change path to new .pst without user interaction

[Yuri NLD]

Hi,

This is my situation.
More than 50 users using an PST file on Outlook2007 as a pop3 client.
Now I have to change the location of the PST file.
If you do this you get a Personal Folders message when you start Outlook for
the first time: "The path specified for the file ....PST is not valid"
Normally you browse to the new location and everything is fine.

In my situation I know that the helpdesk will be busy to support alot of
users who ring the helpdesk at the above message.
Therefore I would like to change this location automatically without user
interaction.
Does anyone know how to accomplish this?


I've tried the following already without success:

GPO setting at
\UsrConf\Adminitempl\msoffice2007outlook\miscellaneous\pstsettings
Only this setting affect only new PST's. So in the above situation. When
outlook can't find the moved PST, it creates a new blank pst in de GPO's
location. So I need this for the future users, but it doesn't solve my
question.


Registery key hk_cu\softw\microsoft\off\12.0\outlook\ForcePSTPath
But this didn't work.
(tried String Value and an Expandable String Value)



If you need more information let me know.

Best regards,
Yuri

 

[Roady [MVP]]

It will be hard to do this without any 3rd party tools (if there are any for
this situation) or some custom scripting.
The location of the pst-files are kept in the registry in a REG_BINARY which
doesn't allow itself to be easily retrieved (as you'll need to look up some
other references first) and read so let alone edited.

If you want to go "massive attack" on it with your favorite scripting
language, then just iterate through all the registry keys you'll find in;
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Messaging Subsystem\Profiles
And then modify key-name: 001f6700
Set its value to the new path but with its original pst-name.

 

[Yuri NLD]

Hi Robert,

Thank you for participating.

I found the “massive attack†001f6700 key and noticed the current location.

Unfortunately I do not have the knowledge about binary codes to change that
into the new location.
Since I have to check the name of all .PST files, this looks like a
tremendous job.
Also the location of the .PST can be different between departments. :-(

In this case it cost less time to help the users through helpdesk incidents.

Thanks again.
Cheers,
Yuri