Mary2e

I have an older version of MS Office -maybe 2019. I want to upgrade to 365 and use the cloud to store my files and emails. I am on the most recent update of Windows 10. I can't go to 11, my computer is too old. I plan on buying a new computer soon.

My issue is with the email and how to handle.

I currently use Outlook and download my AOL mail into it whenever I open Outlook. It deletes from AOL once it is complete. The .pst file is stored on my hard drive as well as backed up. I want it to continue working that way.

Should I upgrade using my current configuration, make sure everything moves to the cloud before getting the new computer? When I got my current computer, I used Laplink and it worked like a charm to get all my files over, including all the office components.

Thanks in advance... I don't want to mess this up... my life is in the .pst file.

gfunkdave

You should just be able to upgrade Office in place. If you're concerned, just copy the pst file to your desktop first so you have a spare in case. Close Outlook before copying the file.

Mary2e

Thanks. I have that .pst file everywhere

So does it copy my entire pst file to the cloud or will it take email by email?

Do you know if outlook will continue to download the mail from AOL and then put it in the cloud?

DenverBrian

Your "older" version of MS Office isn't that old LOL. You may just want to stick with it until you get your new laptop, and then make the changeover.

You can still get one more standalone version of Office: Office 2021. Once Microsoft hooks you into 365, you'll be paying them every year for the next thousand years.

Mary2e

Hmmmmm.... Actually, my version is Office 2016. I didn't know 2021 was available as a stand alone.

I tried chat with MS support. After an hour, he told me my mail would download and reside on my hard drive but could be copied to the cloud.

I'm going to look into 2021 and simply use the cloud service to hold my backups - because that's my concern now. I'm moving and don't want to risk moving my computer, plus, I might not have access to it for months.

DELee

As DenverBrian notes, going to M365 has long term consequences and impacts if you've been a desktop Office owner/user.

If there's an opportunity to test how it handles your .pst file(s) first and whether you can live and get stuff done tethered to Microsoft's servers and possibly a slower network connection, it would be a good trial of how living and using a laptop in Hawaii might be.

David

Mary2e

Thanks. I actually found it for sale. Now I have to find out if I should buy it on the old computer and use laplink to move it to the new computer or wait for the new computer. The license says for 1 PC and isn't clear if it's still valid for a transfer to a new PC (of course).

SimonAB

I have 365 and use Outlook with Gmail and a local PST account using POP, rather than IMAP, and leave email on Gmail where I delete it myself when I'm ready to.

My understanding is that you choose what is copied into your OneDrive cloud. I suspect there are some automations and defaults that will try to store certain stuff in the cloud, but I would not worry about your PST file, it can remain local, as I do, and then you choose to where you wish to back it up (I have 4 copies, it sounds like you are like minded!).

As for the upgrade, I am quite certain that I upgraded in place from a previous version, quite possibly 2016.

Mary2e

Thank you very much. That pst file has my life on it I'm now trying to get an answer from MS about the license if I replace my computer with the stand alone 1-PC license for 2021. Wish me luck

gfunkdave

I think but don't know for certain that if you have Outlook set to download emails even in O365 it's still going to download the emails. But if you set the folder where the pst lives to sync to OneDrive, it will sync your pst to OneDrive.

I'd try it on mine but my company probably disallows adding other email accounts to Outlook...and I don't want to download my Gmail onto my work laptop anyway.

DELee

Strongly recommend a) making at least one backup of your .pst file and archiving it both on your existing PC as well as some separate removable drive as well as b) begin to be amazed how M365 and OneDrive forces you to do things their way instead of what you're used to with Office desktop.

David

Mary2e

Thank you for even thinking about trying it on my behalf.

I have numerous backups of the pst file today There is no way I'd upgrade without having at least a few more

I chatted with MS about the license for the stand alone version. I was told I could deactivate it on the old computer and reactivate on the new. I don't trust them and don't want to spend hours trying to fix it if I do. So I'm going to run out to a store and pick out a laptop, use laplink to transfer everything and then buy the stand alone Office 2021. Along with packing and dealing with selling the house, I don't need the aggravation of dealing with MS

Thank you.

DenverBrian

I was going to advocate for backing up your .pst file to a flash drive, but it sounds like you have it covered.

Office 2021 can be bought via Amazon - and Costco has it with a $30 Visa gift card back to you.

Need

If you have multiple people in the family who needs Office, Office 365 Family is actually a pretty good deal. It is $99 for 6 users and each with the latest Office and 1TB of online storage. Google charges $99 for 2TB per year for storage. So the 1TB of OneDrive is worth $50 per user. So you are really paying only $49 a year for 6 users.

With the 1TB OneDrive, it also pretty easy to upgrade my laptop. Everything I need (all my data) is in the OneDrive folder sync up to the cloud. When I switch over to the new one, after signing in, everything is back in my personal folder. The new laptop with the new windows already have the Office install and it knows that I have the 365 license because I sign in with my MS account to the laptop.

Moderator2

Costco and Staples sell this 6-user family version with a 15 month subscription, rather than the usual 12. Costco also sends the buyer a $10 Visa gift card. Per the user comments on Costco's site, there seems to be a way to also renew an existing subscription for another 15 months.