(temporarily) run Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2021 at the same time?

Berton · Dec 22, 2023

No, the issue is that Office 2000, 2002/XP and 2003 can't read the newer files with the x added to the extension. Office 2007 and newer can read the older formatted files although it may be in Compatibility Mode.

Try3 · Dec 22, 2023

AndreIsComputn said:
you are recommending that I not go with the import the pst option

You do not need to import anything. There's no point using a more complicated process such as importing when all you have to do is open the thing.
Would you import an Excel file into Excel instead of just opening it?

I don't have Outlook 2003 but routinely get Outlook 2021 to open my Outlook 2007 pst files.

All the best,
Denis

Try3 · Dec 22, 2023

Andrels,

AndreIsComputn said:
are you saying I should install and run the compatibility pack before ...

No, no, no.
Berton was advising you about the complexities of doing something that you do not intend to do.
Berton was advising you about opening newer Office files in older Office versions. You are not trying to do that.

In the hope of killing off this red herring, please note that:-
you could not use Outlook 2003 to open my Outlook 2007 pst file
but
I could use my Outlook 2007 or my Outlook 2021 to open your Outlook 2003 pst file.

Denis

Dru2 · Dec 22, 2023

Try3 said:
You do not need to import anything. There's no point using a more complicated process such as importing when all you have to do is open the thing.

It's only "complicated" if you decide its "complicated". For everyone else it's simple as shown in the Microsoft instructions and online videos.... unless following instructions is complicated.

Try3 · Dec 22, 2023

Opening a pst file in Outlook 2021

Step 1 - Open Outlook 2021, click on its File menu.

Step 2 - Select Open & export

Step 3 - Click on Open Outlook data file then browse to your pst file & select it.

All those pst files are Outlook 2007 pst files and they can all be opened in Outlook 2021.

Step 4 - When it's open, if you need continued guidance then put your Outlook Navigation pane into Folder view, post a screenshot of that showing the different files that are open.
It would just be too confusing to discuss dragging your old pst file's contents to its new location in your Outlook 2021 without being able to see what you see.

All the best,
Denis

Try3 · Dec 22, 2023

Dru2 said:
It's only "complicated" if you decide its "complicated". For everyone else it's simple as shown in the Microsoft instructions and online videos.... unless following instructions is complicated.

I am not going to reply to the content of that condescending post.

Denis

AndreIsComputn · Dec 22, 2023

Again thank you all so much :) ... although my apologies I definitely did not mean to start any arguments or conflicts

... and got it , no need to worry about the compatibility pack since I'm just worried about getting the outlook 2003 pst file into my outlook 2021 when I get it installed .. and Denis that is incredibly reassuring and such good news, if your outlook 2021 routinely opens your office 2007 pst then I'm thinking it's a pretty safe bet that outlook 2021 should be able to work with my outlook 2003 pst file :)

And my apologies for spreading misinformation as far as my first post that started the thread, obviously my google search skills need some work if you guys were able to easily pull up the microsoft support websites showing that you can import or open pst files in later versions of outlook :) .. when I was doing my own google search all I could find were bitter user complaints about not being able to open or use pst files in later versions of outlook so I assumed (mistakenly obviously :) ) that it could not be done

I've probably muddied the waters even further with my youtube comment and why I was silly for not bothering to check on youtube in the first place ... I got curious and looked on youtube using the search term "import pst file and found these two videos

which clearly show versions of outlook newer than the ancient outlook I am using and pst files working in said newer versions of outlook.

This forum is great because of you guys, there's so much useful and helpful info that you guys generously gift ignorant fools like me due to nothing more than your kindness and generosity :) .. thanks again :) .. I've made a note of this thread and because I'm paranoid

copied and pasted instructions and weblinks mentioned into a text document that I will be consulting when I upgrade to Win 11 and get Office 2021 up and running :)

Try3 · Dec 22, 2023

AndreIsComputn said:
it's a pretty safe bet that outlook 2021 should be able to work with my outlook 2003 pst file

I agree.
You can use the MS link & the notes I posted earlier

Try3 said:
Open and close Outlook Data Files (.pst) - Microsoft Support
Once the pst file is open, you can just drag all the Appointments across from the Outlook 2003 pst file's Calendar folder into the Outlook 2021 Calender folder.
- You'll find that putting the Navigation pane [the left-hand pane] into Folder view will be the easiest way to do the move.
- You'll then be able to close the Outlook 2003 pst file afterwards.

or the screenshots I posted of doing it on my 2021 computer.

And do post back when you have opened the file if you need to.

Try3 said:
if you need continued guidance then put your Outlook Navigation pane into Folder view, post a screenshot of that showing the different files that are open.
It would just be too confusing to discuss dragging your old pst file's contents to its new location in your Outlook 2021 without being able to see what you see.

Upload and Attach Images and Files in Post - ElevenForumTutorials

All the best,
Denis

Wynona · Dec 22, 2023

antspants said:
I also still have a Hotmail account from about 20 years ago and there has been no impact receiving mail from any em client. I may even have a live account, somewhere.

My main computer MS Account is @hotmail. I need to change my account name though, since I must have let my email addy out somewhere or other. Now I'm getting Spam out the wazoo.

AndreIsComputn · Dec 22, 2023

Thanks again Denis :)

Wynona sorry to hear about that spam email sucks

Dru2 · Dec 22, 2023

Try3 said:
I am not going to reply to the content of that condescending post.

That's cool

Dru2 · Dec 22, 2023

AndreIsComputn said:
It looks like there's no easy way to import the outlook 2003 reminders into outlook 2021 - outlook uses a pst file for that sort of thing which outlook 2021 definitely does not use so I will have to slowly and painstakingly copy my many, many calendar reminders over to outlook 2021..

Dru2 said:
I've never run Outlook 2021, but I had a hard time believing you couldn't import a .PST file into Outlook 2021, yet, I can't seem to find anything from "Microsoft" specifically listing "Outlook 2021" as capable of doing so. Just absolutely, unbelievable if this is the case

That said, and I'm only asking as a way of confirming my disbelief... Do you not have these settings/options to import a .PST file?

Import email, contacts, and calendar from an Outlook .pst file - Microsoft Support

Import all of your Outlook email, contacts, or calendar events that you saved to a .pst so you can view them in Outlook.

support.microsoft.com

Anyway, I'm using Office 365 with Outlook, and I can import .PST files and have a couple in use - one as my main data file for contacts, calendar, and tasks. The other as for archiving purposes.

I'm just baffled that Microsoft would remove that feature from 2021.

AndreIsComputn said:
Again thank you all so much :) ... although my apologies I definitely did not mean to start any arguments or conflicts ... and got it , no need to worry about the compatibility pack since I'm just worried about getting the outlook 2003 pst file into my outlook 2021 when I get it installed .. and Denis that is incredibly reassuring and such good news, if your outlook 2021 routinely opens your office 2007 pst then I'm thinking it's a pretty safe bet that outlook 2021 should be able to work with my outlook 2003 pst file :)

Thanks for confirming you CAN import PST files into Outlook 2021. Just seemed odd this couldn't be done with any "Office" version of Outlook.

Anyway, glad you got it figured out. And we all make mistakes, that's how we learn. And no, you did NOT cause any conflicts here.

Good luck

Out

antspants · Dec 22, 2023

Wynona said:
My main computer MS Account is @hotmail. I need to change my account name though, since I must have let my email addy out somewhere or other. Now I'm getting Spam out the wazoo.

I have been very fortunate with not getting spam on these very old accounts, Wynona. But you’re right, it only takes one bad subscription or website account that’s been hacked to start the spamball rolling