if you are using IMAP, outlook won't reuse the data file even if the names are the same - it creates a new one with the number.
Yes, you are right. The categories are not showing up. I do have the old workstation and when I open Outlook there I can still see all the categories correctly.
Is there way to "export" these categories from the old workstation to the new one (I do have a category extraction maco you gave me 2 years ago)?
Is there no way to "fake" the new Outlook into using the older .pst file? I don't even get how it knows that the copied-over one is different than the one it was using. I gave it the same name and timestamp as the older one. Outlook does know about the copied-over file (un-numbered) because every time Outlook is fired up it changes the time stamp on the copied .pst, even if it then apparently ignores it.
Because you are using outlook 2010 on the computer, you can open the old IMAP files to see the mail - its possible that had the categories in it - in the new profile using File, open, outlook data file.
OK, I did that on the new machine and I can see all the categories correctly! Can I use that? I.e. can I simply close the "
matkeson@mydom.org - matkeson(2).pst" and just keep-on-truckin' with this "correct" .pst as the permanent one?
Do any of those pst files have the old calendar and contacts in them?
As I understand it, the .pst file specified by Control Panel > Mail > Data Files is the one having the calendar/contact info (this is the only one I really knew about before your 1st post). The answer is yes, I pointed the new Outlook to that file and calendar and contact info was retained.
Did you have any pst files in Documents\Outlook Files on either machine?
Yes, there is a "Outlook Data File - matkeson.pst" in Users/matkeson/My Documents/Outlook Files. It is timestamped Mar 28 20:40, 2 minutes later than the "
matkeson@mydom.org - matkeson(2).pst" in Users/matkeson/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Outlook/. Both computers have redirected "My Documents" folders so it should be the same file for both machines. Interestingly, when I just now got in and out of Outlook on the old machine it did not update the timestamp on that file. Is there something useful I can do with this .pst in My Documents? Interestingly, again, when I 'Open > Outlook Data File' on the new machine (which I did to open the old, un-numbered .pst per your suggestion), it defaults to selecting this one in My Documents/Outlook Files! I didn't open it.
So, if I can use the original "
matkeson@mydom.org - matkeson.pst" I just opened per your suggestion on a permanent basis, I think my problem is solved. What do you think?