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Published in: Microsoft Exchange

How to migrate NK2 Auto complete cache “suggested contacts” from Microsoft Outlook 2003 or 2007 to Microsoft Outlook 2010

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Thanks to our Windows Development Services and Windows driver development teams for the help to write this tutorial

Note You must exit Outlook 2003, 2007, 2010 before starting the following procedure. The names will be included in AutoComplete when you restart Outlook.

1. On the computer (Office 2003 or 2007) with the saved AutoComplete names, go to “drive: Documents and Settingsuser nameApplication DataMicrosoftOutlook”.
Note Depending on your operating system (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000) or the folder options, the folder might be hidden. To view the files in this folder, do one of the following:
Windows 7
1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
3. Click the View tab, and then, under Advanced settings, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
4. Uncheck hide extensions for known file types.
Windows Vista
5. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
6. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
7. Click the View tab, and then, under Advanced settings, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
8. Uncheck hide extensions for known file types.
Microsoft Windows XP
9. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
10. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
11. Click the View tab, and then, under Advanced settings, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
Microsoft Windows 2000
12. Double-click My Computer on your desktop.
13. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
14. Click the View tab, and then click Show hidden files and folders.
2. Right-click profile name.nk2, and then click Copy.
Tip You can copy the file to removable media, such as a USB key (Pen drive) or a CD (DVD), and then copy the file to the correct location on the other computer. Or you can attach the file to an e-mail message and send the message to yourself. On the new computer, open the attachment, and then save it to the correct location.
Note You must exit Outlook before starting the following procedure. The names will be included in AutoComplete when you restart Outlook.
3. On the Office 2010 where you want to migrate the AutoComplete feature too, Paste the NK2 file to drive:%user name%%appdata%MicrosoftOutlook
4. If prompted about replacing the existing file, click “yes”.

1. Note that the .nk2 file must have the same name as your current Outlook 2010 profile. By default, the profile name is “Outlook.” To check the profile name, follow these steps:

2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Double-click Mail.
4. In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles.
5. Click Start, and then click Run.
6. In the Open box, type outlook.exe /importnk2, and then click OK. This will import the .nk2 file into the Outlook 2010 profile.

Nektra Advanced Computing is developing a tool that will auto create an .NK2 file from Outlook Express (using OEAPI), Windows Mail (using OEAPI), Windows Live Mail (Using WLMAPI), an the export to Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007 & Outlook 2010. We also offer a solution service from any legacy environment/platform to any new environment/platform. For information about pricing or demos please call 1-(310) 237-6506.

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  1. Is it possible to somehow migrate the Outlook autocomplete nk2 cache over to the iPhone 4 so it autocompletes with the same data?

    There are about 1000 entries in my nk2 file and I don’t want to add them as proper “Contacts” in the phone but it would be great if they would autocomplete for me when sending an e-mail from the phone identically to waht they do in Outlook.

    Any help appreciated.
    Jerry.

  2. getting the Outlook auto-complete also know as NK2 cache looks like a very difficult task. I will do some research and get back to you later this week.

    Thanks,

    Leo Pasut

  3. Much appreciated Leo.

  4. Hi there,

    Tried this procedure and did not work. It seems that outlook 2010 no longer uses nk2, but a sort of embbeded file (in the pst) in a hidden folder.

    Any tip for that?

    tks!

  5. you are right outlook 2010 no longer uses nk2 but you can import nk2 from another 2007 or 2003 office.

    here is how:

    Once you have your NK2 File (from office 2007 or 2003) (the one that has the data)
    Right-click the file” name.nk2”, and then click Copy.

    *(Tip you can copy the file to removable media, such as a USB key (Pen drive) or a CD (DVD), and then copy the file to the correct location on the other computer. Or you can attach the file to an e-mail message and send the message to yourself. On the new computer, open the attachment, and then save it to the correct location.)

    Note You must exit Outlook before starting the following import procedure. The names will be included in AutoComplete when you restart Outlook.
    3. On the Office 2010 where you want to migrate the AutoComplete list from your (2007 or 2003 computer), Paste the NK2 file to drive:%user name%%appdata%MicrosoftOutlook
    4. If prompted about replacing the existing file, click “yes”.
    5. Click Start, and then click Run.
    6. In the Open box, type outlook.exe /importnk2, and then click OK. This will import the .nk2 file into the Outlook 2010 profile.

    You are all done.
    Note that the .nk2 file must have the same name as your current Outlook 2010 profile. By default, the profile name is “Outlook.” To check the profile name, follow these steps:Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
    Double-click Mail.
    In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles.

    Thanks,
    Leo Pasut

  6. Hi Leo,

    Just wondering if you had any luck figuring out how to transfer the Outlook nk2 auto-complete to an iPhone (not to contacts)?

  7. Hi John,

    the team has been pretty busy and the only guy that had an iPhone 4 is not working here any more sorry…

  8. IT WORKS!!!!!! Thanks Leo. After hours of trying, I found this solution.

  9. Dear Leo,
    Is it possible to export sugested contacts to an excel file from Outlook 2007.
    I don’t have outlook 2010.
    Adrisht

  10. How to Export suggested contacts to an excel file from Outlook 2007 Also Custom Fields !

    Here is how to export your outlook 2003 or 2007 contacts to a custom excel worksheet

    1.In Outlook, on the File menu, click Import and Export.
    2.Click Export to a file, and then click Next.
    3.Click Microsoft Excel, and then click Next.
    4.In the folder list, click the Contacts folder, and then click Next.
    5.Browse to the folder where you want to save the contacts as an Excel file (.xls).
    6.Type a name for the exported file, and then click OK.
    7.Click Next.
    8.To add or remove fields to determine the way the contact information is saved in the new Excel worksheet, click Map Custom Fields
    9.Click Finish.

  11. Outlook nk2 auto-complete to an iPhone is automaticly done if you are connecting your iphone and outlook to an exchange server. because the auto-complete have now moved from client side to server side, and all the contacs are stored in the “suggested Contacs” contact folder.

  12. Hi there,

    I have just finished setting up our client on Server 2008 R2 in a workgroup environment on RDS. I have installed outlook 2010. Their previous office was 2007. I have copied the .nk2 file to %Userrname%AppdataRoamingMicrosoftOutlook.

    The Server holding hosted Desktops, does this means that when I run outlook.exe /importnk2 will populate to all the Hosted Desktop profiles with outlook 2010 or it will be just that particular profile I have just run the command?

  13. Hi Kennedy Nakaanga,

    This Would only do that to the particular account from were you run the command. please get in contact via our site so we can get you a quote on custom solution for your environment.

    Thanks,
    Leo Pasut

    http://www.nektra.com/contact

  14. These steps were very helpful to export/copy the Auto complete cached e-mails (suggested contacts) from Microsoft Outlook 2007 to Microsoft Outlook 2010.

    i found many forums and blogs in this regard, but they didn’t mention to run the command “outlook.exe /importnk2”. The auto complete cached emails will work only after running this command.

  15. Great tip! On my windows 7 machine the path to paste the NK2 file was a bit different: C:UsersusernameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftOutlook. Hope that helps someone else.

  16. Found this really useful.. It the small things that you miss, and bits like this just aren’t in the manual!

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