Exporting, Importing all Microsoft Outlook email accounts and settings.

Migrating, Exporting, Importing all Microsoft Outlook email accounts and settings.

Where we want to completely transfer all setting from one PC system to another, Microsoft offers various tools for you to be able to do so.

Among these is the newer “Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT) Version 3.0.1”, which according to the Description does this.

“Microsoft® Windows® User State Migration Tool (USMT) version 3.0.1 migrates user files and settings during deployments of Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista. You can use USMT to perform unattended migrations and to migrate files and settings for computers with multiple users. Also, with USMT you have the ability to encrypt and compress the store. USMT 3.0.1 is intended for administrators who are performing automated deployments.

This tool includes two command-line tools named ScanState and LoadState. ScanState creates an intermediate store that contains the user files and settings from the source computer. LoadState restores these files and settings to the destination computer. USMT 3.0.1 also has three default migration rule (.xml) files named MigApp.xml, MigUser.xml, and MigSys.xml. You can alter the default .xml files and you can also create customized .xml files. Depending on what you want to migrate, you can specify all or none of the default .xml files on the command line. The entire migration process is controlled by the .xml rules, which you can modify, and logic that is built into the tool. When using USMT for automated migration, in almost all cases, you should modify the migration .xml files for your unique situation.

USMT 3.0.1 contains the following updates to USMT 3.0:
You can now install this tool on computers that are running non-English versions of Windows Vista.

In USMT 3.0, some settings for local accounts were not being migrated. This has been fixed in USMT 3.0.1.”

Download: Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT) Version 3.0.1
https://www.microsoft.com/downloads...8c-691b-4b36-b7ad-6c604be4c595&displaylang=en

USMT documentation
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...621f-4537-b311-1307df0105611033.mspx?mfr=true

For individual Microsoft Office applications Microsoft provided the “Microsoft Office 2003 Save My Settings Wizard” located in the “Microsoft Office Tools” section which in a quick summary description is described as,
“In Office 2003 when you run the Save My Settings Wizard to save your profiles or restore previously saved profiles, your only option is to save them to a file locally or on your network. Beginning with Office 2003 there is no option to save your profiles to the Internet.

When you run the Save My Settings Wizard, you can save or restore your configuration settings for Office 2003 programs. These settings are saved in a profile settings file (.ops file). This file is a snapshot of registry settings and related files for your Office configuration.

If you save your Office settings to an .ops file, your settings are not written to the file until you click Finish. Similarly, if you restore your settings from an .ops file, the computer is not updated until you click Finish.”

The problem is that it is a very comprehensive tool and saves more than what you may want.
More information can be found here: Description and use of the Save My Settings Wizard http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826809

When we come to Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft seems to have forgotten the “Save My Settings Wizard” tool, and also there is no provision made for a simplified method of transferring only the Microsoft Outlook email messages, contacts and email account settings.

Then there is the instance when a System Administrator in a Small Company might wish to duplicate the many email accounts on another workstation and simply be able to, besides importing the messages and contacts, but to also save time in being able to migrate or copy the email account settings to another workstation.

Importing and exporting the email messages and contact was covered in the MS Outlook program, however the instructions of what to, what to choose and how to do it were never simple and this only imported or exported the messages and contacts and did not cover the email accounts.

Well for the benefit of our Members, we have set out a procedure to hopefully make it simple for you, and here it is.

The complete transfer of all email messages, contacts and email account settings is done in 3 stages, whereas Stage 1 does not transfer the email accounts performed in Stage 2.

NB: For Security reasons, passwords cannot, nor will they, be imported or exported!
Once the email accounts have been transferred, the passwords for each account will need to be re-entered which can be done in bulk in Stage 3.

1. You can export all your emails and contacts to a .PST file and then re-import them back in on your new Outlook 2007 machine.

As an example; From Microsoft Outlook 2003 to Microsoft Outlook 2007.
The procedure is the same for / 2003 too to 2003 / or / 2007 to 2007 / or / 2007 to 2003/.
Obviously the Export is performed on the 1st "From" machine and Import on the 2nd "To" machine.

In Outlook 2003
Go to File -> Import and Export...
Select Export to a file -> Next
Select “Personal Folder” File (.pst) -> Next
Select the top level of your mailbox -> Next
Choose where you want it saved to -> Finished

In Outlook 2007
Go to File -> Import and Export...
Select Import from another Program or file -> Next
Select Personal Folder File (.pst) -> Next
Choose where the .pst file is located -> Next
Then Finish

2. How do I transfer Outlook 2007 email accounts from 1 pc to another?
NB: For Security reasons, passwords cannot, nor will they, be imported or exported!

The Accounts are stored in the Registry. The following registry move has been tested for Outlook 2003 and 2007, on Windows XP Pro. Should also work for MS Outlook on Vista and Windows 7, check the registry location!

To move your accounts settings: Open your registry editor and navigate to the following key:

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-xxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxx-xxxx\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\Outlook

NB: xxx’s are usually: \S-1-5-21-527237240-1303643608-725345543-1003\

Export the entire Outlook key to a file, e.g. myoutlook2007, which will become “myoutlook2007.reg. You've now backed up your email accounts. To restore the backup to another computer, simply import the backup into the new computer's registry. You may need to delete the Outlook key off the new computer first.

3. Re-Entering multiple email account(s) passwords.

3.a. Once Stage 1, and Stage 2 tasks have been completed you can start MS Outlook and OL will just tell you the password is wrong/missing, so you'll have to re-enter the password again in the wrong missing popup window. This however may become confusing if you have a lot of passwords to enter for the email accounts, as while you attempt to type in one account field, another accounts popup will appear and the result is awkward and confusing.

3.b. The alternative is, once the Stage 1, and Stage 2 tasks have been completed, you should disconnect from the internet (your connection modem or cable) and start Microsoft Outlook, 2007 (or 2003) and cancel any attempts to pick up new emails, this usually fails and you simply “Cancel“ all popup windows.

Once all the popup’s have gone, click on the “Tools” menu and then on “Account Settings...” Which will open the “Account Settings” window.

When open, simply select an account, then click on the “Change” and in the “Change Email Accounts” window go to the Logon Information / Password field and re-enter the needed password for the account, then click Next and Finish, which will take you back to the “Accounts Settings” window where you now repeat the same steps for each account to enter the required passwords.

4. Once all Stages are completed, close MS Outlook, re-connect the internet connection, and then re-start Microsoft Outlook.

If you have not made any mistakes in the above procedures, then Microsoft Outlook is re-established on the new PC and will pick up the mail.

NB: If you want 2 Computers to pickup the same mail on both PC's, then change the duration "Delivery" that mail is kept on the Server in the "More Settings -> "Advanced" section of each email Account. E.G. This way, 2 different Offices of the same Company can pickup the same mail.

Ok that’s it folks.
pcbugfixer ​

 

Sorry pcbugfixer, I found your explanation confusing, I must be thick. For instance, "The complete transfer of all email messages, contacts and email account settings is done in 3 stages, whereas Stage 1 does not transfer the email accounts performed in Stage 2." Pardon?

But I think I get your drift, perhaps you might confirm....

a) The operation must be done in three stages:
b) Stage 1 involves creating, copying and moving the .pst file from source to target pc.
c) Stage 2 involves copying, moving and pasting a registry setting from source to target pc.
d) Stage 3 involves entering missing password\s into the target pc's Outlook.

 

G'Day masonite,

Must be a rhetorical question.

So you answered your own question.

Re-explained for you and others.

Contrary to popular believe, the copying or otherwise of transferring .pst files set out in step 1, does not transfer the email Accounts and settings.

Hence I said:
"The complete transfer of all email messages, contacts and email account settings is done in 3 stages, whereas Stage 1 does not transfer the email accounts performed in Stage 2. "

To ensure that you transfer the email account settings set out in Step 2. otherwise you would have to re-establish each account again if you only performed step 1.

However you did cotton on to it, so you answered your own question.

pcbugfixer