Four .pst files, only two Outlook Profiles

[sheana]

I have Win XP and Outlook 2003. When I do a search for .pst files on my
computer, I come up with 4 ---- Outlook.pst, Outlook1.pst, Outlook2.pst and
Outlook3.pst. However, I only have 2 profiles - the default Outlook profile
and "Jane".

With the 4 .pst files displayed in the search window, I r-clicked on one of
the files and selected "Open with". I had to browse for the program to open
the .pst file and selected "Outlook.exe". When I tried to open it I got the
following error message:
"Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. The command line argument is not
valid. Verify the switch you are using"


I tried double-clicking the .pst files and get the same error message.


Checking the properties of the two profiles, only Outlook2.pst and
Outlook3.pst are associated with the two Profiles.
Can someone explain why I have 4 .pst files, if I can delete the first 2,
and what the error message means? Thanks in advance.
sheana

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You never open PST files from Windows Explorer. You open them in Outlook.
PST files are not "associated" with Profiles. You can open any PST file in
any profile.
Every time you start to create a new Outlook profile, Outlook will create a
new PST file named "Outlook," and then start numbering them after that. So
you've created these PST files at one time or another.
What are you trying to do and what is your actual question?

 

[DL]

You can only open a pst from within Outlook, hence the err.msg
What size are the unused pst files?

 

[sheana]

Hi,

Size of files are as follows:
Outlook.pst 265 KB

Outlook1.pst 3,975,953 KB

Outlook2.pst 1,166,609 KB

Outlook3.pst 513 KB

Outlook2.pst and Outlook3.pst are associated with profiles, Outlook.pst and
Outlook1.pst are not. It's odd that Outlook1.pst is not associated with a
profile....it's SO large. Is there a way to point Outlook to open it so I
can find out what's in it?

 

[sheana]

I'm practicing backing up and moving Outlook 2003 with all my messages to my
other computer. I'm very familiar with backing up Outlook Express - but
this is no longer suits my needs. I want to do a backup to avoid losing all
my messages.

Secondly, I'm confused as to why I have only 2 profiles and 4 .pst files.
Do I have to save them all? If so, which ones? Is there a way to open and
look at the .pst files that are not associated with any profile?

Thanks in advance.

You never open PST files from Windows Explorer. You open them in Outlook.
PST files are not "associated" with Profiles. You can open any PST file in
any profile.
Every time you start to create a new Outlook profile, Outlook will create
a new PST file named "Outlook," and then start numbering them after that.
So you've created these PST files at one time or another.
What are you trying to do and what is your actual question?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have Win XP and Outlook 2003. When I do a search for .pst files on my
computer, I come up with 4 ---- Outlook.pst, Outlook1.pst, Outlook2.pst
and Outlook3.pst. However, I only have 2 profiles - the default Outlook
profile and "Jane".

With the 4 .pst files displayed in the search window, I r-clicked on one
of the files and selected "Open with". I had to browse for the program to
open the .pst file and selected "Outlook.exe". When I tried to open it I
got the following error message:
"Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. The command line argument is not
valid. Verify the switch you are using"


I tried double-clicking the .pst files and get the same error message.


Checking the properties of the two profiles, only Outlook2.pst and
Outlook3.pst are associated with the two Profiles.
Can someone explain why I have 4 .pst files, if I can delete the first 2,
and what the error message means? Thanks in advance.
sheana

 

[sheana]

Hi,
I'm practicing backing up my Outlook 2003 messages and moving them to my
other computer. I'm very familiar with Outlook Express and how to do that,
but not with Outlook. I don't want to have my hard drive crash and lose all
my information.

Secondly, I'm trying to understand Outlook 2003....why do I have 4 .pst file
and only 2 profiles? Is there a way to open a .pst file not associated with
an Outlook profile? For instance, Outlook1.pst is 3.9KB, but is not
associated with my 2 profiles. Is there a way to open up this file and look
at the contents?

Thanks in advance,
sheana

You never open PST files from Windows Explorer. You open them in Outlook.
PST files are not "associated" with Profiles. You can open any PST file in
any profile.
Every time you start to create a new Outlook profile, Outlook will create
a new PST file named "Outlook," and then start numbering them after that.
So you've created these PST files at one time or another.
What are you trying to do and what is your actual question?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have Win XP and Outlook 2003. When I do a search for .pst files on my
computer, I come up with 4 ---- Outlook.pst, Outlook1.pst, Outlook2.pst
and Outlook3.pst. However, I only have 2 profiles - the default Outlook
profile and "Jane".

With the 4 .pst files displayed in the search window, I r-clicked on one
of the files and selected "Open with". I had to browse for the program to
open the .pst file and selected "Outlook.exe". When I tried to open it I
got the following error message:
"Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. The command line argument is not
valid. Verify the switch you are using"


I tried double-clicking the .pst files and get the same error message.


Checking the properties of the two profiles, only Outlook2.pst and
Outlook3.pst are associated with the two Profiles.
Can someone explain why I have 4 .pst files, if I can delete the first 2,
and what the error message means? Thanks in advance.
sheana

 

[DL]

By default when you first configure Outlook it creates an Outlook.pst, if
you then add another data file it would be outlook1.pst the next would be
outlook2.pst and so on.

Your outlook.pst of 256kb contains no data
the outlook3.pst contains very little are you sure its connected to one of
your Profiles
Within outlook, select properties of Personal Folders, under advanced tab,
file name reveals full path and name
Also within outlook File>Open>Data File.........browse to the pst you want
to open. You will now have a second set of Personal Folders, you can check
whats in them and move/copy mail as desired

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Size of files are as follows:
Outlook.pst 265 KB
Empty.

Outlook3.pst 513 KB

Probably empty.

Outlook2.pst and Outlook3.pst are associated with profiles, Outlook.pst
and Outlook1.pst are not. It's odd that Outlook1.pst is not associated
with a profile....it's SO large. Is there a way to point Outlook to open
it so I can find out what's in it?

If they're associated with profiles, start Outlook with the profile using it
and look.

 

[sheana]

DL, you said "Also within outlook File>Open>Data File.........browse to the
pst you want
to open. You will now have a second set of Personal Folders, you can check
whats in them and move/copy mail as desired"

I opened one of my 2 Outlook profiles, and did File>Open>Data File, browsed
to one of my 4 pst files. Anyway, I ended up with 3 Personal Folders. I'm
starting to understand how Outlook works a little better, but now how do I
get rid of 2 of the 3 Personal Folders I opened up in my default Profile?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

The only PST file you need to back up is the one you are actually using.
Just look at the properties of your root file in Outlook to see which one
that is.
Take a look at these pages for info on Outlook data backup or transfer:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010771141033.aspx

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I'm practicing backing up and moving Outlook 2003 with all my messages to
my other computer. I'm very familiar with backing up Outlook Express -
but this is no longer suits my needs. I want to do a backup to avoid
losing all my messages.

Secondly, I'm confused as to why I have only 2 profiles and 4 .pst files.
Do I have to save them all? If so, which ones? Is there a way to open and
look at the .pst files that are not associated with any profile?

Thanks in advance.

You never open PST files from Windows Explorer. You open them in Outlook.
PST files are not "associated" with Profiles. You can open any PST file
in any profile.
Every time you start to create a new Outlook profile, Outlook will create
a new PST file named "Outlook," and then start numbering them after that.
So you've created these PST files at one time or another.
What are you trying to do and what is your actual question?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have Win XP and Outlook 2003. When I do a search for .pst files on my
computer, I come up with 4 ---- Outlook.pst, Outlook1.pst, Outlook2.pst
and Outlook3.pst. However, I only have 2 profiles - the default Outlook
profile and "Jane".

With the 4 .pst files displayed in the search window, I r-clicked on one
of the files and selected "Open with". I had to browse for the program
to open the .pst file and selected "Outlook.exe". When I tried to open
it I got the following error message:
"Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. The command line argument is not
valid. Verify the switch you are using"


I tried double-clicking the .pst files and get the same error message.


Checking the properties of the two profiles, only Outlook2.pst and
Outlook3.pst are associated with the two Profiles.
Can someone explain why I have 4 .pst files, if I can delete the first
2, and what the error message means? Thanks in advance.
sheana

 

[DL]

On the Personal Folder, rt click >Close
(You cannot close the default set)

 

[sheana]

If I want to delete a pst file, do I just go into Windows Explorer and
delete it, or do I delete it within Outlook. Also, how do I delete a
Profile?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

If I want to delete a pst file, do I just go into Windows Explorer and
delete it, or do I delete it within Outlook. Also, how do I delete a
Profile?

You must first remove it from any mail profile that contains it, make sure
Outlook is closed, and then you can delete it with Explorer.

 

[DL]

You delete the pst in explorer, if you are sure that is what you want to do
The Profile can be deleted via the mail applet in the control panel, or via
the outlook shortcut on the desktop, if you have such.

 

[sheana]

Can you tell me if I have more than one pst file open in Outlook, which one
would the email download to? Does it default to the first Personal Folder,
or is there a way to influence the setting? Thanks in advanced.

sheana

You never open PST files from Windows Explorer. You open them in Outlook.
PST files are not "associated" with Profiles. You can open any PST file in
any profile.
Every time you start to create a new Outlook profile, Outlook will create
a new PST file named "Outlook," and then start numbering them after that.
So you've created these PST files at one time or another.
What are you trying to do and what is your actual question?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have Win XP and Outlook 2003. When I do a search for .pst files on my
computer, I come up with 4 ---- Outlook.pst, Outlook1.pst, Outlook2.pst
and Outlook3.pst. However, I only have 2 profiles - the default Outlook
profile and "Jane".

With the 4 .pst files displayed in the search window, I r-clicked on one
of the files and selected "Open with". I had to browse for the program to
open the .pst file and selected "Outlook.exe". When I tried to open it I
got the following error message:
"Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. The command line argument is not
valid. Verify the switch you are using"


I tried double-clicking the .pst files and get the same error message.


Checking the properties of the two profiles, only Outlook2.pst and
Outlook3.pst are associated with the two Profiles.
Can someone explain why I have 4 .pst files, if I can delete the first 2,
and what the error message means? Thanks in advance.
sheana

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

File > Data File Management... will show you which is default.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Can you tell me if I have more than one pst file open in Outlook, which
one would the email download to? Does it default to the first Personal
Folder, or is there a way to influence the setting? Thanks in advanced.

sheana

You never open PST files from Windows Explorer. You open them in Outlook.
PST files are not "associated" with Profiles. You can open any PST file
in any profile.
Every time you start to create a new Outlook profile, Outlook will create
a new PST file named "Outlook," and then start numbering them after that.
So you've created these PST files at one time or another.
What are you trying to do and what is your actual question?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have Win XP and Outlook 2003. When I do a search for .pst files on my
computer, I come up with 4 ---- Outlook.pst, Outlook1.pst, Outlook2.pst
and Outlook3.pst. However, I only have 2 profiles - the default Outlook
profile and "Jane".

With the 4 .pst files displayed in the search window, I r-clicked on one
of the files and selected "Open with". I had to browse for the program
to open the .pst file and selected "Outlook.exe". When I tried to open
it I got the following error message:
"Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. The command line argument is not
valid. Verify the switch you are using"


I tried double-clicking the .pst files and get the same error message.


Checking the properties of the two profiles, only Outlook2.pst and
Outlook3.pst are associated with the two Profiles.
Can someone explain why I have 4 .pst files, if I can delete the first
2, and what the error message means? Thanks in advance.
sheana

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Can you tell me if I have more than one pst file open in Outlook, which
one would the email download to? Does it default to the first Personal
Folder, or is there a way to influence the setting? Thanks in advanced.

Right-click on the root of the folder tree whose icon is the "Outlook Today"
icon - a little clock/.house/paper combination. Shoose Properties. Click
Advanced. Read the "Filename" field for its location.