[shamshasan]

• We have a startup with approx 20 current users, 10 more to come.
  
• We setup a network with all machines on a domain.
  
• Most of our users have been using outlook for a while. Thus they have a profile with rules and data in a PST file -- stored locally on their machine.

We want to move all their outlook profiles (PST, rules, etc) to a server and get them to point to it (UNC) from their machine (using folder redirection) so that they can roam.

Does anyone know any good TOOLS/METHODS to assist in migrating outlook 2003 profiles (PST, rules, etc.)?

There's one in the Custum Installation Wizard (Step 9 of 24) that i haven't tried using.
Is their any documentation?


Thanks

[Martin Zugec]

Easiest way is to copy .pst to user home directory on network - e.g. \\server\%username%\Outlook and then use Profile Maker to configurate outlook settings..

BTW Profile Maker is IDEAL tool for tasks like this.

[shamshasan]

soulin, on May 24 2005, 01:31 AM, said:

Easiest way is to copy .pst to user home directory on network - e.g. \\server\%username%\Outlook and then use Profile Maker to configurate outlook settings..

BTW Profile Maker is IDEAL tool for tasks like this.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what about the Custum Installation Wizard tool provided in Office Resource Kit tools that provide the 'migrate user settings' option (highlighted in image below)? Have you (anyone else) used that process?



BTW, looking at Profile Maker... is cool... but i was wondering if i could just keep the process as simple and limited within # of tools used, # brands jumped around between... you know keep things as consistent as possible

Thanks!

[Martin Zugec]

CIW is not tool for you, AFAIR you wanted to migrate pst to network...

About Profile Maker, it is probably best tool for configuration management, I use it everywhere I can and I am absolutely satisfied. It is easy to use, but powerfull, and based on architecture (binary on network + xml configuration filtered from mmc) it is really easy to debug any problems.

BTW it is officaly recommended by Microsoft Desktop Deployment Resource Kit...

[shamshasan]

So:

Current Configuration:

• Currently all our users' Outlook Profiles Settings (OPS) don't have any roaming capability. Files are also unrecoverable if lost.
  
• Files are stored in a default location: C:\Documents and Settings\<user ID>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

New Configuration:

• We recently decided to move all the OPSes to the servers and open them ON there.
  
• Mapping (suggested): \\<user ID>\WindowsOverhead\appdata\Microsoft\Outlook\

We will have an automatically created/loadable OPS (through Profile Wizard) and place that in the MST for Outlook... and use that in the MSI setup.
We use AD and GPO settings and hence the domain machines will be automatically updated with this new setup of Outlook automatically after a reboot.
That will solve my problem for the new setup itself.

Migrating (current users): (This i feel is the biggest issue)
New users will automatically get the profiles created -- so that's easy.
However (!) users who currently have their own profiles already setup and dandy on their machines... how will those be copied over into the new profiles and be replaced instead?

I was hoping that that's what the 'Migrating User' option (in CIW) does (without having to test it.).

How would a client such as Profile Maker do this? i.e. once the new image is pushed out through GPO and the user runs Outlook instead of a new profile being created one would WANT the older profile to be copied over to \\<user ID>\WindowsOverhead\appdata\Microsoft\Outlook\.

Thanks for all the help!

[Martin Zugec]

Quite easy, Profile Maker is ideal for manipulating Outlook profiles. That was the first reason why I used it, now I am using it for almost everything, from software installation through configurations to inventory.

You wont need to use ICW - you will generate universal configuration.

Attached File(s)

•  profmaker.GIF (23.18K)
  Number of downloads: 50

[enuffsaid]

@ soulin,

That looks like a mighty fine tool indeed. I'm gonna check it out. Thanks.

[Martin Zugec]

As I said - it is my favourite tool for configuring user computers... It is extremely reliable, powerfull, their support is awesome etc... There are many different filters (AD, computernames, WMI, files (even file versions), it can install software (native support for MSI), you can hide windows from users (like cmd etc.), support for batch, vbs and many, many more.

My personal NO. 1 recommendation. As I found out Jerry Honeycutt have same opinion as me http://www.honeycutt.com/

[shamshasan]

Now i'm wondering:

Machines that already have an Outlook Profile (created in the default location: C:\...\Local Settings\...\Outlook\) ... (suppose) i've moved/copied these files to the server. I have my new configuration of outlook also ready where the profiles for all users WILL point to the files on server (and new users will get the data created on first-run). ON MACHINES THAT ALREADY HAD PROFILES SETUP (default) what is the best way of CHANGING the path to the PST file (i.e. registry keys, etc...).

What about using a GPO setting?

What are the PROs and CONs of using the PRF file over GPO??

My thoughts (gathered from MS knowledge base):

• Registry changes can be made with CIW/CMW
  
• Functional areas in the PRF file include:
  - A section specifying actions to take, such as ... modifying existing profiles, overwriting existing profiles ...
  - Sections that map information specified in earlier parts of the file to registry key settings
  
• Using Group Policy (GP) to deploy Office 2003 - good choice in the following settings:
  - Small- or medium-sized organizations that have already deployed and configured the Active Directory® directory service. -- definately me.
  > $Note: This could apply for PRF as well really.
  
• Using GP would allow us to merge user details from AD (required to deploy by GPOs)
  
• PRF is made for working with Outlook (office).

Help folks?!