To Backup and replace Stream_Autocomplete for outlook in outlook 2010 and above.
This is well fiddly but the safest way to do it IMO and in actual fact takes about 5 mins per user
If we are upgrading a user’s office/outlook from 2010 to 2013 for example we will need to back up the Stream_Autocomplete .dat file that holds the nicknames (originally the .NK2 file)
To locate this go to “username” > AppData > Local > Microsoft >Outlook> RoamCache
And copy the Stream_Autocomplete file(s) to the desktop (there may be several in there so go with the one with the latest date and usually the largest file size, older Stream_Autocomplete files will have older dates)
Once these have been copied to the desktop, create a new folder called “nik” and put a copy from the desktop of the current/live Stream_Autocomplete file in there (you will need to edit this filename so safer to edit this one in the “nik” folder and keep an original copy on the desktop if things go wrong, I use this as my working folder)
Next we have to rename all the previous copies of Stream_Autocomplete within the “RoamCache” folder by adding .old to end of the filename (you could delete these as we now have copies but I thought it safer to just rename them)
e.g “Stream_Autocomplete_0_5B0A4353E9DF8C4884C16B3054ACA6E4.dat”
To “Stream_Autocomplete_0_5B0A4353E9DF8C4884C16B3054ACA6E4.dat.old”
(Outlook has to be closed to do this)
Next we have to create a new Stream_Autocomplete_0_xxxx.dat file, to do this we need to open Outlook and send an email (best to send a test to helpdesk@sohoitsolutions.net) this will create a new Stream_Autocomplete file with today’s date and a 2kb file size
e.g “Stream_Autocomplete_0_7B793B725576AE42A75ADACE1191FFF5.dat”
Outlook will only recognise this new Stream_Autocomplete file name key as the current one so we have to rename the old larger Stream_Autocomplete file name to the newly created filename, to do this we then need to copy the new Stream_Autocomplete that was created to the desktop and also to the “nik” folder and rename this right away to “Stream_Autocomplete_0_7B793B725576AE42A75ADACE1191FFF5.dat.old” so in the “nik” folder we should now see 2 files
“Stream_Autocomplete_0_5B0A4353E9DF8C4884C16B3054ACA6E4.dat 180kb”
“Stream_Autocomplete_0_7B793B725576AE42A75ADACE1191FFF5.dat.old 2kb”
Then copied everything before .dat.old and replaced the old filename with the new one so we now have in the “nik” folder
“Stream_Autocomplete_0_7B793B725576AE42A75ADACE1191FFF5.dat 180kb”
“Stream_Autocomplete_0_7B793B725576AE42A75ADACE1191FFF5.dat.old 2kb”
We then copy the “Stream_Autocomplete_0_7B793B725576AE42A75ADACE1191FFF5.dat” 180kb back into the “RoamCache” folder so eventually we have the new Stream_Autocomplete filename containing the old Stream_Autocomplete data. (This should be the only “live” Stream_Autocomplete file in there as all others are either renamed .old or deleted, it’s your call)
Then launch Outlook and test with opening an email and start to type a name, on occasion when I have done this and started to type there is no autocomplete, after checking the “RoamCache” folder outlook has in its wisdom changed the file size back to 2kb, I have just deleted this file (knowing I have copies of it) and copied the “Stream_Autocomplete_0_7B793B725576AE42A75ADACE1191FFF5.dat” 180kb back in again and hey presto it worked second time round.
Once this is all tested and finally working you can then delete the Stream_Autocomplete files and the “nik” folder from the desktop
(Filenames and file sizes above have just been used as examples)
This whole process may possibly be done within the “RoamCache” folder and a few file name changes along the way saving a bit of time as long as files backed up first before playing with originals in the “RoamCache” folder
** It may be wise to remember and grab a copy if possible of the Stream_Autocomplete file(s) whenever we blow a machine away, data recovery or transfer from old PC to new**
