Query about one aspect of migrating .pst files from Outlook 2003 to Outlook 2013

[TonyC]

I’m trying to think thorough certain aspects of migrating my .pst files from Outlook 2003 to Outlook 2013 before actually attempting the migration.

If I start Outlook 2013 before I have created an email account and I decline any invitation to create an email account, will I still be able to set my AutoArchive preferences and set Outlook 2013 to work offline? Or must I create an email account before I do either of these?

If I must create an email account before I can set my AutoArchive preferences and set Outlook 2013 to work offline, I need advice on how to achieve these tasks before allowing Outlook 2013 to access my saved .pst files and download additional emails from my mail server.

With Outlook 2003, I was able to prevent the download of emails from my mail server by disabling my Internet connection. But I am not sure I can do this with a newly installed click-to-run Outlook 2013. I don’t know whether I would be inhibiting any necessary streaming.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

You can cut the internet connection, but I'd probably wait an hour or two before doing this, so that you are sure outlook is completely streamed.

It doesn't matter which order you create the account but its usually easier/better if you create the account before opening Outlook, especially if you are using an existing pst. In most/some cases, Outlook will be able to use the mailbox manager file created by the older version of Outlook and it won't redownload existing mail. If you are upgrading on the same computer it will use a copy of the outlook 2003 profile.

Another option is to create the account using a new pst, let the stuff download then add the old pst and set it as the default.

 

[TonyC]

Thank you for the reply.

You didn’t state explicitly that I would not be able to set my AutoArchive preferences and set Outlook 2013 to work offline until I have created an email account. But, I will assume it is true unless I am corrected.

I don’t know what the default AutoArchive settings are in Outlook 2013, but I didn’t want Outlook 2013 to start auto-archiving emails in my saved Outlook.pst file as soon as I started Outlook 2013 for the first time. And I like to be prompted before allowing AutoArchive to proceed.

And I wasn’t really concerned about existing emails being re-downloaded. On my mail server, an email is removed from the server Inbox as soon as it is downloaded to my PC, so there is no danger of it being re-downloaded (I use POP3/SMTP, not IMAP). What I don’t want is any new emails to be downloaded before I am ready to receive them. Hence the reason for wanting to work offline initially.

In order to avoid any potential problems in migrating from Outlook 2003 to Outlook 2013, I was actually planning to start from a completely “clean sheet”. So I was intending to back up my .pst and nickname files, delete my email account and email profile, and uninstall Office 2003 before installing Office 2013. So, when I start Outlook 2013 for the first time, a new email profile will be created.

Considering all my requirements, it sounds as though my best strategy would be to store my backed-up .pst files in a location where Outlook 2013 won’t look for them and disable my Internet connection before I start Outlook 2013 for the first time. I can then proceed to create a new email profile and a new email account with a new “empty” .pst file. This will give me the chance to set my AutoArchive preferences and set Outlook 2013 to work offline. Then, having exited Outlook 2013, I can use the Mail applet in the Control Panel to specify the location of my backed-up .pst files before entering Outlook 2013 again. Will this strategy work?

You say “You can cut the Internet connection, but I'd probably wait an hour or two before doing this …”. Can I ask after what event should I wait an hour or two? After installing Office 2013? I have no idea how click-to-run streaming works and I can find no information about how it works. Under what circumstances will Outlook 2013 code be streamed to my PC? Will it be streamed if I leave my PC on, but unattended, for an hour or two with Outlook 2013 having never been started? Or is the code only ever streamed if Outlook 2013 is in a started state, or has been started at least once? If either of the latter possibilities, then I have a real problem if I want to start Outlook 2013 for the first time with my Internet connection disabled!

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Cutting the internet: the click to run installation will stream the apps in the background but you can begin using the apps before they are fully downloaded and installed. You need to give it some time to insure everything is downloaded before you go offline. On some of my installs i received alerts that said it was done and i could go offline, other times i did not.

Your strategy sounds perfect and yes, it will work.

 

[TonyC]

I did eventually install Office 2013 with Outlook. However, I decided in the end that it might be simpler to install from the backup DVD with my Internet connection disabled. It all worked well. However, I had a nervous three days following installation waiting for Office 2013 to be updated. The backup DVD contains only RTM level code and I had expected an update to the current level to be sooner. I tried disabling updates and then enabling them, but that appeared to have no effect. Anyway, eventually it did update.

Thank you once again for the support.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Glad to hear it worked out for you. The updates are usually checked / installed at 3 AM, so there should be a delay if you don't check for updates manfully. I usually have to check 3 -4 times before everything is installed - the update system works on its own schedule.