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iPhone Sync - How to tell iTunes which Outlook Data File to use? (Personal or Exchange)

I have been using iTunes/iPhone sync for years without any difficulty. Calendars and contacts all going back and fore as expected.

Yesterday I added a new email account within Outlook - one for Office365, effectively a Microsoft Exchange account.

This seems to have done at least two things.

It deleted all of my mail rules. This is documented online and I can deal with it.
Created a new outlook data file (this time an .ost versus a .pst). It has made this file the "default".

So, now I have two outlook data files, one personal where I receive my POP mail and all my contacts and calendars are defined, and a new one, "ost" that is for my exchange email account.

The problem: when syncing, all my contacts and calendar entries have been removed from my iPhone. It seems that iTunes is syncing from my new exchange account (which has no contacts or calendar entries). I created one contact here and it went over to the phone.

Question: How can I tell iTunes that I want it to sync my Personal, old, Data File, not the new one?

I have tried to change the default data file back to my personal one, within outlook, but it says this:

The selected Outlook data file (.pst) format cannot be used. Outlook data files (.pst) must use the same format as the offline Outlook data files (.ost). Select a matching Outlook data file (.ost) or turn off cache mode in the Account Settings.

I do not really want to start messing around with Outlook settings, I simply want to tell iTunes _which_ Outlook data file to use for syncing.

Can anyone help me with this task?

Thanks and regards

David

Posted on Oct 5, 2012 3:14 AM

Best reply

Bookham Measures Author

Level 1

5 points

Posted on Oct 5, 2012 3:29 AM

Incidentally, I checked the Outlook Cache option. If I deselect it I will not be able to access any of the mail from my Exchange account unless I'm connected to the Internet, so this is far from ideal.

@Apple - how do I choose which Outlook data file to sync with?

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20 replies

Feb 15, 2014 12:43 AM in response to jokejong

@jokejong, I am breathing again, thank you!! After major panic and searching for solutions, I found your answer and followed it to the letter - it worked perfectly!!

Zargo

Level 1

9 points

Oct 31, 2014 8:40 AM in response to Bookham Measures

It seems that with iTunes 12.0.1, and if Google Apps is installed this doesn't work any more.

I couldn't hunt down the issue, tried everything default data file, default profile, restart... Office 13 and Win 8.

Thank you for direction, inspiration or compassion.

I was a happy user of above approach since 2 years. After upgrade to 12. it broke the settings, and stupid me I accepted change of more than 25% contacts..., all gone... of course some backup.

Zargo

Level 1

9 points

Oct 31, 2014 9:13 AM in response to Zargo

Even this forum is badly tested! ...can't edit above. Pllease ignore above.

Zargo

Level 1

9 points

Oct 31, 2014 9:14 AM in response to Bookham Measures

It seems that with iTunes 12.0.1 upgrade, and if Google Apps is installed, it breaks the above setting.

To know: There is default profile setting while opening Outlook, it simply highlights the profile, and there is 'always use the profile' in Windows Email (32bit). Anyhow, the default data file does the trick.

I tried default data file, always use this profile, created 3rd iTunes only profile set to default everything and even restart: in iTunes I only saw contact groups of Google Apps. Then...

Switch to Windows Contact and Back, and restart of iTunes does the job. Now it shows the contacts of my default data file.

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I was a happy user of above approach since 2 years. After upgrade to 12. it broke the settings without notice and took the contact groups of Google Apps which are only CRM related, and stupid me I accepted change of more than 25% contacts..., all gone on iPhone replaced by leads... of course I have a iPhone backup.

Office 13 and Win 8

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PS: Why do I use 2 Outlook profiles: BYOD, means my private and business, where later needs Google Apps, My default data file is mounted in both profiles.

May 22, 2016 6:08 AM in response to jokejong

@jokejong that worked brilliantly, thank you!!

iPhone Sync - How to tell iTunes which Outlook Data File to use? (Personal or Exchange)