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ALALAIWAT

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Moving Outllok PST file with out redownloading previous emails

I have my  Outlook setup where it keeps my emails on the server after downloading to my PST file in my laptop.
I am changing my laptop and would like to copy my existing PST file to the new laptop. Please advise of what to do to avoid re-downloading the previous email message, i.e only download new emails  and append them to the existing ones?
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quizwedge
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I haven't worked with that setup before, but I would think the following could work.

1. In Outlook, go to Tools -> Account Settings and then click on the Data Files tab. You'll see where your current PST is stored.

2. Close Outlook and copy that PST file to the new computer.

3. Open Outlook on the new computer and again go to Tools -> Account settings and click on the Data Files tab.

4. Add the PST to the data files list

5. Click on the Email tab

6. Click "Change Folder" and you should be able to choose the copied over data file.

Doing some of that from memory, so I might be a little off.
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SiliconWolf

Hi
I think the easiest way would be to create an archive PST of all the email you want to keep and simply delete emails on the server side.
Setup your account on the new laptop and import your archive PST. No emails should be downloaded and you should have all you previous emails. New emails will then append as they come in.

Regards
Steve.
Avatar of GillesT
I think there is a little confusing between .PST and .OST.
The .OST is a cache of your Exchange mailbox. If you move, you can't move the .OST.
The .PST contains message that your move (or copy) from your Exchange to your .PST file.
You can move messages manually, with a rule( or throw archive feature), with the delivery method

In all case, messages already in your Exchange mailbox will not be copied to your .PST file !
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ASKER

My email account is POP3, not exchange.
When copying the PST to the new Laptop, all messages on the server will be downloaded again, will have two copies.
I do not want to delete my emails from the server.
I can't find where the setting is stored for the messages that have been previously downloaded so I'll offer an alternate solution. Assuming that the reason you don't want to redownload is only because of duplicates, this solution could work. If you're worried about the time to download or bandwidth caps, hopefully someone comes up with a better solution.

1. Create a new folder called "Temporary Archive Inbox"
2. Move all of the mail from your inbox to that folder
3. Move the PST to the new computer
4. Download all of your mail. It should end up in your empty inbox.
5. Delete all of the messages in your inbox (leave any that you didn't previously download)
6. Move the emails from "Temporary Archive Inbox" to your inbox.
7. Delete the now empty folder.
I am looking for  a setup  or registry setting option  that does involve creating  a temporary PST, ...etc.
 

If you are in POP3 connection, you don't set correctly your account
When you configure the POP3 account, you have to select "More Settings" in the windows "Internet Email Settings", and then in "Advanced" select to "let message on the server"
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SiliconWolf

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