Welcome to MSDN Blogs Sign in | Join | Help

News

  • Add to Technorati Favorites
Outlook Connector and migration to Windows Live Calendar

As previously announced, the Windows Live Calendar service will start migrating existing MSN Calendar users to the new Windows Live Calendar service as early as March 2009. The migration process will ensure that all the supported user data on the MSN Calendar is moved to the Windows Live Calendar without any action required for the user.

In parallel, it will also be required that Outlook Connector 12.0 users upgrade to the 12.1 version as the 12.0 version does not connect to Windows Live Calendar.

What do I need to do?

  • If you are currently using Outlook Connector version 12.0.6414.1000 (the released version of 12.1) – no action is required.
  • If you are on an Outlook Connector version lower than 12.0.6414.1000, you need to upgrade to the latest version.

You can upgrade in two ways:

- You can download the 12.1 version of the Outlook Connector today – this version has been available since December on the Microsoft Download Center and as part of the Windows Live Essentials suite.

- As of February 24th, 2009, users that have not upgraded to 12.1 manually will be required to upgrade when they boot Outlook and try to synch their Hotmail account. The following dialog will be displayed:

Dialog asking to upgrade to OLC 12.1

As usual, please make sure to restart Outlook once the latest version of the Outlook Connector is installed to ensure the add-in is correctly installed.

After installing Outlook Connector 12.1 it will upload your appointments and meetings to your new Windows Live Calendar. At that point the Outlook Connector will no longer synchronize with the MSN Calendar service.

Please note that Windows Live Calendar does not support attachments to meetings and appointments. During the server side move attachments will be removed from all meetings and appointments. To preserve your attachments, the Windows Live team recommends you save them prior to March 1st, 2009. Also, if you have been using Outlook Connector 12.0 to synchronize Outlook with your MSN Calendar, you may also be able to retrieve download a copy of the attachment from the event in your Outlook calendar.

To get all the information regarding the Windows Live Calendar move please see this MSN Calendar Migration blog entry

Q&A

Q: How can I make sure that all my calendar items are correctly moved to Windows Live Calendar if I install Outlook Connector 12.1?

A: If you install Outlook Connector before the server side move takes place (starting in March 2009), you should follow these steps:

  1. With Outlook Connector 12.0 installed, synchronize your calendar with the MSN Calendar service one last time.
  2. After synchronization is complete, do not create new items on the MSN Calendar site. If you do, you will have to synchronize again using Outlook Connector 12.0 before migrating to 12.1.
  3. Install Outlook Connector 12.1.
  4. Boot Outlook. At this point, the Outlook Connector 12.1 will upload all of your appointments and meetings to your new Windows Live Calendar.

Q: What happens if I install 12.1 after the server side migration of my calendar has already happened?

A: Installing OLC 12.1 after the migration will allow you to start connecting to your Windows Live calendar using Outlook – all your data will have been migrated for you on the server.

Q: Can I continue access my MSN Calendar after I have upgraded to 12.1?

A: Before your calendar is moved on the server side, you can access your original (MSN) calendar and your Windows Live Calendar through their respective links. Another way to return to your original calendar prior to the move is to visit your “Options” page in Windows Live Calendar and there is a return to your original calendar link. However once your server side calendar move is complete, you will no longer be able to access your original calendar. For detailed information, please see this MSN Calendar Migration blog entry.

Alessio Roic
Outlook Program Manager

Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009 5:10 PM by outblog

Comments

nvaughn said:

I've instaled Outlook Connector 12.1 to sync with my live account.  The calendar is unable to sync.  I've tried uninstalling Outlook Connect, removing my hotmail account and reinstalling.  Everything else works well.

Calendar has never been able to sync.

I am also unable to connect to Office Online help...not sure if my company's firewall could be the issue.

# March 11, 2009 3:50 PM

Grtfldale said:

As a low - medium pc skilled user, I have been unable to sync Live! Calendar with Outlook 2007 Calendar despite repeated continual trying. I finally discovered that release Outlook Connector was 12.1 was actually 12.0.6414.1000. Nothing changed despite repeated reinstalls. I do not have MSN but that didn't appear necessary in information I read. The mail syncs well. I haven't tried anything else (I am not sure what else there is). I would appreciate any insight. Thanks

# March 15, 2009 5:42 PM

Navy_John said:

I have been having calendar sync issues for several months. I think it may have been on or about the time I upgraded to Outlook Connector 12.1.  

The issue is this: all dismissed reminders keep coming back (every time the calendar tries to resync) right up until they are passed due. None of the swithces (/cleanreminders, etc, fix the problem). I am not a mobile user.

I have seen this issue reported across internet forums, including in this Blog as a comment under the December 2008 announcement post. Has this issue been acknowledged and is it being addressed? Will SP2 fix it?

# March 28, 2009 10:25 AM

Ruha said:

My Apologies I missed the mini calendar comments

my question is how do I include my bosses calendar - the option to send via email does not allow me to tick it

# March 29, 2009 11:23 AM

rodehall said:

I have set up 2 accounts a hotmail.com and an msn.com account in my Outlook 2007. I ahve also tried to apply rules to each of these accounts to move a coipy of received mails to a PDA syn folder in Outlook (so I can have copies of these mails on a PDA.) The rules do not seem to work. Mail is received fine in both accounts, but no copying takes place.

# April 3, 2009 4:35 AM

Kenneth999 said:

I installed the new version of connector, and now my send-receive is hanging at 33% and won't complete.

I am phoning support this morning on this issue.  Has this new release been tested?

# April 6, 2009 8:27 AM

Jeff said:

Since updating to Outlook Connector 12.1 I am getting a round robin of could not sign in error messages.  I have a total of five accounts setup.  My main account always logs in but the other four take turns at not being able to sign in.  It says to restart Outlook but then the next time it will happen to the other accounts.  Very frustrating.  I have Windows Vista Home Premium and Office Professional Plus 2007.

# April 13, 2009 7:50 PM

Alistair Thompson said:

I can't upgrade to 12.1 because I can't uninstall 12.0. I have also tried, but can't seem to find a copy of Connector 12.0 so that I can reinstall and uninstall. The uninstall script is looking for a file that I can't find. Why does Microsoft not have a library of previous releases so that this doesn't happen?

# April 24, 2009 11:04 AM

wlgx said:

Does anybody actually even answer these questions or look at this from Microsoft?

I have been having the same issue as everyone else an can find NO answers anywhere.

Another super Microsoft product! They force us to upgrade to connector 12.1 and it doesn't even work!

# April 30, 2009 7:43 AM

chimney said:

Ditto all the above comments. Had been using Outlook 2002, Outlook Connector, Live Messenger and MSN Mail account.  All (Mail, Contacts, Calendar, etc...) stayed in Synch.  Several weeks ago I received message whenever I started Outlook that I needed to download new Outlook Connector. When it tried it failed because it was no longer backward compatible with Outlook 2002.  Installed Office/Outlook 2007 now I can synch mail and contacts but not the Calendars.  I have tried removing and setting up a new account but it does not help.  Keep receiving message in Outlook Server Status that it cannot connect with Live Messenger.  It is incredible to me that this cannot be resolved.

# May 1, 2009 5:47 PM

chimney said:

Had been using Outlook 2002, Outlook Connector, Live Messenger and MSN Mail account.  All (Mail, Contacts, Calendar, etc...) stayed in Synch.  Several weeks ago I received message whenever I started Outlook that I needed to download new Outlook Connector. When it tried it failed because it was no longer backward compatible with Outlook 2002.  Installed Office/Outlook 2007 now I can synch mail and contacts but not the Calendars.  I have tried removing and setting up a new account but it does not help.  Keep receiving message in Outlook Server Status that it cannot connect with Live Messenger.

# May 1, 2009 5:48 PM
New Comments to this post are disabled
Page view tracker