iphone4 synch problem with outlook calendar

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iphone4 synch problem with outlook calendar

Just a few days ago, I got a weired problem. My iphone suddenly can not synch with outlook calendar (previouly it worked fine). The contact and note can synch correctly with outlook. But iphone calendar can not update change from outlook calendar, and outlook calendar can not change from iphone calendar either. I tried everything I can think of, such as "Reset Synch History" in iTune, checking "replace calendar" box in Advanced option in iTune, reinstall iTune, etc, neither works. The most weired is that even I restored iphone to factory setting (calendar should be wipe out), but in iphone calendar still remains same as before after synch with outlook even if outlook calendar has changed.
Right now I feel devastated as this apparently simple problem becomes so hard to fix. I don't know how iphone calender is designed. But it should have option to delete everything then replaced by outlook calendar as othe phone does. Please help me if you can.

pc, Windows Vista

Posted on Nov 16, 2010 2:42 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 16, 2010 5:15 AM in response to yuezhang448

I've got the exact same problem when I upgraded till the new version of Itunes.
Everything works fine when synking except Outlook calender
Is it possible to download previous verision of Itunes?

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Answer 2

yuezhang448 Author

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Nov 16, 2010 4:43 PM in response to yuezhang448

What do you mean? Was your calendar not synch with iphone after you upgrade itune? I don't think I upgraded itune when it happened. Iphone is great except a few things. But there one is costly. There should be a way to delete calendar on iphone directly and then I can transfer calendar again. Can anyone offer a solution to this?

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Answer 3

tapis23

Level 1

2 points

Nov 17, 2010 1:46 AM in response to yuezhang448

It has pretty much stopped syncing with Outlook calendar, and or doubles appointments and arbitrarily changes dates. Also did restore, update, etc to no avail. PLEASE HELP

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Answer 4

bissie

Level 1

4 points

Nov 17, 2010 6:47 AM in response to yuezhang448

I have the same problem. It worked fine until last week. If you go to Utilities on the phone, then mail,contacts and calender, then go to bottom of the page where it says "calendars" I note that the word "sync" is no longer on the phone. My partners phone still has that function on his idendentical Iphone. I can not find a way to reinstall that setting. Anyone figured it out yet.

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Answer 5

bissie

Level 1

4 points

Nov 17, 2010 4:29 PM in response to yuezhang448

After discussions with Apple store, it was suggested to go to itones after connecting phone, under devices on left panel highlight your phone and right click. Then go to restore from backup and pick a date that is earlier than today. you may only see one date. With mine it didnt matter. Select the date and click restore. It may take a few minutes. then close itones, disconnect the phone, then reconnect the phone (which should start itones again) and your phone should then sync the calendar as usual. I have tried it several times changing dates after the above and it seems to work. Let me know if this works for those with this problem.

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Answer 6

yuezhang448 Author

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Nov 18, 2010 12:32 AM in response to yuezhang448

After a week of desperation, I finally figure it out. I am sure for other cases. For me, it seems not iphone problem, but it is outlook problem. I notice synch not working after a recent microsoft office update (I was not aware of it). So I just restore an old version of outlook file and import the most recent changes. Wowla! The calendar is synch again. Until now it is working fine, but I keep my fingers crossed because I am afraid it will happen again. The only way I can do is to backup outlook file often. Enjoy.

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Answer 7

yuezhang448 Author

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Nov 18, 2010 12:33 AM in response to yuezhang448

After a week of desperation, I finally figure it out. I am sure for other cases. For me, it seems not iphone problem, but it is outlook problem. I notice synch not working after a recent microsoft office update (I was not aware of it). So I just restore an old version of outlook file and import the most recent changes. Wowla! The calendar is synch again. Until now it is working fine, but I keep my fingers crossed because I am afraid it will happen again. The only way I can do is to backup outlook file often. Enjoy.

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Answer 8

tapis23

Level 1

2 points

Nov 18, 2010 3:24 AM in response to bissie

Hello. Just tried this method and did NOT work for me. Really, really wish this would work properly. Indispensable part of owning an iPhone. txs for trying though.

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Answer 9

tapis23

Level 1

2 points

Nov 18, 2010 3:26 AM in response to yuezhang448

I would like to try this (getting desperate) but you are more computer savvy than me and I don't even know how to restore an old version of microsoft. Is it hard to explain how to do. Txs for helping.

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Answer 10

bissie

Level 1

4 points

Nov 18, 2010 5:51 AM in response to tapis23

Actually this has nothing to do with Microsoft. It seems to be an itones/iphone issue.
After plugging in your iphone to the computer, it will open itones and start its sync work. Let it finish. Then on the left side, go down to devices, which should show your phone, left click once and it should turn blue. Then, with your cursor over the blue, right click. Run your cursor down to "restore from backup",then left click. A box will open in center of screen asking to choose a backup to restore. Go to the box that has you iphone name (with a down arrow next to it) and left click on the arrow. It will list a backup to restore to, probably the last time it automatically backed up. click on that date and it will fill box. then left click restore. It may take a while. Once done, unplug phone and restart computer. After rstarting, reconnect phone and see what happens.

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Answer 11

alryder

Level 2

220 points

Nov 18, 2010 6:09 AM in response to bissie

I know this doesn't directly address the problem described so please don't attack me but a possible workaround to this would be to use Google Calendar Sync - http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?answer=89955.
I have used this for a few months now and it eliminates the need to sync your calendar directly with your computer.
I hope this helps.

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Answer 12

yuezhang448 Author

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0 points

Nov 18, 2010 3:56 PM in response to yuezhang448

The backup does not work for me. So it is not the solution. Google calendar synch is a way around but needs more work. So a solution is to backup a copy of outlook file (.pst) when it is working. To backup, you have to find outlook.pst on your computer. You must save the folder to another disk. To restore, you copy outlook.pst back to that folder and start outlook. You can export new entries in outlook first and import in the restored outlook.

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Answer 13

Nov 22, 2010 5:26 PM in response to yuezhang448

I am a PC user with a iPhone and iPad. I spent 2.5 hours with three 'geniuses' at the Scottsdale AZ store and they concluded that there is a fatal error and there is no compatibility between Outlook and Mobile Me. So much for communication! I am now double posting because I can't carry my 24" HP computer with me, and I schedule appointments on Outlook when I'm on the computer which of course do not sync with my Apple products. I know others who have had the same problem. I guess I should be grateful that the Apple guys finally told me the truth. And frankly they didn't know either until the got a level 3 on the phone who told them so we could end the appointment. If someone else has found a a solution I'd love to hear it.

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Answer 14

Nov 22, 2010 6:32 PM in response to yuezhang448

yuezhang448: Are you still holding to the theory that Outlook is the culprit? I see now that Microsoft updated Office 2007 on my Vista machine on November 11 and I think that's when my problem syncing the calendar began. (Contacts sync both directions for me; calendar syncs in neither direction.) I didn't upgrade iTunes to 10.1.0.54 until a few days ago.

I figured I'd go back to a Vista restore point but unfortunately I'd just upgraded my hard drive the day before. For whatever reason, Vista quit making restore points then and the process I used to create an image of the old drive onto the new didn't copy the restore points. Not sure how to get back to my old Office 2007 now...

This thread seems a precise description of my issue; will watch for solutions and ignore the calendar on my iPhone for now. (I really hate that.) Please keep posting, all.

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Answer 15

bissie

Level 1

4 points

Nov 23, 2010 10:55 AM in response to utilajeff

to all: I recently downloaded the iphone 4.2.1 version and walla, the contacts and calendar sync seems to work. I will tell you it took 2 hrs to download the new version to the computer and another 5 minutes to update the phone, which has to be connected to the computer. After that update, you will need to go back to your settings in itones and reset the sync funcitons in the "info" tab (the one next to summary) of itones program on you computer. It seems they go back to a default with no check marks next to sync contacts and calendars. After doing that i tested changing the calendar on the computer and then making a different change on the ipone, then reconnected and choose sync again and it worked fine. Try that.

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