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Windows 7 and Outlook

shermans
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Registered: ‎07-09-2007

Windows 7 and Outlook

My laptop is coming near to the end of its days and may need replacing soon.  However, I have several other computers in various locations, some networked, others not, which have plenty of life left in them, all of which are in regular use.
I have heard that Windows 7 no longer supports Outlook - I am on Outlook 2000 still - but that I would have to buy a complete new Office 10 suite.  Is that true ?  If so, I will try Open Office instead.
However, I don't think Open Office has an email client, and therefore I would have to use Mozilla Thunderbird.  I have used Outlook for more than fifteen years, and have all my old emails dating back until then, stored on vaious CDs.  So much of my work is stored Off-line within Outlook that I would be lost without being able to access history all the time - yes, even going back 15 years is not unheard of for me !  I certainly do not want to have to store email threads On-Line as you do with Hotmail or Google Mail.
The major problem with Windows 7 is that being 64 bit, it makes it difficult to have common programmes across different conmputer platforms.  I imagine that there would be other software suites which are not compatible between Windows 7 and XP - I still use one computer with Windows 98 on it and another one with Windows 95, and they do everything I could reasonably ask of them still !  So sharing data would become a real problem, I fear.
I understand that Thunderbird can import Outlook *.pst files.  But has anyone got experience of doing so ?  I would like some re-assurance.
There are a number of questions which I have and would be equally gratefully for any answers.
1. With Outlook, I have any number of separate *.pst files which cover a variety of subjects.  It makes it easy for transferring data to other computers like laptops, when I do not have to transfer one huge *.pst file with everything on it, but simply one small archive on a particular subject.  Is it possible to have separate archives like the *.pst file with Thinderbird or is all the data stored in the same huge source ?
2. In Thunderbird, presumably one can have sub-folders in each "archive" ?
3. In Thunderbird, can you set up Rules as you can in Outlook ?
4. In Thunderbird, can you create separate HTML signatures ?
5. In Thunderbird, can you have different "Profiles" ?
6. In Thunderbird, are there things like Calendar, Notes, Tasks ?
7. In Thundrebird, does the equivalent of Contacts allow postal address, several email addresses, telephone numbers, and comments area for other contact information ?
I would be so grateful for some re-assurance.
10 REPLIES 10
HPsauce
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Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

Quote from: shermans
I have heard that Windows 7 no longer supports Outlook - I am on Outlook 2000 still -
The major problem with Windows 7 is that being 64 bit, ?

Couple of incorrect assumptions there.
1. There is no OUTLOOK EXPRESS equivalent in W7, but Outlook works fine. Not totally sure about which versions are "supported" though, I think only 2003 (which I use) and onwards. But I've seen several comments online that 2000 works fine as long as Windows Live Mail isn't installed.
2. There are 32-bit and 64-bit versions of W7
VileReynard
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

There are 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Linux too!  Smiley

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

shermans
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Posts: 1,303
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Registered: ‎07-09-2007

Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

Thanks for that.  That is very interesting indeed.  Are you running a 64 bit with Outlook 2003 or a 32 bit, because I had read that the 64 bit was the problem.  I wonder if 2000 still works because if not, then I have the same issue.
Oldjim
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

64 bit with 2003 and no problems
HPsauce
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Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

Same here.
ReedRichards
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

Quote from: HPsauce
Outlook works fine. Not totally sure about which versions are "supported" though, I think only 2003 (which I use) and onwards. But I've seen several comments online that 2000 works fine as long as Windows Live Mail isn't installed.

My experience is that there are problems getting Outlook 2000 to run on Vista; I can't believe Windows 7 would be any better.  Also, all versions of Outlook prior to 2003 get into severe difficulties if the size of the store folder gets too large.  There are plenty of free alternatives that would work a lot better than Outlook 2000.  Outlook is not part of the basic "Home and Student" Office package so a new version of Office with Outlook would be costly.
I spent several hours trying and failing to Import Thunderbird emails into Outlook 2007; maybe the other way around is easier?  If you do go with Thunderbird, be aware that it is a one way trip!  I often have to import Outlook email into Outlook Express then import from Outlook Express into a contemporary email program because there isn't a direct means of importing from Outlook.   
shermans
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Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

So it would appear that there will be a problem trying to share emails across different platforms.  That is going to make life very difficult because I use Outlook 2000 on several different machines.  As I travel about, I copy all my *.pst files (also as a back-up) onto memory sticks and then just load the *.pst files which I actually need that day onto whichever machine I happen to be using.  I do of course keep one master copy and synchronise everything with that.
If I have one Windows 7 machine, what client would be recommended that would work across all platforms as Outlook does at present ?  Frankly I would prefer open software so there is less risk of this lack of backward compatibility happening again.
Thunderbird was just my immediate reaction, but all other suggestions would be most appreciated.
Thanks
alanf
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Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

There is no Outlook Express with Windows 7 but there is Windows Live Mail part of  Windows Live Essentials. http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mail
ReedRichards
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Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

The main problem with running Outlook 2000 on Vista/7 revolves around its attempts to co-ordinate with the Windows Address Book file, a file that does not exist on Vista/7.  There is a workaround for this that involves relocating some dlls.  I regard Outlook 2000 as a terrible program because of its tendency to catch-out the unwary by building up the size of the .pst file to 2GB then crashing but given shermans' commitment to Outlook 2000, I'm sure he/she could make Outlook 2000 work on Windows 7 if he/she really wants to.
Have a look at this: http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/ol2000_win7.htm
 
shermans
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Re: Windows 7 and Outlook

ReedRichards
Thanks for the info.  I have read the link(s) and no doubt that would work, at least as a temporary measure.  But in the long term, I am obviously going to have to find an alternative client that supports W7 and XP, that has files that can be moved from one computer to another due to the number of different locations in which I work - it is so much easier for me to take a memory stick wherever I go rather than lugging a laptop - and ideally which is inexpensive.  The only alternative I can see is using an online client like GoogleMail or WindowsLive, but the restriction there is the download speed every time I want to acces a file, especially where the broadband speed is limited.
The other reason for not wanting to change is that I am a devoted user of Google Desktop - I use it all the time to search my desktop (not the web) for files just using key words and it finds old emails instantly all the time - I would be lost without it.  No doubt all the existing Outlook files could be converted to a new client format and Google Desktop would still work, bit it is all so much hastle.
I did not know about the *.pst size overload problem with Outlook 2000 ata ll, but that is probably because my file sizes are seldom more than 200Mb at most because I break subkects up into many separate *.pst files, rather like archives.  So it is just good fortune, not good foresight that means I do not overload them !
Thanks and suggestions for an alternative client would still be gratefully received, because no doubt I am going to have to go down that route eventualy and it is best to start working towards it now.