Rules fail on notebook

[Martin]

Scenario:

- Outlook Pro 2003, all current updates and SP's
- Copy PST to laptop for a trip.
- Over a hundred rules defined in PST working fine on desktop
- None of the rules have "on this machine only"
- PST has extensive tree structure for sorting of incoming email
- All works well on desktop, no complaints

On the notebook the rules seem to fail to find some of the folders that are
very obviously there. I can click on them and read email already within
them. In all instances what is required to fix the problem is to edit the
rule and point to the same folder again (for a "move" or "copy" operation,
for example).

This might be OK if you only have a few rules, but with over a hundred it is
quite painful. Not fixing the problem means coming back from a trip with
hundreds of emails in the "Inbox" that should have been sorted out to other
folders. It, of course, means that I cannot copy the PST back to the
desktop because I will inherit the mess created on the laptop.

Any clues as to why this is happening?
Ways around it or fixes?

Thanks,

-Martin

 

[Brian Tillman]

On the notebook the rules seem to fail to find some of the folders
that are very obviously there. I can click on them and read email
already within them. In all instances what is required to fix the
problem is to edit the rule and point to the same folder again (for a
"move" or "copy" operation, for example).

Is the PST on the laptop in exactly the same place it was on the desktop?
Is your

 

[Martin]

Is the PST on the laptop in exactly the same place it was on the desktop?

No.

Desktop:

D:\Outlook Data\Martin.pst


Notebook:

C:\Documents and Settings\Martin\My Documents\Outlook Data\Martin.pst

 

[Brian Tillman]

No.

That could be it, then. My experimentation with rules indicates that more
than the folder name gets stored within the rule. The name or path of the
PST may contribute as well, or it may be the computer's name Try moving the
PST to the same location on the laptop as it is on the desktop and see if
that makes a difference. If not, try naming the laptop with the same name
as the PC. If they're not networked together, the rename of the laptop
shouldn't interfere.

 

[Martin]

My experimentation with rules indicates that more than the folder name

gets stored within the rule. The name or path of the PST may contribute
as well, or it may be the computer's name

Wow! I couldn't imagine why they'd ever want to do this. I couldn't move
the PST to the same location as on the desktop without a significant amount
of work on the notebook to re-map drives, etc. I'd rather know with a
degree of certainty before engaging in this. I may just endure the pain and
call MS for help. They do owe me a few support calls that I've never used.

Thanks,

-Martin