The only thing I use Outlook for is Contacts -- and I am very conscientious
about backing up the PST file on a regular basis.

The procedure I follow is ...
Import and Export ...
Export to a file ...
Personal Folder File (.pst) ...
Contacts (include subfolders) ...
Replace Duplicates with items exported.

Then I Import that file into Outlook on another computer ...
Import from another program or file ...
Personal Folder File (.pst) ...
Replace duplicates with items imported ...
Include subfolders ...
Import items into the same folder in Personal Folders.

That's when completely non-sensical things happen.

1) Even when I delete all the entries in the main Contacts folder on the
target computer before importing the new ones, my number of contacts
increases from 513 to 524. That I can live with -- even though I wonder if I
can trust the integrity of the entries.

Version of Outlook?
Have you opened the pst you are using for the import/export to see how many
are really in it?

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com

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"bmax" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:326E4DDF-8DF0-4937-9F97-5271237169B5@microsoft.com...

"Diane Poremsky [MVP]" wrote:

"bmax" wrote:

Go to help, about on the computer with no number and get the version # -
that will tell us which one it is. We only really need the first digits but
the full 9 or 10 digits will tell us if they system is current on updates.
It'll look something like 10.6543.6543

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com

Outlook Tips by email:
dailytips-subscribe-request@lists.outlooktips.net

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
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"bmax" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:793C5D44-3B36-47DB-9AAE-6ED64CC91B17@microsoft.com...

Open the pst on the computer using File, Open, outlook data file and view
the contacts. If you are using the same pst over and over, I'm guessing
duplicates were created at some point.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com

Outlook Tips by email:
dailytips-subscribe-request@lists.outlooktips.net

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
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"bmax" discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E7BA8224-B8D2-4EAD-BFB4-26FD3DC3F901@microsoft.com...

The main/originating computer is using 2003 - 11.8010.8107.

The other desktop is using 2003 - 11.8217.8202 -- and what's screwy about
that other desktop is that yesterday it was NOT reporting itself as 2003 but
today it is.

My laptop is unavailable right now but yesterday it clearly said it was 2003.

When I just opened Outlook on the main computer, I did File > Open >Outlook
Data File > Outlook.pst. It is showing the correct number of files without
duplicates. Is there someplace else the duplicates could be lurking???

Something else that's curious --
I right-clicked Personal Folders and opened Properties For "Personal
Folders" on the main computer. When I then clicked on Folder Size, it
confirmed that the ONLY thing I'm using Outlook for is Contacts.

It shows three folders -- 645KB ... 230KB ... and13KB -- totalling 888KB.
The "Total Size" column, however, reports 888KB plus 230KB plus 13KB -- for a
total of 1131KB (1.13MB).

Yet when I look at the size of backup.pst, it reports as 11.8MB!!

Something seems definitely strange here.

"Diane Poremsky [MVP]" wrote:

this normal. Along with the contacts you can see, outlook creates hidden
files and folders - reminders, forms etc. Unless there are multiple contacts
folders, there shouldn't be duplicates lurking anywhere else.

Have you ran scanpst on the pst?
http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/scanpst.htm

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com

Outlook Tips by email:
dailytips-subscribe-request@lists.outlooktips.net

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
EMO-NEWSLETTER-SUBSCRIBE-REQUEST@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM