Outlook 2003 Calendar Sync Issue

Question

Level 1

0 points

Outlook 2003 Calendar Sync Issue

I have done a search and have been unable to find a workable solution to my issue, so I am posting the situation:

- Had latest iTunes SW on MBP
- Purchased iphone on 8/24, activated, and updated iPhone SW
- Synced music, photos, bookmarks from my MBP without issue
- Loaded latest iTunes on my Windows XP SP2 (with all latest updates) laptop; runs Outlook 2003
- Plugged in iphone and attempted to sync contacts and calendar; contacts synced fine, calendar gives an error
- Reviewed forums and looked for solutions - found something about going to Outlook com add-ins and making sure both Itunes ones are checked - this is where I have an issue - I only have one Itunes entry. I have searched my laptop, uninstalled Itunes and all components (manually for some), reinstalled, and still only the one add in. As a result, I don't know how to proceed further. I appreciate any help.

iPhone 8GB, Windows XP Pro

Posted on Aug 26, 2007 12:52 PM

Reply

Answer 1

PTBoater

Level 4

2,845 points

Aug 26, 2007 6:10 PM in response to iPhoneUser16

The new version of iTunes (7.3.2) only has one add-in.

What error are you getting?

Reply

Answer 2

iPhoneUser16 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 26, 2007 6:36 PM in response to PTBoater

I get a grey Microsoft error dialog window that says that Outlooksyncclient.exe has caused an error. Basically, it comes up shortly after iTunes finishes syncing contacts and begins syncing calendar. I then select "Do Not Report", the window shuts down and I am still in Itunes, iphone is recognized, everything is fine (I can reattempt if I want). It does not crash Outlook or iTunes - just won't sync the calendar.

Reply

Answer 3

beckey76

Level 1

10 points

Aug 27, 2007 3:48 AM in response to iPhoneUser16

Check this link out:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1069970&tstart=0

I was having the same problem and was able to resolve it. Many others have not. Good luck!

Reply

Answer 4

iPhoneUser16 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 27, 2007 4:16 AM in response to beckey76

Thanks! I am going to give this a try later today and will report back.

Reply

Answer 5

chimenti

Level 1

0 points

Aug 27, 2007 7:15 AM in response to iPhoneUser16

I seem to have a slightly different sync problem. I loaded my data from Treo into MS outlook 2003 without a problem. Then sync to iPhone with no problems for contacts. The calender sync'd but about 5 hrs off on just about every event. The time zones are correct for both outlook and iphone. I manually changed/corrected the times for all future events in the iphone and then sync'd again (since outlook still had the correct times). Now I have many duplicate events with the correct and the incorrect (by about 5 hrs) in both outlook and iphone for the future events. Note, all previous events that I did not manually correct where left alone and still remain correctly timed in outlook but 5 hrs off in iphone. Help!

Reply

Answer 6

iPhoneUser16 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 27, 2007 4:30 PM in response to beckey76

I tried this and stalled at this point:

+*Find the Outlook PST file that contains all your data.*+

+In Outlook 2003, click on File / Data File Management. That will display where your Post Office (PST) file is. Click on "Open Folder" to open a Windows Explorer window showing the file. Then, close Outlook.+

+Rename the file. This will make Outlook not be able to find it. Then restart Outlook.+

+Outlook will complain it cannot find the file, and open a browse window asking you to find it. Don't. Just create a new one by typing a name (like temp) in the Create/Open Personal Files windows, and hit enter. This will prompt you to create a new file. At this point, simply hit OK. Outlook may quit, so restart it again.+

+This will start Outlook with a brand new PST file. Now create a couple of sample contacts and calendar events, and sync.+

*When I open Outlook, I have a mailbox with the calendar under it. This presumably connects to the server and does not have a local PST file associated with it. I do have 2 pst's that are locally stored mail file archives (I move mail from mailbox into PST archives). Therefore, I have no way of finding a "PST" file for the mailbox with the calendar. So when I tried this, I reopened Outlook and still had the same calendar available to me - the one that won't sync (the one that is one the server).

Hopefully that was relatively clear - can anyone help me out please? Not sure what I am missing relative to the above instructions. Thanks!*

Reply

Answer 7

iPhoneUser16 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 28, 2007 5:13 AM in response to iPhoneUser16

Does anyone have any info that might help me?

Reply

Answer 8

Aug 28, 2007 11:38 AM in response to iPhoneUser16

Im going to assume that you are a windows user and go from there.

1. All of your .pst files will be located in C:\documents and settings\"user name"\exchange...this file may be hidden so to unhide it you will have to go into tools\folder options\view and select the show hidden files.

2. To create your new .pst file in Outlook 2003...Open Outlook, click on tools and select email accounts. This will open a new window with four choices. Select "View or change existing e-mail accounts" The Default Microsoft Exchange Server should be highlighted and then down in the lower box it should show Mailbox - "user name"; select new outlook data file; highlight office outlook personal file (.pst) and hit ok. Rename the file if you desire and hit ok. Select finish, close outlook and restart. You should now see that folder in your window.

3. Close outlook, open iTunes and then open outlook again. In your settings of iTune open up the settings and change the Auto Sync function under iPhone tab to not sync automatically (i dont have it here at work so cant give word for word discription). Plug in the iPhone and it should not sync. go to the first tab and check mark the options that you want to sync using outlook.

4. The only other thing that i use is outlook to run my email and that may be the difference in why mine works flawlessly since dayone. I have izymail running in outlook, and sync all contacts/calender and email WITHOUT error, loss, duplication or any other problems.

Hope this helps as it works for me if not we will try someother stuff when I can get home and review my own setup.

Good Luck!

Reply

Answer 9

iPhoneUser16 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 28, 2007 6:25 PM in response to SFC @rcher

Thanks, but I am still unsuccessful. Here is what happened:

+1. All of your .pst files will be located in C:\documents and settings\"user name"\exchange...this file may be hidden so to unhide it you will have to go into tools\folder options\view and select the show hidden files.+

*I found the file.*

+2. To create your new .pst file in Outlook 2003...Open Outlook, click on tools and select email accounts. This will open a new window with four choices. Select "View or change existing e-mail accounts" The Default Microsoft Exchange Server should be highlighted and then down in the lower box it should show Mailbox - "user name"; select new outlook data file; highlight office outlook personal file (.pst) and hit ok. Rename the file if you desire and hit ok. Select finish, close outlook and restart. You should now see that folder in your window.+

*Yes, I have a new folder with no calendar, mailbox, etc. in it; just a deleted items folder and a search folder. This is in addition to my mailbox, which still opens with the calendar I am trying to sync under it*

+3. Close outlook, open iTunes and then open outlook again. In your settings of iTune open up the settings and change the Auto Sync function under iPhone tab to not sync automatically (i dont have it here at work so cant give word for word discription). Plug in the iPhone and it should not sync. go to the first tab and check mark the options that you want to sync using outlook.+

*Did that, still got error; I am clearly missing something in step 3 - my Outlook opens with the same stuff it always has, just an extra PST with 2 items under it - Deleted Items and Search...help!*

Reply

Answer 10

Aug 29, 2007 6:56 AM in response to iPhoneUser16

Im not at home so some of my troubleshooting is based on what I am experimenting with at work.

I'm sure you have tried this link, but I'm posting just to be sure.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305845

I am going to continue trying to do some experimenting, but the only other advise I can give is if you go into your iTunes settings and clear out your sync history...delete it all...then when you go to sync your iPhone it will ask about your contacts and calender, do you want to start new or merge...select MERGE or else you will loose all of your contact history off of the iPhone.

If you have an iPod...back up your contacts onto your iPod just to be on the safe side.

I will work on some other calender ideas throughout the day.

UPDATE1: In outlook, go to the new folder that you just created, the one that has only the two enteries in it. Right click on the folder and select "New Folder" In the create new folder, Enter the name of your new calender, click the drop down and select "Calender Items"...This will create a new calender for you, however I cannot confirm if this will sync to your iPhone as I am not at home...but...if you connect your iPhone and go to tab 2 you should now see that new calender as a choice under select calender to sync, check the appropriate box to just sync that calender...make sure that you are still in manual sync mode and not automatic. Crossing Fingers!!!

Good Luck!

Message was edited by: SFC @rcher

Reply

Answer 11

Aug 29, 2007 7:04 AM in response to chimenti

I am not familiar with your problem, however, I am thinking that when you were building your schedule in your Treo (was my last phone also), that the software format that treo uses and then syncs through the hotsync is built to convert the data between the treo and outlook...so...when you try to move that configured data to a new software/phone application without hotsync, it is changing your data because the formatting is different somehow. I hope you can understand this, I just deleted all of my entries in outlook calender and started fresh because all kinds of data was getting mixed up. I ended up with 15 birthday entries and some would be worded differently etc.

I just recommend that you start from day 1 and delete all of your future schedule's that are wrong as there would be no way to change them anyway. Sorry, I can't give you a better answer then that.

Good Luck!

Reply

Answer 12

iPhoneUser16 Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 31, 2007 5:11 AM in response to SFC @rcher

thanks but I tried this and still no dice. I actually do not get a choice of calendars in iTunes it only shows outlook as an option under sync. Can anyone help me?

Reply