Outlook 2007 - 2nd Outlook.pst file - 20GB limit reached
Discussion
Hi,
I have reached my 20GB limit on Outlook 2007 data file. I understand that the latest editions run to 50GB but I like the interface on 2007.
Can I simply create a new datafile for anything new that comes in and still retain and access my old data through the max'd out data file?
I have lots of crucial business data which is useful to refer to so don't want to do anything that may corrupt my data!
Any advice on this appreciated.
I have reached my 20GB limit on Outlook 2007 data file. I understand that the latest editions run to 50GB but I like the interface on 2007.
Can I simply create a new datafile for anything new that comes in and still retain and access my old data through the max'd out data file?
I have lots of crucial business data which is useful to refer to so don't want to do anything that may corrupt my data!
Any advice on this appreciated.
20GB is a heck a file size: you do back it up, don't you?
Depending on how your work is organised I suggest you look at creating additional data files & move emails from your existing big pot into several smaller ones. My work is project based so at the end of a project I usually create a .pst file named 'project X' & then move all the relevant files into it. You could create them by year, or by customer or whatever is good for you.
- First off, close Outlook & copy the outlook.pst file to somewhere safe.
- I'm using windows 7 so these steps might not be the same for you
- Open Outlook then select Tools & Account Settings & then the Data Files tab. It may be empty.
- Select Add.. & then Office Outlook Personal Folders (.pst) & OK. You should end up with a file browser type window with a file name of Personal Folders(1).pst
- Change this name to what you want
- Decide where you want these folders to reside. By default it will be in the C: drive under your user directory, which is where the outlook.pst lives. I keep mine on another drive D, but only because it makes backing up easier.
- When you have set the name, click OK & another dialogue box will open. In the Name box type the folder name you want to see in Outlook. You might want it to be the same as the filename you typed, but it doesn't have to be. Decide if you want to password protect or not & OK.
- In the Data Files tab you should see your new folder & it's file name. Click Close on the account Settings box & you should see your new data folder in the LH pane of Outlook.
- You can now start dragging emails into this new folder & they will move out of your Outlook.pst into the new one. You can create subfolders in your new folder if you wish to organise things that way.
Don't forget you now need to backup these new .pst files as well as the outlook.pst file.
Depending on how your work is organised I suggest you look at creating additional data files & move emails from your existing big pot into several smaller ones. My work is project based so at the end of a project I usually create a .pst file named 'project X' & then move all the relevant files into it. You could create them by year, or by customer or whatever is good for you.
- First off, close Outlook & copy the outlook.pst file to somewhere safe.
- I'm using windows 7 so these steps might not be the same for you
- Open Outlook then select Tools & Account Settings & then the Data Files tab. It may be empty.
- Select Add.. & then Office Outlook Personal Folders (.pst) & OK. You should end up with a file browser type window with a file name of Personal Folders(1).pst
- Change this name to what you want
- Decide where you want these folders to reside. By default it will be in the C: drive under your user directory, which is where the outlook.pst lives. I keep mine on another drive D, but only because it makes backing up easier.
- When you have set the name, click OK & another dialogue box will open. In the Name box type the folder name you want to see in Outlook. You might want it to be the same as the filename you typed, but it doesn't have to be. Decide if you want to password protect or not & OK.
- In the Data Files tab you should see your new folder & it's file name. Click Close on the account Settings box & you should see your new data folder in the LH pane of Outlook.
- You can now start dragging emails into this new folder & they will move out of your Outlook.pst into the new one. You can create subfolders in your new folder if you wish to organise things that way.
Don't forget you now need to backup these new .pst files as well as the outlook.pst file.
Guys,
Have followed the instruction, created a new PST data file named Outlook2.pst to act as an additional personal file. I then moved one of my large folder clusters from my main personal file into the new one. It took ages to move but resides under the new personal file.
When I check my folder where they are stored to see the impact of moving this folder group I have 5GB under the new PST but the old PST still remains at just under 20GB where it was before I moved the folder cluster.
Any ideas. I was expecting my main PST to be down to 14gb given I have moved the 5GB archive folder
Have followed the instruction, created a new PST data file named Outlook2.pst to act as an additional personal file. I then moved one of my large folder clusters from my main personal file into the new one. It took ages to move but resides under the new personal file.
When I check my folder where they are stored to see the impact of moving this folder group I have 5GB under the new PST but the old PST still remains at just under 20GB where it was before I moved the folder cluster.
Any ideas. I was expecting my main PST to be down to 14gb given I have moved the 5GB archive folder
You need to Compact the pst file, they do not reduce by themselves.
Should be somewhere under pst settings.
As above though I would seriously make sure your pst files are backed up at the least. Preferably extract the business info and store it on a backed up server. In 18 years, it would scare you the number of corrupt pst files I have seen and dealt with.
Should be somewhere under pst settings.
As above though I would seriously make sure your pst files are backed up at the least. Preferably extract the business info and store it on a backed up server. In 18 years, it would scare you the number of corrupt pst files I have seen and dealt with.
The_Jackal said:
You need to Compact the pst file, they do not reduce by themselves.
Should be somewhere under pst settings.
As above though I would seriously make sure your pst files are backed up at the least. Preferably extract the business info and store it on a backed up server. In 18 years, it would scare you the number of corrupt pst files I have seen and dealt with.
Cheers Jackal.Should be somewhere under pst settings.
As above though I would seriously make sure your pst files are backed up at the least. Preferably extract the business info and store it on a backed up server. In 18 years, it would scare you the number of corrupt pst files I have seen and dealt with.
Just found the option within the individual settings on that main PST file. I shall finish my work day and compact it as no doubt it will take a while!
I do bakcup periodically as I have also heard some horror stories about corrupt PSTs!
I forgot about the compacting. You need to do the .ost file, not just the new .pst files:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289987
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289987
I had the same problem even though I deleted emails regularly. It wouldn't let me delete emails when I reached the limit. In the end I opened an Outlook.com account and imported all the old emails. Now I can access my email from anywhere though I had to do a bit of jiggery pokery to receive emails instantly rather than wait for the default 30 minutes poll which is ridiculous. (this was a rushed post)
Well my main file and archive file are both compacted saving a total of about 6GB. Took a while....
Leaves me one final question, in the my data file folder I have a file - Oulook.bak at nearly 20GB which I presume is a direct backup of the previous Outlook.pst file pre-compact.
Am I ok to delete this file? Will Outlook create an auto backup at some point? This file was last modified 23/01.
Just to add I do manually backup my PST's to an external HDD
Leaves me one final question, in the my data file folder I have a file - Oulook.bak at nearly 20GB which I presume is a direct backup of the previous Outlook.pst file pre-compact.
Am I ok to delete this file? Will Outlook create an auto backup at some point? This file was last modified 23/01.
Just to add I do manually backup my PST's to an external HDD
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff