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Transform - Outlook 2003 - Exchange Profile

I'm testing custom installation wizard transforms for outlook 2003 as a standalone product.

I've created succcessful transforms for office XP in the past.

The problem I'm having is that the transform isn't applying a default profile for outlook properly.  I've specified in the transform to create a new profile with default exchange properties in it.

Instead, outlook is left in existing profile mode.  When a person who already had a default exchange profile for their previous version of outlook, outlook 2003 will load and use their existing exchange settings.

For someone who had no existing profiles for outlook, outlook will ask the user to create a a new profile, and asks them what type of server/etc.

I'm using a setup.ini to specify the transform name.  I'm doing a silent install of outlook 2003.  The transform and msi packages are access via UNC path.

OTher settings from the transform are being applied, like the serial #, company name, but not settings like the default profile, or not using cached mode.

Any ideas?
Avatar of Brian Mulder
Brian Mulder
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there is a whole piece on that in the ORK about using existing profiles in the customize wizard

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Configuring how Outlook handles existing and new profiles

The Outlook pages in the Custom Installation Wizard provide options for creating Outlook profiles or modifying the settings in existing Outlook profiles. Your options for how to handle Outlook profile settings are shown on the Customize Default Profile page:
•      Use existing profiles : If an Outlook profile exists, Outlook uses that profile. If an Outlook profile is not found, the Outlook Profile Wizard takes the user through creating a profile.
•      Modify Profile : Users who have an Outlook profile have their profiles migrated to Outlook 2003 (a typical scenario). Settings you define in the Custom Installation Wizard automatically create new default user profiles for users who have no profile when Outlook first runs.
•      

New Profile

Current Outlook users will get new profiles (a less common scenario). This option creates a new default user profile for all users. Existing profiles remain on the user's computer but are not the default profiles used by Outlook.
•      Apply PRF : Imports the options you save in an Outlook profile file (PRF file). To import these settings the next time you run the Custom Installation Wizard, enter the file name here.

Note that with both the Modify Profile and New Profile options, you can define new Exchange Server connections for new and existing users.

Defining and customizing an Outlook profile file (PRF file)

A simple way to create a PRF file that is compatible with Outlook 2003 is to step through the Custom Installation Wizard to specify Outlook profile settings. Then, when prompted, export the settings to a PRF file.

You can modify this PRF file in a text editor to include other customizations. For example, you may have profile customizations in a PRF file from an earlier version of Outlook that you want to incorporate in your Outlook 2003 deployment. Manually editing the Outlook 2003 profile file gives you maximum flexibility for customizing your Outlook profile settings.

Now you can use the PRF file to define Outlook user profile options. For example, in the Custom Installation Wizard on the Customize Default Profile page, select Apply PRF and enter the name of the file.

For more information about creating and using PRF files, see Customizing Outlook Profiles by Using PRF Files.

To choose how to customize Outlook profiles in the Custom Installation Wizard

1.In the Custom Installation Wizard, on the Outlook: Customize Default Profile page, click the option for how you choose to customize your users' profile information — Modify Profile, New Profile, or Apply PRF.

Note that if you select Modify Profile or New Profile, you are prompted to specify user profile settings in subsequent pages of the wizard. If you choose Apply PRF, the settings in your PRF file establish the profile customizations for the transform.

2.If you select Modify Profile, Outlook uses the default name for Outlook profiles, Microsoft Outlook, to save the profile information for users without an existing profile.
3.If you select New Profile, enter a profile name for saving the new user profile information.
4.If you select Apply PRF, enter (or browse to) the name of the PRF file to use.

Note   If you use New Profile to create new Outlook profiles or if you change an existing Exchange server account by using Modify Profile, a new OST file is created. This can be problematic if you plan to deploy with the Cached Exchange Mode feature turned on.

For more information about best practices for setting up Cached Exchange Mode for groups of users, see Setting Up Outlook 2003 Cached Exchange Mode Accounts.

Configure Exchange settings for user profiles

You have several options for configuring Microsoft Exchange Server connections for users (including not configuring connection information). You can make configuration changes for new Exchange users and for existing users.
•      For users who do not have an Exchange Server connection configured, you can specify a user name and server name, as well as offline settings.
•      For users with an existing Exchange Server connection, you can keep that connection or replace the current Exchange Server configuration with a new one.

To specify Exchange settings for Outlook user profiles in the Custom Installation Wizard

1. In the Custom Installation Wizard, on the Outlook: Specify Exchange Settings page, click Configure an Exchange Server connection.

Note that if you chose New Profile on the previous page, this configuration will apply to all Outlook users.

2. Use the default %UserName% variable setting for the user's logon name. You can choose to use another system variable name if, for example, you have a separate user name for Outlook access. Use =%UserName% to help prevent prompting for ambiguous user names. For more information about preventing prompts to resolve user names when Outlook starts up, see Ensuring a Quiet Installation and Startup for Outlook.
3.Enter the name of an Exchange server on your network. This will be replaced with the specific Exchange server for each individual user when Outlook first starts.
4.Specify a default download mode for Cached Exchange Mode.
5.Click on More Settings to configure offline and RPC over HTTP settings, then click OK.
6.Select Overwrite existing Exchange settings if an Exchange connection exists to use the Exchange Server connection you have defined for all users.  This only applies when modifying a profile. If you are defining new default profiles, the one you define will be used for all users.
7.Click Next.

For more information about configuring Cached Exchange Mode for your deployment, see Setting Up Outlook 2003 Cached Exchange Mode Accounts.

For more information about configuring RPC over HTTP for your deployment, see Configuring Outlook 2003 for RPC over HTTP.

Add and customize accounts for Outlook user profiles

You can add account definitions to Outlook user profiles. For example, you might create a POP3 e-mail account or configure an Internet Directory Service (LDAP) to add to user profiles.

To add and customize Outlook accounts

1.In the Custom Installation Wizard, on the Outlook: Add Accounts page, select Customize additional Outlook profile and account information.
2.To create a new account for user profiles, click Add.
3.Select an account from the list, and then click Next.
4.Follow the directions shown to configure the account. The additional information required varies depending on the account type that you choose.
5.When you click Finish, the account appears in the table on the Outlook: Add Accounts page. When an account is added, the column If Account Exists is populated with one of two values — Do Not Replace or Replace. This applies only when you have chosen to modify user profiles (Modify Profiles).

1.To modify an account you have created, click on the account name in the list and then click Modify.
2.To delete an account you have created, click on the account name in the list and then click Delete.
3.In the Deliver new mail to the following location field, the value <default> is displayed. With this option, new mail is delivered to a user's existing default mail delivery location. For new users, <default> means that mail is delivered to the server. To change the location for new mail delivery, click the drop-down arrow and click a new location.

Note that if you have not added any accounts to the profile, no additional locations are displayed in the drop-down list.

4. When you are finished adding and modifying accounts, click Next.
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source : http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/office/2003/all/reskit/en-us/oe_outa01.mspx
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jordonr

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Actually, I figured it out myself.

There was a problem with the MST paramater in the setup.ini that prevented the mst from being applied.  I've since corrected the paramater, and my default profile is being applied properly now.

Thanks for your effort though.
you can ask a 0 point Q in community support > https://www.experts-exchange.com/Community_Support/
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modulo

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