Fixing iphone sync with outlook

There are multiple threads about problems snycing iTunes with Outlook (iPad, iPhone etc.). This affects Outlook calendar and contacts, often creating multiple contact lists and false calendar entires, often pre-fixed "ModGrp" or ModCal". After multiple tries I think I have figured out what you need to do: here's what worked for me, I hope it works for you.

First the cause. If your PC/Mac has crashed with Outlook open you probably have bad data in Outlook. Most software is fault-tolerant to this but not iTunes (my seventh software to link to Outlook and the only one not fault tolerant, so I'm certain it's an iTunes problem). I have written this for solving contact problems with explanation afterwards for calendars (you'll change item 6 and read the footnote). Read the instructions first so you know what you're about to do. You will have to rename a folder and delete your iPhones history but otherwise that's about it.

1) Download scanpst.exe from Microsoft, instructions are at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/272227. Print this, you'll need it at step 5

2) Close both Outlook and iTunes

3) Got to C:\Users\[Your username]\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\

In File Manager use Folder Options from the Tools menu and select Show hiden files and folders from the View Tab, if you can't see this folder

4) Rename the folder \SyncServices as \SyncServices.old or something. Once you have finished you can delete this folder

5) Use scanpst.exe (step 1 above) to fix your Outlook file. Instructions for this are at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/272227 noted above

6) When scanpst is complete and has closed, open Outlook and go to your contact list. Select each ModGrp and hit Delete, then confirm deletion

7) Be sure not to delete any contact lists that you want to retain, then close Outlook

8) Open iTunes with your iPhone/Pad/iWhatever plugged in to USB and select iPhone/iPad/iWhatever

9) Select your iWhatever in the Devices list on the left and select Preferences from the Edit menu at the top

10) Click the Devices button in the dialog box and click Reset Snyc History, just in case. Click OK to close the Dialog Box

11) At the top of your iPhone Device window click the Info button (second from the left right at the top)

12) Deselect Contacts, Calendars and Mail options so iTunes doesn't sync with Outlook in any way

You'll get a prompt to remove contacts/whatever lists from your iWhatever device. Choose the Remove Contacts button

13) Hit Apply or Sync (bottom right of iTunes). This should have cleared iTunes of bad ModGrp sync lists and iPhone contacts etc.

Next we'll restore these from Outlook

14) Reselect to sync with Outlook Contacts, Calendars and Mail - the options you deselected in step 12. Hit Apply or Sync

The above should restore all the valid contact and other data from Outlook onto your iPhone etc

15) Once sync has completed reopen Outlook and check the bad MdGrp lists have gone. Unplug iPhone and check you don't have multiple ModGrp lists

I haven't had calender problems but my understanding from posts to this forum is that in step 6 above, you may have to export the appointments calendars from your calendar and then delete the calendar. It's much more involved than having a contacts list problem.

If you choose to tidy up aftwards, go back to steps 3 and 4 and delete the backup .old folder as iTunes created a new one when you opened it at step 8.

I have run the above three times now and it works every time. Since every tenth or so time I open iTunes it causes my PC to lock, usually with Outlook open, so I expect this to be a frequent event. iTunes is well documented as a digustingly bad piece of software and seems to be the penalty we pay for having an iPhone, which actually works. Maybe when Apple adopts Flash I'll buy an iPad and double the number of times I have to run it, but not otherwise. iTunes and Flash are the two main reasons I have not bought a Mac or iPad.

Have fun.