Migrating GMail to Exchange (part 2) - Configure Outlook

Now that you have set up your GMail account, you need to set up Outlook for the migration.

1. Enable Macros

By default, Outlook will not allow you to run any or any unsigned macros.  To change this, Go to File => Options =>Trust Center => Trust Center Settings => Macro Settings.

 

You will need to set this at least to "Notifications for all macros".  I do not recommend setting "Enable all macros", as this will allow any macros to run.

You will need to restart Outlook to make this change effective.  For now, just quit Outlook.

2. Enable large Outlook PST and OST

Outlook keeps your local mail in a data file with a .pst extension.  By default, Outlook 2010 allows this file to grow to 50GB; however, it is likely that your IT department has severely limited this size.  It's better to set this based on your migration needs.

Similarly, Outlook caches mail that is kept on a server (such as Exchange or IMAP) in a cache file with .ost extension.

You will need to allow PST files to be at least the size of your GMail account (e.g. whatever GMail tells you at the bottom of the pages on the "Using x.y GB of your Z GB" line.)  I also recommend adding some slack, just in case.

You will need to allow OST files to be quite large if you decided to migrate all your mail in one shot, and not limiting your IMAP folder sizes.  This could be 18GB if each mail has an average of 2 labels (including Inbox, Starred and Important as potential labels).  However, conversion is much faster if the cache file is under 4GB, and even faster under 2GB.  I do not recommend shortening the max limit for OST files, just in case the size of the IMAP folders do get larger than the limit you would set.  This would result in lots of error messages when trying to update your cache.

To change the size limit of the PST and OST files, follow this KB article.  Basically, you will need to change entries using regedit/regedt32 (Start button => type "regedt32" => Press Enter => Say Yes to User Account Control message).

Browse to key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\PST or possibly HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\PST if it exists.

You have to set MaxLargeFileSize to the higher of your PST or OST estimated size limit. The values are understood in MB. You should set WarnLargeFileSize to be 5% below the Max value.

Make sure you remember your old settings in case you need to reset them later, e.g. for your IT to be happy.

3. Create migration target

I recommend migrating your old mail into a new Outlook data file.  This allows you to keep your mail together in a locally managed file, and allows you to continue using Outlook on your Exchange server on the web, or on a different PC.

To create a new Outlook data file, start Outlook, and select Home => New Items => More Items => Outlook Data File...

Use "Outlook Data File" for Save as type.

See your new file on the left side of your Outlook window, as one of the root folders.  Rename it to something unique that you will like.

4. Add your GMail account to Outlook

File => + Add Account

Follow the configuration steps in GMail to add access to your GMail account in outlook.  These were at the bottom of your POP/IMAP Settings page.

See your IMAP account on the left side of your Outlook window, as one of the root folders.  Rename it to something unique and easy to remember, as most likely the default name has been already taken by your Exchange account.

5. Configure Outlook

In order for your migration to be smooth, you will need to disable most automatic Outlook actions to your e-mails, otherwise, these will interfere with or during the migration process.

A. Mark items for deletion

[OPTIMIZATION] If you selected the Auto-expunge OFF optimization in GMail, you will need to also set up Outlook to mark items for deletion so that they can be purged in one step.  Go to File => Account Settings => Account Settings... . In the Account Settings dialog, select your IMAP account and click on Change....  Then click on More Settings... => Deleted Items (tab).

• Select "Mark items for deletion but do not move them automatically".
• Unselect "Purge items when switching folders while online."

B. Remove tracking automation

These have a tendency to automatically move/remove messages while being migrated, resulting in error messages such as "Item has been deleted" or "Item is missing".

Under File => Options => Mail, under Tracking header

• Select "Never send a read receipt"
• Deselect "Automatically process meeting requests and responses to meeting requests and polls"
• Deselect "Automatically update original sent item with receipt information"
• Deselect "Update tracking information, and then delete responses that don't contain comments"
• Deselect "After updating tracking information, move receipt to:"

C. Disable Junk Mail filter

Click on a folder on your GMail account, then click Home => Junk => Junk E-mail Options... .

Select "No Automatic Filtering".

NOTE: these settings are per account, so you need to select a folder on your GMail account to configure the settings.

If you want, you can also disable Junk Mail globally (including blocked senders) set DisableAntiSpam to 1 in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook.  Create the path and/or keys if they do not exist.

For more info, see this post.

D. Disable Reminders

Outlook will create Reminders for all of your imported meetings, and show them as overdue.  Due to this, you may want to disable Reminders during the migration.

File => Options => Advanced, under Reminders header

• Deselect "Show reminders:"

Next... add the conversion macro script to Outlook