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jmpage2

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 14, 2007
3,249
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I'm a bit confused on this after seeing several threads with contradictory info on this.

Currently I sync contacts onto my iPhone from MS Outlook on my own personal desktop computer. I sync my music with iTunes on the same machine.

If I enable Exchange synchronization is it going to wipe out my contacts, calendar entries, etc, with what is on the Exchange server? Is there any option for configuring what components get synchronized (mail only, no email and contacts for example)?

Thanks.
 
I didn't set it up, so I'm not sure HOW it works, but my wife has her work's exchange synced to her iPod Touch. It left her contacts (synced from MobileMe) intact. The work contacts don't show up in her normal contact list. There's a seperate exchange section she enters and it searches the work database when she's in that.
 
I didn't set it up, so I'm not sure HOW it works, but my wife has her work's exchange synced to her iPod Touch. It left her contacts (synced from MobileMe) intact. The work contacts don't show up in her normal contact list. There's a seperate exchange section she enters and it searches the work database when she's in that.

OK, that's good info, thanks!

Any others with direct experience on this?
 
I recently enabled exchange mail on my iPhone. it did not erase anything and co-exists with my MobileMe account without issue. Things like contacts and calendar have an option to select "all" or just my MobileMe calendar or Exchange calendar. It's really slick.
 
It WILL overwrite your personal info if you dont use MobileMe. Its a stupid way for them to force MobileMe on you.

Typical Apple.
 
It WILL overwrite your personal info if you dont use MobileMe. Its a stupid way for them to force MobileMe on you.

Typical Apple.

Ah! This is what I was worried about! Great... so I can't add Exchange without overwriting my personal data if I don't use Mobile ME then?

That sucks Apple.
 
Ah! This is what I was worried about! Great... so I can't add Exchange without overwriting my personal data if I don't use Mobile ME then?

That sucks Apple.

There's actually a really simple workaround (worked out great for me).

Before you activate exchange sync, plug your iPhone into your work computer, and making sure that only sync phonebook is checked, sync your contacts into Outlook (making sure they go into their own folder - separate from work contacts), then activate exchange sync.

You will now have two separate folders oh contacts syncing from exchange. The only downside is your personal contacts end up on your exchange server, but that shouldn't be a big problem.
 
There's actually a really simple workaround (worked out great for me).

Before you activate exchange sync, plug your iPhone into your work computer, and making sure that only sync phonebook is checked, sync your contacts into Outlook (making sure they go into their own folder - separate from work contacts), then activate exchange sync.

You will now have two separate folders oh contacts syncing from exchange. The only downside is your personal contacts end up on your exchange server, but that shouldn't be a big problem.

I'm not sure how that would work. If I then made a contact change on my iphone or home computer would it still synch the new contact info correctly?

It's rather unfortunate that Apple has positioned things with Mobile Me the way they have, especially with that service having so many issues at this point in time, not to mention the extra expense ($99 a year for a basic offline storage and sync system? Give me a break).

Maybe they will eventually add this basic capability since most other smart phones that can sync onto an exchange server can keep that information compartmentalized.
 
I'm not sure how that would work. If I then made a contact change on my iphone or home computer would it still synch the new contact info correctly?

It's rather unfortunate that Apple has positioned things with Mobile Me the way they have, especially with that service having so many issues at this point in time, not to mention the extra expense ($99 a year for a basic offline storage and sync system? Give me a break).

Maybe they will eventually add this basic capability since most other smart phones that can sync onto an exchange server can keep that information compartmentalized.

Yes this will work perfectly, once you manually sync it once to your work computer, from then on any changes you make to your personal contacts folder or to your work contacts on the phone will auto update to your computer, and vice versa. I've had this going for the last couple of months on my phone and it works great.
 
OK, one last question and then I promise I'll leave you alone on this. :)

I don't understand how it would be possible to synch my iphone with my work computer when it's already paired up with my PC at home. For the purposes of synching data, itunes, etc, I was under the impression that it was only possible to have the iphone sync'd to one PC at a time.
 
OK, one last question and then I promise I'll leave you alone on this. :)

I don't understand how it would be possible to synch my iphone with my work computer when it's already paired up with my PC at home. For the purposes of synching data, itunes, etc, I was under the impression that it was only possible to have the iphone sync'd to one PC at a time.

When you plug the phone into the work computer, if it automatically starts syncing make sure you hit cancel immediately. Then go through and make sure that all the check boxes except the contacts one are unchecked and click sync.

When it starts syncing it will ask you whether you want to transfer the contacts from the phone to the computer, and you are set.

The syncing to one computer thing really only applies to things like media, but not to contacts.

Good luck.
 
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