Archive folders and reduce size - question

[USC Trojan]

I am using Outlook 2007 with the latest patches/SP applied, on Win XP
Pro also with the latest patches applies.

I am connecting to Exchange Server 2007, presumably with the latest
patches applied because we just got migrated from Exchange 2003 to
2007 (last month).

For the past year I have been manually moving messages from my
Exchange mailbox to a local pst file where I recreated the folder
structure which exists on my Exchange mailbox. This was my way of
keeping the Exchange folder size in control as well as knowingly
moving messages.

I chose this option as opposed to auto or manual archiving because
there are certain folders ("HR" for example) where I would like to
keep all messages on my Exchange mailbox so that it is available from
the web any time.

The problem I have now is that my local pst folder is 2.6GB and very
soon, I am afraid Windows wil not be able to support the file size.

So, I would like to keep monthly copies of my mails in separate PST
files, keeping the folder structure intact. Then I could create Saved
Search folders to go across the multiple files in order to search
across those files.

What is the best option for me to get appropriate messages out of my
pst and Exchange folders into time-bound pst files?

I have tried doing a search for a certain timeframe but I cannot limit
the search to a certain mail file without restarting Outlook, which is
quite painful.

I could try exporting from my pst file with date filters, but I am not
sure what would happen if I export from pst for a certain timeframe
and then export from Exchange folder with the same timeframe into the
same file.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[DL]

Outlook 2007 has a pst size availability of +20gb
Why not simply set the archive options on the pst set?

 

[USC Trojan]

I could do that and get the bulk of my emails to the Archive pst. (Is
an archive PST any different from a non-archive pst?)

The problem I foresee, which may not be a problem, is if I have some
emails in my Exchange folder which I want to move to one of the
archive folders, would it be as easy as archiving them? Or can I just
drag and drop them?

Also, I just ran an archive on my pst file for items older than
4/1/2008 and it did not move items dated 3/31/2008 but created the
relevant folders. What gives?

-Thanks in advance!

 

[DL]

You can set archive options on the pst only
An Archive pst is the same as any other pst, only the name is different
Archive only works on modified date, when you move a msg to another folder
the modified date is changed to the move date
You can drag & drop msgs between folders or pst's

I could do that and get the bulk of my emails to the Archive pst. (Is
an archive PST any different from a non-archive pst?)

The problem I foresee, which may not be a problem, is if I have some
emails in my Exchange folder which I want to move to one of the
archive folders, would it be as easy as archiving them? Or can I just
drag and drop them?

Also, I just ran an archive on my pst file for items older than
4/1/2008 and it did not move items dated 3/31/2008 but created the
relevant folders. What gives?

-Thanks in advance!