Thursday, October 27, 2011

How to Import .nk2 Files into Outlook 2010?


When you start Microsoft Outlook 2010 for the first time, your nickname cache (stored in the profilename.nk2 file) is imported into a hidden message in your default message store. 

Note profilename is the name of your Outlook profile.

For example, if you are using a Microsoft Exchange account, the nickname cache is imported into a hidden message in the Exchange mailbox.

Note Earlier versions of Outlook store the nickname cache .nk2 file in the following folder.
  • Windows XP
    Drive:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
  • Windows Vista and later versions
    Drive:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook
After the nickname cache is imported, the profilename.nk2 file is renamed to profilename.nk2.old. On the next start of Outlook, your nickname cache is not imported. Outlook 2010 does not use the .nk2 file for maintaining your nickname cache. All updates to your nickname cache in Outlook 2010 are made to the hidden message in your default message store.

Note If you have multiple Outlook profiles, the nickname cache from each profile is merged into your new Outlook 2010 nickname cache on the first start of Outlook 2010 by using that profile. Therefore, you may find more than one .nk2 file renamed to .nk2.old.



To import .nk2 files into Outlook 2010, follow these steps:
  1. Make sure that the .nk2 file is in the following folder: %appdata%\Microsoft\Outlook
    Note The .nk2 file must have the same name as your current Outlook 2010 profile. By default, the profile name is "Outlook." To check the profile name, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
    2. Double-click Mail.
    3. In the Mail Setup dialog box, click Show Profiles.
  2. Click Start, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type outlook.exe /importnk2, and then click OK. This should import the .nk2 file into the Outlook 2010 profile.

    Note After you import the .nk2 file, the contents of the file are merged into the existing nickname cache that is currently stored in your mailbox.
Note The .nk2 file is renamed with a .old file name extension on the first start of Outlook 2010. Therefore, if you try to re-import the .nk2 file, remove the .old file name extension.

How to Enable Root User in Mac OS X?

About the root user
The root user in Mac OS X is disabled by default. The root user does not appear in Users or Accounts preferences.

Only the owner of a computer or its designated administrator(s) should have an administrator account or the root password.

Any user with an administrator account can become the root user or reset the root password.

A root password should be difficult to guess, containing both numbers and letters within the first eight characters. A root user has the ability to access other users' files.

The root user has the ability to relocate or remove required system files and to introduce new files in locations that are protected from other users.
The user named "root" is a special user in UNIX-style operating systems that has read and write privileges to all areas of the file system. The root user should only be used for specific administration or monitoring tasks. After completing a task as the root user, you should log out of Mac OS X and log back in using a normal or administrator account. You should disable root access if you do not use it often.


How to enable the root user

OS X Lion
  1. From the Apple menu choose System Preferences....
  2. From the View menu choose Users & Groups.
  3. Click the lock and authenticate as an administrator account.
  4. Click Login Options....
  5. Click the "Edit..." or "Join..." button at the bottom right.
  6. Click the "Open Directory Utility..." button.
  7. Click the lock in the Directory Utility window.
  8. Enter an administrator account name and password, then click OK.
  9. Choose Enable Root User from the Edit menu.
  10. Enter the root password you wish to use in both the Password and Verify fields, then click OK.
Mac OS X v10.6.x
  1. From the Apple menu choose System Preferences....
  2. From the View menu choose Accounts.
  3. Click on the lock and authenticate with an administrator account.
  4. Click Login Options....
  5. Click the "Edit..." or "Join..." button at the bottom right.
  6. Click the "Open Directory Utility..." button.
  7. Click the lock in the Directory Utility window.
  8. Enter an administrator account name and password, then click OK.
  9. Choose Enable Root User from the Edit menu.
  10. Enter the root password you wish to use in both the Password and Verify fields, then click OK.
Mac OS X v10.5.x
  1. From the Finder's Go menu, choose Utilities.
  2. Open Directory Utility.
  3. Click the lock in the Directory Utility window.
  4. Enter an administrator account name and password, then click OK.
  5. Choose Enable Root User from the Edit menu.
  6. Enter the root password you wish to use in both the Password and Verify fields, then click OK.

How to Change User Account Name or Home Directory Name in Mac OS X 10.5 or Later


About the account name

Each user in Mac OS X has a "Full Name" (referred to as "Name" in Mac OS X v10.5.8 or earlier) and an "Account name" (referred to as "Short Name" in Mac OS X v10.5.8 or earlier) as defined in the Users & Groups pane of System Preferences (referred to as Accounts pane or Users pane in Mac OS X v10.6.8 or earlier). The account name can contain up to 255 lowercase characters with no spaces. This is the name used to create a user's home directory (also known as the user's Home or Home folder) in the Users folder. Once the user has been created, the account name (or short name) cannot be changed in the Users & Groups pane of System Preferences.

Changing the account name

Though there are other methods by which an advanced user may change the short name and related information, the easier and safer workaround is described below.
Before following these steps, you may wish to back up your important data.
For Mac OS X v10.5 or later
  1. Enable the root user.
  2. Log in as root.
  3. Navigate to the /Users folder.
  4. Select the Home folder with the short name you want to change, and rename it just like you would rename any folder. Keep in mind that the shortname must be all lowercase, with no spaces, and only contain letters.
  5. Use the Users & Groups pane (Accounts pane in Mac OS X v10.6.8 or earlier) in System Preferences to create a new user with the Account name or Short Name that you used in the previous step.
  6. Click OK when "A folder in the Users folder already has the name 'account name'. Would you like to use that folder as the Home folder for this user account?" Note: This will correct the ownership of all files in the Home folder, and avoid permissions issues with the contents.
  7. Choose Log Out from the Apple menu.
  8. Log in as the newly created user. You should be able to access all of your original files (on the desktop, in Documents, and in the other folders of this Home).
  9. After verifying that your data is as expected, you can delete the original user account via the Users & Groups pane (Accounts pane in Mac OS X v10.6.8 or earlier).
  10. Disable the root user.