Outlook 2003 - Importing Calendar

[hlewton]

In Outlook 2003 I export my contacts and calendar to separate pst files and then import them on to other computers also running Outlook 2003. I installed a program called Outlook Duplicate Item Remover which works well on all but 1 of my machines. On this machine when I import either of the pst files I mentioned I get an error message saying "Importing Data to a location that does not fully support Unicode. To avoid loss of multilingual data it is recommended that you choose a location that accepts Unicode, such as a Microsoft Office Outlook Personal Folders File." As far as I know I am doing exactly that when importing to either the Contacts or Calendar folder. Anyway I click past the error message and the data is imported. However, when I run the Outlook Duplicate Item Remover, (I only use it on the Calendar folder) I get a message saying the folder is empty and it certainly is not. It has imported my new data. I feel sure it is all tied to the first message I get from Outlook about the Unicode but I have no idea how to fix this. Any ideas what would cause this Unicode message and how to avoid getting it?

Thanks?

[HansV]

Outlook 2003 introduced a new type of .pst file that has a greater storage capacity and that supports Unicode.
If you create a NEW .pst file in Outlook 2003, it'll be of this type.
But if users upgraded from an earlier version of Outlook, they probably kept their old Outlook 97-2002 .pst file that does *not* support Unicode. I suspect that's the case for the co,puter where Outlook Duplicate Item Remover fails.
See Convert a non-Unicode data file (.pst) to a Unicode data file (.pst).

[hlewton]

Thank you. I will check out that link.

[hlewton]

OK after reading that link I am wondering can I delete all my current folders and then import my total Outlook.pst file and have it create the folders over again that would accept the Unicode? I would try to just delete the entire Personal Folders if that is possible. For some reason I already have 2 separate Personal Folders on that computer but that Outlook Duplicate Item Remover program works the same no matter which Calendar Folder I run it on. I am thinking if it is possible I will just delete both those Personal Folders along with their sub-folders and then, as I mentioned, Import the entire Outlook.pst file. So is this something that is possible?

Thanks

[HansV]

Deleting folders within a Personal Folders file (.pst) won't make the .pst file Unicode-compatible. You could, however move a .pst file to another location, then create a new one.

[hlewton]

At the risk of sounding stupid, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by moving a pst file to a new location. Let me try it this way to see if I understand what you're saying.

I have a pst file named Outlook.pst, which I believe contains all my folders, and it is located in My Documents. If I move that file before opening Outlook are you saying opening Outlook would then create a new Outlook.PST file? If that is the case would it then accept the Unicode and should I then once again import my Calendar and Contacts folder?

Further, if I just described is possible couldn't I just replace the original Outlook.pst file on this computer which is located in My Documents folder before opening Outlook and have it use the Outlook.pst file from my other computer that I will have placed in the My Documents location? If that is possible, since that Outlook.pst file already accepts Unicode wouldn't it continue to do so in the future when I will no doubt have to eventually import current Contacts and Calendar folders again?

Sorry for all the questions and it sure is a definite possibility I am not understanding this correctly at all.

Thanks.

[HansV]

I wouldn't simply replace the .pst file, unless you create a backup first. If you have created a backup, you can indeed replace it with the .pst file from another computer.

[hlewton]

Thanks. I think I'll give it a try but one more question. Do you think this replacement pst file then accept the Unicode the next time I have to import an updated version of it? I know that the pst file I will use does now accept Unicode since I do not get that error message I mentioned earlier when I import the updated pst file like the Calendar.PST into it.

Thanks?

[HansV]

If you replace the problem .pst file with one that imports correctly, it should accept the export next time without error messages.

[hlewton]

Thanks I just saw this reply.