new laptop running Vista, successfully got Outlook2003 running
on
the new one but although I've followed all the instructions carefully
about
copying and restoring the NK2 file on the new latop, and I've replaced the
new NK2 file that Outlook automatically created with the NK2 file from the
old laptop (running XP), autocomplete STILL isn't working. I've read
through
all the stuff on the Ingressor site and repeated the procedure several
times
to no avail. What am I missing or doing wrong? I'm on day five of trying
to
get this new laptop set up how I want it and getting exhausted so any help
will be gratefully received...

 

[browniebodrum]

Russ - I've got it working now - I restored the NK2 file again from the back
up device. I think there were two possible reasons it didn't work before,
one is that I previously restored the file on its own from the backup device,
rather than including its path, or, I had had filed to notice I still had
Skype running and perhaps that was preventing Outlook from being closed
properly, if it's interfaced with my contacts. Thanks for responding so
promptly, anyway.

Rather hard for us to tell, don't you think? Perhaps if you told us exactly
what you did we could figure out what you did wrong. Leave out no detail.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Just got a new laptop running Vista, successfully got Outlook2003 running
on
the new one but although I've followed all the instructions carefully
about
copying and restoring the NK2 file on the new latop, and I've replaced the
new NK2 file that Outlook automatically created with the NK2 file from the
old laptop (running XP), autocomplete STILL isn't working. I've read
through
all the stuff on the Ingressor site and repeated the procedure several
times
to no avail. What am I missing or doing wrong? I'm on day five of trying
to
get this new laptop set up how I want it and getting exhausted so any help
will be gratefully received...

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

you say it wasn't changed and outlook didn't make a new one - did outlook
close completely when you closed it to make the switch? if not, its still
using the old one. Changes aren't saved to it until outlook closes
completely.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You would be surprised at how many times users have told me "I followed all
the steps exactly" only to find out they did not, either because they
misunderstood them or they were unclear. So the first step in
troubleshooting is to have them state exactly what they did to eliminate
that problem. Also, in doing so, users will often find other details they
overlooked the first time, as you did.