Cannot Move Autocomplete File to New Computer

[GJS]

I just reinstalled Outlook 2013 32 bit into a new Windows 10 pc. I updated my PST files from my Windows 7 pc into the new computer and launched Outlook, which downloaded all my (wife's) 5,000 old emails from many subaccounts into the new Outlook. Now receiving email messages on both pcs. However, no matter what I do, I cannot get the autocomplete function to kick in. I authorized it in the Outlook setup; still isn't working. I ported over the SRS file into the same directory as the PST (or OST) file; still no autocomplete. I executed an NK2Edit Program for Nirsoft, and it seemed to find 400 names that came from my wife's outlook program on the original pc, but it was not clear from the program what steps I had to go through to get them onto the new pc. Query to Nirsoft has not been answered, and I am now up against a stone wall. My wife, as near to a luddite as possible, insists she will divorce me if she has to reenter all 400 names, some dating back years. New Outlook will gladly add new email addresses to a new autocomplete list, so this function is working on new Computer. All suggestions, questions, gratefully accepted.

 

[Vincenzo]

Here's Diane's instructions. I always use the copy and rename method:

Moving Outlook's auto-complete address list to a new account

How to migrate auto-complete addresses to the new accounts in Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013.

www.slipstick.com

 

[GJS]

Here's Diane's instructions. I always use the copy and rename method:

Moving Outlook's auto-complete address list to a new account

How to migrate auto-complete addresses to the new accounts in Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013.

www.slipstick.com

I followed your (Diane's) instructions to the letter, right up to moving the original DAT File to the new pc. I know it was the correct one, since it was the only one changed when I send out a new email on the original pc. So I copied it to the new pc, renamed the new .DAT file as an .OLD file, and renamed the new (imported) DAT file the same name as the renamed OLD File. Then I started Outlook with a run outlook.exe /importnk2 command. Naturally, it didn't import or change anything. Still no old names! I found the same problem report in an old post under a different outlook forum, with a number of suggestions, but the post became locked without a resolution ever appearing. Any additional help greatly appreciated. I have been trying different approaches to this problem for over a week now! Very frustrating. Thanks.

 

[Vincenzo]

That's odd, it has always worked for me.
Sounds like you did it right, but to be sure -
on the old computer, you went to RoamCache, copied the StreamAutocomplete*****.dat file with the latest date.
Then you put that in RoamCache on the new computer, and re-named it with the same name as the existing file on the new computer (after changing that new one to ****.old)
Make sure Outlook is closed when doing this.

After opening Outlook on the new computer, try sending an email to an email address you've not sent to before, close Outlook and see if the .dat file has updated and therefore has the current time and date.

If it does not, then outlook is not using it. Try the copy/rename again.

If it does have the current time, then I would check the file size to see if it is the same size as the .dat file on the old computer, to make sure you did not somehow mess up the copy/rename.
If still no luck, try using the NK2Edit software Diane recommends on that page. I used it only once, can't quite remember the technique but it was intuitive I think.
You would have to put the old .dat file anywhere on the new computer, use the software to copy the contents, then insert it into the current .dat file, I think.

 

[GJS]

Thank you for sticking with me while we try to figure this out. And, BTW, sorry for not getting back to you sooner, as I am in South Florida. Answers in text below:

That's odd, it has always worked for me.
Sounds like you did it right, but to be sure -
on the old computer, you went to RoamCache, CORRECT
copied the StreamAutocomplete*****.dat file with the latest date. CORRECT
Then you put that in RoamCache on the new computer, and re-named it with the same name as the existing file on the new computer (after changing that new one to ****.old) CORRECT
Make sure Outlook is closed when doing this. CORRECT

After opening Outlook on the new computer, try sending an email to an email address you've not sent to before, close Outlook and see if the .dat file has updated and therefore has the current time and date. CORRECT BUT AFTER THIS YOU DID NOT SAY TO START OUTLOOK BY USING THE RUN WINDOW AND EXECUTING RUN OUTLOOK.EXE /INPORTNK2. I STARTED OUTLOOK TWICE, ONCE WITHOUT THE COMMAND, AND ONCE WITH IT. THEN I SENT OUT AN EMAIL TO A NONEXISTENCE NEW NAME (NO NAMES WERE PROVIDED WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM OUTLOOK, SO AUTOCOMPLETE IS STILL NOT WORKING!

If it does not, then outlook is not using it. Try the copy/rename again. CORRECT

If it does have the current time, then I would check the file size to see if it is the same size as the .dat file on the old computer, to make sure you did not somehow mess up the copy/rename.


If still no luck, try using the NK2Edit software Diane recommends on that page. I used it only once, can't quite remember the technique but it was intuitive I think.
You would have to put the old .dat file anywhere on the new computer, use the software to copy the contents, then insert it into the current .dat file, I think.

That's odd, it has always worked for me.
Sounds like you did it right, but to be sure -
on the old computer, you went to RoamCache, copied the StreamAutocomplete*****.dat file with the latest date.
Then you put that in RoamCache on the new computer, and re-named it with the same name as the existing file on the new computer (after changing that new one to ****.old)
Make sure Outlook is closed when doing this.

After opening Outlook on the new computer, try sending an email to an email address you've not sent to before, close Outlook and see if the .dat file has updated and therefore has the current time and date.

If it does not, then outlook is not using it. Try the copy/rename again.

If it does have the current time, then I would check the file size to see if it is the same size as the .dat file on the old computer, to make sure you did not somehow mess up the copy/rename.
If still no luck, try using the NK2Edit software Diane recommends on that page. I used it only once, can't quite remember the technique but it was intuitive I think.
You would have to put the old .dat file anywhere on the new computer, use the software to copy the contents, then insert it into the current .dat file, I think.

That's odd, it has always worked for me.
Sounds like you did it right, but to be sure -
on the old computer, you went to RoamCache, CORRECT
copied the StreamAutocomplete*****.dat file with the latest date. CORRECT
Then you put that in RoamCache on the new computer, and re-named it with the same name as the existing file on the new computer (after changing that new one to ****.old) CORRECT
Make sure Outlook is closed when doing this. CORRECT

After opening Outlook on the new computer, try sending an email to an email address you've not sent to before, close Outlook and see if the .dat file has updated and therefore has the current time and date. CORRECT BUT AFTER THIS YOU DID NOT SAY TO START OUTLOOK BY USING THE RUN WINDOW AND EXECUTING RUN OUTLOOK.EXE /INPORTNK2. I STARTED OUTLOOK TWICE, ONCE WITHOUT THE COMMAND, AND ONCE WITH IT. THEN I SENT OUT AN EMAIL TO A NONEXISTENCE NEW NAME (NO NAMES WERE PROVIDED WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM OUTLOOK, SO AUTOCOMPLETE IS STILL NOT WORKING!

If it does not, then outlook is not using it. Try the copy/rename again. CORRECT

I sent a picture of the dat files. The large one was the one I copied and renamed as the same one that was largest on new computer. But when I opened Outlook and send a new message to a new email name, it was the top file that was update (to a slightly larger size and the correct date, not the larger one which was imported and renamed!)

I haven't done anything with NKEdit. I would have to study it before doing so. It is not readily apparent what to do with the long list of 400 names it generates on the original pc. The program has so many options that I will have to study them to see what to do with the file. Besides, I haven't the faintest idea of where I should put the names. Hoping to hear from you again.

If it does have the current time, then I would check the file size to see if it is the same size as the .dat file on the old computer, to make sure you did not somehow mess up the copy/rename.

If still no luck, try using the NK2Edit software Diane recommends on that page. I used it only once, can't quite remember the technique but it was intuitive I think.
You would have to put the old .dat file anywhere on the new computer, use the software to copy the contents, then insert it into the current .dat file, I think.

 

[Vincenzo]

What about this question from my previous post -

f it does have the current time, then I would check the file size to see if it is the same size as the .dat file on the old computer, to make sure you did not somehow mess up the copy/rename.

If still no luck, try using the NK2Edit software Diane recommends on that page. I used it only once, can't quite remember the technique but it was intuitive I think.
You would have to put the old .dat file anywhere on the new computer, use the software to copy the contents, then insert it into the current .dat file, I think.

 

[GJS]

What about this question from my previous post -

f it does have the current time, then I would check the file size to see if it is the same size as the .dat file on the old computer, to make sure you did not somehow mess up the copy/rename.

If still no luck, try using the NK2Edit software Diane recommends on that page. I used it only once, can't quite remember the technique but it was intuitive I think.
You would have to put the old .dat file anywhere on the new computer, use the software to copy the contents, then insert it into the current .dat file, I think.

Well, as far as I recall, it was the same file size as the original, and anyway, it was the only dat file with the same size as the original. All new dat files were about 3 or 4 k, while the renamed one was about 348k. As far as NK2Edit, I'm sorry that I don't understand where the file with the imported names would go? All the files in Roamcache seem to be overwritten without ever being part of the autocomplete process. Any extra guidance please?

 

[Vincenzo]

Let's see if Outlook is using the .dat file.

After opening Outlook on the new computer, try sending an email to an email address you've not sent to before, then close Outlook and see if the .dat file has the current time and date. If so, that shows it is using the 348 kb .dat file that you put in.

 

[GJS]

Let's see if Outlook is using the .dat file.

After opening Outlook on the new computer, try sending an email to an email address you've not sent to before, then close Outlook and see if the .dat file has the current time and date. If so, that shows it is using the 348 kb .dat file that you put in.

Yes, as soon as the email is sent, Outlook updates the date and time on the dat file. The next time I send an email, the address I just made up comes up in the autocomplete file. Does this help?

 

[Vincenzo]

And the .dat file with the updated date and time is the one large one, the 348 Kb or so, file?

 

[GJS]

And the .dat file with the updated date and time is the one large one, the 348 Kb or so, file?

Yes. It was the large file that I ported over from the Windows 7 Outlook computer and renamed to match the dat file on the new computer that changed size and date after sending an Outlook message to a new address. I can't understand where Outlook picks up the autocomplete dat file it uses on the new computer, or actually why it never reads any of the addresses in the file, since there were about 400 of them in the dat file that was ported over to the new system whose file name I changed.

 

[Vincenzo]

OK I downloaded NK2Edit and I think I figured out the technique I used previously.

Make an extra copy of the .dat file from the old computer first, just to be safe.

I don't really trust the .dat file (Stream_Autocomplete file) you are using now so I would start by closing Outlook, renaming that .dat file (with a name that you will remember, you may need that "interim" .dat file later) then open Outlook, send an email to a new address, and close Outlook so it creates a new .dat file with only one entry.

Goal: You will be copying the entries from the old computer's .dat file to the new one.

With Outlook closed, open NK2Edit, go to File/Open NK2 file, click the file type dropdown and select AutoComplete files.

Then open the .dat file that is currently being used by Outlook. It should show only the one entry that you just created when you sent that single email.

Then open another instance of NK2Edit (buy clicking the desktop icon for it, or from Start) and open the .dat file from the old computer. Arrange the two instances so they are side by side. Select all the entries that you want to copy, then drag the highlighted entries from the old file to the new .dat. Be sure the save the current .dat file. (File/Save Current NK2 file)

Open Outlook and see if it worked.

If it does, and you need any entries from the "interim" .dat file, you can copy them the same way.

 

[Vincenzo]

I just had a thought.
Is there any chance your new installation is Office 64 bit, and the old one is 32 bit? that might be causing an issue. And in fact you may have to use different versions (different bit versions) of NK2Edit for each file.

 

[GJS]

OK I downloaded NK2Edit and I think I figured out the technique I used previously.

Make an extra copy of the .dat file from the old computer first, just to be safe.

I don't really trust the .dat file (Stream_Autocomplete file) you are using now so I would start by closing Outlook, renaming that .dat file (with a name that you will remember, you may need that "interim" .dat file later) then open Outlook, send an email to a new address, and close Outlook so it creates a new .dat file with only one entry.

Goal: You will be copying the entries from the old computer's .dat file to the new one.

With Outlook closed, open NK2Edit, go to File/Open NK2 file, click the file type dropdown and select AutoComplete files.

Then open the .dat file that is currently being used by Outlook. It should show only the one entry that you just created when you sent that single email.

Then open another instance of NK2Edit (buy clicking the desktop icon for it, or from Start) and open the .dat file from the old computer. Arrange the two instances so they are side by side. Select all the entries that you want to copy, then drag the highlighted entries from the old file to the new .dat. Be sure the save the current .dat file. (File/Save Current NK2 file)

Open Outlook and see if it worked.

If it does, and you need any entries from the "interim" .dat file, you can copy them the same way.

OK I downloaded NK2Edit and I think I figured out the technique I used previously.

Make an extra copy of the .dat file from the old computer first, just to be safe.

I don't really trust the .dat file (Stream_Autocomplete file) you are using now so I would start by closing Outlook, renaming that .dat file (with a name that you will remember, you may need that "interim" .dat file later) then open Outlook, send an email to a new address, and close Outlook so it creates a new .dat file with only one entry.

Goal: You will be copying the entries from the old computer's .dat file to the new one.

With Outlook closed, open NK2Edit, go to File/Open NK2 file, click the file type dropdown and select AutoComplete files.

Then open the .dat file that is currently being used by Outlook. It should show only the one entry that you just created when you sent that single email.

Then open another instance of NK2Edit (buy clicking the desktop icon for it, or from Start) and open the .dat file from the old computer. Arrange the two instances so they are side by side. Select all the entries that you want to copy, then drag the highlighted entries from the old file to the new .dat. Be sure the save the current .dat file. (File/Save Current NK2 file)

Open Outlook and see if it worked.

If it does, and you need any entries from the "interim" .dat file, you can copy them the same way.

Thank you again for your effort on my behalf. There is definitely something wrong with my setup or what I am doing. I followed your instructions exactly. I found the correct dat file by verifying size and date after being updated after a test message was sent. I copied it for safety purposes, and changed the name of the file to "Stream_AutoComplete.......Interim", so there was no Stream_Autoc....dat in the RoamCache directory. Then I opened outlook to send an email to create a dat file with only one entry. However, there were loads of addresses available for autocomplete when I tried to put my address in a new message. When I exited outlook, I used NK2Edit and verified that there were as many addresses in the newly created Stream_Autoc....dat file as before. I did a search of the pc trying to see if there were any other Autocomplete files in existence, and didn't find any.

I understand each step of your methodology, but cannot get to the step where I have a dat file with only one autocomplete entry available.

 

[GJS]

It worked!! I retried your instructions, being very careful to authenticate each step of the process. The final result was an outlook dat file which contained every email address on the old computer. I cannot tell you how appreciative I am of your dogged assistance. It is very much appreciated.
Abradaxis

 

[Vincenzo]

ok cool