First of all, Outlook Connector is a wonderful addition to the office suite
and I found it to be a very useful way to upgrade my hotmail experience (and
for free!) However, one thing that is a real PITA with outlook connector is
the program's stubborn usage, and lack of flexibility, with OST (offline mail
account storage) files. It's a bit of a mixed bag re: OC recreating this
file with every new install or migration of outlook. The good news: no need
to backup the .ost file (don’t waste your time anyway, because connector will
never recognize a file that a particular installation did not create, i.e.:
un-migratable) as one would do for a .pst (personal folders file) to transfer
over to a new installation or another computer. The bad news: this
un-backupable file has a location that can be at best inconvenient and at
worst downright unworkable. As far as I can see, there is no justification
for not providing a way to relocate OC’s .ost file for use with hotmail. In
my case, I bought a netbook with a meager 4gb SSD (hey, it was cheap). After
the windows installation and installing NO other programs on C: I have
exactly 200 or so megabytes free. With 500MB of emails in my hotmail
account, using connector (even just downloading headers, not full messages)
simply grinds my OS to a halt-unnecessarily. This is more than an
inconvenience, and there is really no justifiable reason for outlook
connector to place an unwieldy-sized file in the default user directory while
offering NO options to change the default location. Just my 2¢, but this is
really something that the Microsoft Outlook Connector team should seriously
consider in the next revision (or just post a registry hack, how hard can
this be-for chrissakes). It should be VERY easy to point the connector to a
different .ost file location without affecting functionality in any way.
Thanks!

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...utlook.general

"AWalla" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2D1796A1-A9ED-4253-A220-(E-Mail Removed)...

> It's a bit of a mixed bag re: OC recreating this
> file with every new install or migration of outlook. The good news: no need
> to backup the .ost file (don’t waste your time anyway, because connector
> will
> never recognize a file that a particular installation did not create, i.e.:
> un-migratable) as one would do for a .pst (personal folders file) to
> transfer
> over to a new installation or another computer. The bad news: this
> un-backupable file has a location that can be at best inconvenient and at
> worst downright unworkable. As far as I can see, there is no justification
> for not providing a way to relocate OC’s .ost file for use with hotmail.

You don't need to back it up, so who cares if it's "unbackupable"?

> In my case, I bought a netbook with a meager 4gb SSD (hey, it was cheap).
> After
> the windows installation and installing NO other programs on C: I have
> exactly 200 or so megabytes free.

Seems you undersized your netbook.

> With 500MB of emails in my hotmail
> account, using connector (even just downloading headers, not full messages)
> simply grinds my OS to a halt-unnecessarily. This is more than an
> inconvenience, and there is really no justifiable reason for outlook
> connector to place an unwieldy-sized file in the default user directory
> while
> offering NO options to change the default location. Just my 2¢, but this is
> really something that the Microsoft Outlook Connector team should seriously
> consider in the next revision (or just post a registry hack, how hard can
> this be-for chrissakes). It should be VERY easy to point the connector to a
> different .ost file location without affecting functionality in any way.

I'm going to play around with moving when I get the chance.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

"Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:


> You don't need to back it up, so who cares if it's "unbackupable"?

Right, except it takes a month of sundays to download an entire hotmail
account over and over on different computers. but it is nice that it gets
recreated w/out having to worry about backing up

>
> > In my case, I bought a netbook with a meager 4gb SSD (hey, it was cheap).
> > After
> > the windows installation and installing NO other programs on C: I have
> > exactly 200 or so megabytes free.
>
> Seems you undersized your netbook.
>
LOL...more like undersized my pocketbook! donations for a larger SSD anyone?

It should be VERY easy to point the connector to a
> > different .ost file location without affecting functionality in any way.
>
> I'm going to play around with moving when I get the chance.
> --
> Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]
>
Thanks Brian, pls. let me know what you find,would love to relocate this file.

"AWalla" wrote:
> It should be VERY easy to point the connector to a
> > > different .ost file location without affecting functionality in any way.
> >
> > I'm going to play around with moving when I get the chance.
> > --
> > Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]
> >
> Thanks Brian, pls. let me know what you find,would love to relocate this file.

Hi Brian,

I totally agree with all those calling for releasing PC users from their
..Hotmail Outlook Connector file hostage situation. Please give us the right
to relocate this file!

AWalla's situation with his tiny SSD might be atypical, but it is *very*
usual for almost all sophisticated PC users to locate their data on one or
more distinctly different partitions/drives to their OS. I won't go into the
numerous good reasons for doing this, they are many and varied and almost
always reasonable (if we wanted locked down systems, Microsoft, we would all
go out an buy Macs!). Even though the .ost should not be backed up, it is
still a data file and a frequently changing one at that, and for some of us
that means it has no right to be spinning away on the system partition/drive.

Brian, please allow Microsoft's users the flexibility and freedom to
configure their PCs the way *they* (not Microsoft) see best!

Geoffrey Jones

"Geoffrey" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:367E5CC6-90EB-47FF-8E87-(E-Mail Removed)...

> I totally agree with all those calling for releasing PC users from their
> .Hotmail Outlook Connector file hostage situation. Please give us the right
> to relocate this file!

Well, I can't give anyone the "right" to do anything in Outlook. I'm just a
user like everyone else. I have no way to alter Outlook's behavior.

> Brian, please allow Microsoft's users the flexibility and freedom to
> configure their PCs the way *they* (not Microsoft) see best!

So talk to Microsoft.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

Has Microsoft STILL not changed this? Today is 4/18/2010 and i'm in that very
same bind. Unfortunately, it is with a full blow workstation i chose to
partition the OS hard drive small (60 gigs) to avoid fragmentation of the OS
partition. Well, ITS FULL due to Outlook Connector. Since I cannot archive my
PST (OST) like my other accounts, i have no means for shrinking this file.

Is there no workaround for this? I really don't look forward to reinstalling
my OS so i can gain space enough to accomodate my OC.

I do find OC to be VERY nice to have, though.


"AWalla" wrote:

> First of all, Outlook Connector is a wonderful addition to the office suite
> and I found it to be a very useful way to upgrade my hotmail experience (and
> for free!) However, one thing that is a real PITA with outlook connector is
> the program's stubborn usage, and lack of flexibility, with OST (offline mail
> account storage) files. It's a bit of a mixed bag re: OC recreating this
> file with every new install or migration of outlook. The good news: no need
> to backup the .ost file (don’t waste your time anyway, because connector will
> never recognize a file that a particular installation did not create, i.e.:
> un-migratable) as one would do for a .pst (personal folders file) to transfer
> over to a new installation or another computer. The bad news: this
> un-backupable file has a location that can be at best inconvenient and at
> worst downright unworkable. As far as I can see, there is no justification
> for not providing a way to relocate OC’s .ost file for use with hotmail. In
> my case, I bought a netbook with a meager 4gb SSD (hey, it was cheap). After
> the windows installation and installing NO other programs on C: I have
> exactly 200 or so megabytes free. With 500MB of emails in my hotmail
> account, using connector (even just downloading headers, not full messages)
> simply grinds my OS to a halt-unnecessarily. This is more than an
> inconvenience, and there is really no justifiable reason for outlook
> connector to place an unwieldy-sized file in the default user directory while
> offering NO options to change the default location. Just my 2¢, but this is
> really something that the Microsoft Outlook Connector team should seriously
> consider in the next revision (or just post a registry hack, how hard can
> this be-for chrissakes). It should be VERY easy to point the connector to a
> different .ost file location without affecting functionality in any way.
> Thanks!
>
> ----------------
> This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
> suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
> Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
> link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
> click "I Agree" in the message pane.
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...utlook.general

You can non-destructively repartition your drive but...your Outlook
Connector OST file is 45+ GB in size?!?

--
-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr, MVP
Roland Schorr & Tower
http://www.rolandschorr.com
http://www.officeforlawyers.com/outlook.htm
Author: The Lawyer's Guide to Microsoft Outlook 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/ol4law-amazon

"Scott Anderson Regitz" <Scott Anderson (E-Mail Removed)>
wrote in message news:C906C47A-0712-43E5-9479-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Has Microsoft STILL not changed this? Today is 4/18/2010 and i'm in that
> very
> same bind. Unfortunately, it is with a full blow workstation i chose to
> partition the OS hard drive small (60 gigs) to avoid fragmentation of the
> OS
> partition. Well, ITS FULL due to Outlook Connector. Since I cannot archive
> my
> PST (OST) like my other accounts, i have no means for shrinking this file.
>
> Is there no workaround for this? I really don't look forward to
> reinstalling
> my OS so i can gain space enough to accomodate my OC.
>
> I do find OC to be VERY nice to have, though.
>
>
> "AWalla" wrote:
>
>> First of all, Outlook Connector is a wonderful addition to the office
>> suite
>> and I found it to be a very useful way to upgrade my hotmail experience
>> (and
>> for free!) However, one thing that is a real PITA with outlook connector
>> is
>> the program's stubborn usage, and lack of flexibility, with OST (offline
>> mail
>> account storage) files. It's a bit of a mixed bag re: OC recreating this
>> file with every new install or migration of outlook. The good news: no
>> need
>> to backup the .ost file (don’t waste your time anyway, because connector
>> will
>> never recognize a file that a particular installation did not create,
>> i.e.:
>> un-migratable) as one would do for a .pst (personal folders file) to
>> transfer
>> over to a new installation or another computer. The bad news: this
>> un-backupable file has a location that can be at best inconvenient and at
>> worst downright unworkable. As far as I can see, there is no
>> justification
>> for not providing a way to relocate OC’s .ost file for use with hotmail.
>> In
>> my case, I bought a netbook with a meager 4gb SSD (hey, it was cheap).
>> After
>> the windows installation and installing NO other programs on C: I have
>> exactly 200 or so megabytes free. With 500MB of emails in my hotmail
>> account, using connector (even just downloading headers, not full
>> messages)
>> simply grinds my OS to a halt-unnecessarily. This is more than an
>> inconvenience, and there is really no justifiable reason for outlook
>> connector to place an unwieldy-sized file in the default user directory
>> while
>> offering NO options to change the default location. Just my 2¢, but this
>> is
>> really something that the Microsoft Outlook Connector team should
>> seriously
>> consider in the next revision (or just post a registry hack, how hard can
>> this be-for chrissakes). It should be VERY easy to point the connector
>> to a
>> different .ost file location without affecting functionality in any way.
>> Thanks!
>>
>> ----------------
>> This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
>> suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the
>> "I
>> Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow
>> this
>> link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and
>> then
>> click "I Agree" in the message pane.
>>
>> http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...utlook.general

[OrangeJuiceCup]

AWalla, I want to tell you how much your healthily worded post of 13-04-2009 encouraged me. Even when things are not working out the way we would have it, it's nice to know that we can still remain positive and hopeful! GBU!

[sanjaythom]

How to import an OST file in Outlook
software convert OST data into PST file format comfortably with all Items like OST emails, journals, calendar, notes, tasks, contacts, attachments etc. More information visits us:- http://www.osttopstconverter.co.uk

[mikeminasi12]

To perform successful OST to PST corruption to make the unusable OST data accessible. When OST file corrupts, all the offline data containing emails, contacts, schedules, tasks and other elements become absolutely inaccessible causing a great barrier for email communication. http://www.restoreexchange.com/