Moving to a new PC

[schmenge]

A new PC is not too far off in my future and I am wondering about how ActiveSync will make the trip. I currently use Outook 2000 and will most likley have Outlook 2003 on the new machine. My intent is to use my same outlook.pst file. I assume I'll have to setup a new partnership with the new computer. Since the data will be on both the PDA and the computer won't I get stuck with merged data? Do I need to delete all the PIM data from one platform or the other first or can ActiveSync figure this out?

[arnage2]

Let me tell you what i did when i got a new pc.

I would sync my inbox, contacts, and calendar with my old pc, and files with my new one. This way, your old contacts will stay intact on your ppc.

You could also transfer your contacts to the new pc, then start your ppc from scratch.

[schmenge]

It sounds like what you are saying is that one or the other (PC or PPC) will need to start from scratch and reload from the other?

[spacerace]

I recently did this (actually a pc rebuild but to all intents and purposes the same).

I hoped I might be able to tell AS that "here's two devices that are already sync'd" but no it didn't work like that. AS forced me to pick a 'master' and it overwrote everything on the PPC.

So make sure things are fully sync'd and then don't add anything major to the PPC until you have managed to sync on the new computer.

[schmenge]

That's interesting. All I have seem with AS in the past is to either merge the data or do nothing. But what you seem to be saying is that the PC will replace whatever I have on the PPC? If so, this should be easy to manage.

[spacerace]

Yup it really wasn't an issue for me. As I said, as long as you have an up-to-date sync first !

Basically AS detects the new device, and even though you know both sets of data match, AS must have its own sync 'record' for devices, and if it can't find that, the partnership MUST be a new one !

Interestingly, as I watched the sync, there was no sign of AS "removing XX items from calendar" on the PPC as I imagined there would be as it purged all the data from the PPC.

[ppcsurfr]

Oh... also a word on the upgrade from Outlook 2000 to Outlook 2003...

you can copy the whole PST file and place it in your new PC... but you will have to use the import option to convert your old PST to unicode format which 2003 uses.

Carlo

[Janak Parekh]

I hoped I might be able to tell AS that "here's two devices that are already sync'd" but no it didn't work like that. AS forced me to pick a 'master' and it overwrote everything on the PPC.
That will only happen if the Outlook on the desktop is non-empty. If the Outlook on the desktop is empty, it should take the Pocket PC's records and use them to populate the desktop.

--janak

[spacerace]

ahhh fine. i've never been in the situation of an 'empty' outlook.

also with the default AS settings an incomplete data set will be on the ppc (e.g. calendar) so I'd stick with outlook as the master !

[spacerace]

Oh... also a word on the upgrade from Outlook 2000 to Outlook 2003...

you can copy the whole PST file and place it in your new PC... but you will have to use the import option to convert your old PST to unicode format which 2003 uses.

Carlo
I'm not 100% certain about this. Although I'm sure you're right about the change in .pst file format, I have used the same .pst for about 4 years now and when I upgraded to Outlook 2003 I didn't have to go through the Import process you described ?

[schmenge]

For all practical purposes I would expect (assuming I use my same .pst, whether converting the file or not) that the data on both the PPC and Outlook would be the same. I was thinking I would need to delete all data in one ro the other, but this is sounding unneccessary. So, let me expand this issue out a bit...........

I currently have three copies of the data; one in Outlook 2000, 1 on the PPC and 1 in Lotus Notes. I/S wants to upgrade my device to WM 2003 :D and of course in the process all data on the PPC will be lost. From this thread it sounds like when I do that first sync (let's say with Outlook) the data will be sent over to the (empty) PPC and then when I sync with Notes ActiveSync will NOT merge the data?

[spacerace]

right off the bat I'll say that I've never used Lotus Notes, but I don't believe AS will sync to Lotus Notes.

Are you referring to using different sync software to achieve a sync between Lotus Notes and the PPC, and then also using AS to sync between the PPC and Outlook ?

[schmenge]

You're right I'm using Synchrologic for the Notes sync. Assuming that the data on the PPC doesn't get changed somehow (when I do my first new PC sync), Notes/Synchrologic should never "know the difference."

[spacerace]

ahh I see what you're getting at now.

ok yes _in theory_ (barring intervention from the computer god of chaos) as long as all 3 sets of data are in sync before you begin you should be able to upgrade the ppc, re-sync with outlook to get the 2 of them back in step, and then use Synchrologic with notes which should carry on as normal unaware of any change. :wink:

Bear in mind the risk of conflicts though. Remember not to make changes in Outlook and Notes without sync'ing first otherise the PPC will be caught in the middle not knowing which data to use ! However you should already be on top of this with the existing setup.