Local Settings folder and Outlook data files

[SchoolTech]

We are finding on our network that Outlook by default appears to create
its PST data files in the user's Local Settings folder of their profile
and that this folder is not uploaded as part of the user's roaming
profile back to the server when they log off.

This is a very strange situation because user's PST files contain useful
stuff like calendars and tasks, which, it appears, are not going to roam
with a user when they go to another machine and log on there. Also they
are not going to be backed up to the server from their local machine.

 

[Dave - Dave.net.nz]

We are finding on our network that Outlook by default appears to create
its PST data files in the user's Local Settings folder of their profile
and that this folder is not uploaded as part of the user's roaming
profile back to the server when they log off.

This is a very strange situation because user's PST files contain useful
stuff like calendars and tasks, which, it appears, are not going to roam
with a user when they go to another machine and log on there. Also they
are not going to be backed up to the server from their local machine.

you should be able to make a group policy to fix that one.

 

[AD.]

We are finding on our network that Outlook by default appears to create
its PST data files in the user's Local Settings folder of their profile
and that this folder is not uploaded as part of the user's roaming profile
back to the server when they log off.

This is a very strange situation because user's PST files contain useful
stuff like calendars and tasks, which, it appears, are not going to roam
with a user when they go to another machine and log on there. Also they
are not going to be backed up to the server from their local machine.

Ugghh PST files in roaming profiles. Thats just asking for potential
problems eg very long login times, bogged down networks, and potential
versioning issues.

Bad memories from my NT4 days are flooding back
That was before NT profiles had local sections.

The only real solution is a server based email/calandaring system eg
Exchange, MDaemon or even a web based one. I'm keeping my eye on Hula -
the one Novell open sourced yesterday.

 

[Bok]

We are finding on our network that Outlook by default appears to create
its PST data files in the user's Local Settings folder of their profile
and that this folder is not uploaded as part of the user's roaming
profile back to the server when they log off.

This is a very strange situation because user's PST files contain useful
stuff like calendars and tasks, which, it appears, are not going to roam
with a user when they go to another machine and log on there. Also they
are not going to be backed up to the server from their local machine.

If you want the outlook personal folders to be backed up from the
server, it's best to use folder redirection to locate them in the user's
home directory. It's not a great idea to include Outlook .pst files in a
roaming profile since they can get quite large.

 

[SchoolTech]

Ugghh PST files in roaming profiles. Thats just asking for potential
problems eg very long login times, bogged down networks, and potential
versioning issues.

Bad memories from my NT4 days are flooding back
That was before NT profiles had local sections.

The only real solution is a server based email/calandaring system eg
Exchange, MDaemon or even a web based one. I'm keeping my eye on Hula -
the one Novell open sourced yesterday.

We have a server based solution for mail, consequently the PST generally
only stores calendars and contacts etc. The largest PST file I have seen
to date in a user's profile is 6 MB.

Microsoft seems to have this short sighted approach that being aware of
the problems associated with PST files and roaming profiles, they can
just deal with them by making Outlook dump its PST file in an area that
does not roam.

I have the impression that MS discourages storing PST files in a network
drive, and the Synchronization Manager in XP reports errors when syncing
PST files on a user's network drive.

 

[AD.]

We have a server based solution for mail,

plain old IMAP is it?

consequently the PST generally
only stores calendars and contacts etc. The largest PST file I have seen
to date in a user's profile is 6 MB.

OK that's not so bad.

If you did stick it in a roaming profile though you still could run into
issues if people ever log on in two places simultaneously. But similar
issues would still happen with redirecting folders to network shares.

I imagine there is a group policy setting that will either tell Outlook to
store them somewhere else, or for roaming profiles to exclude/include
certain folders in the roaming profile.

Have you installed the Outlook group policy template?

The only real solution would still be a server based calendar. If you
can't spring for Exchange, there are a few open source web based ones. Not
as integrated, but they might work well enough especially if people need
access offsite.

 

[SchoolTech]

plain old IMAP is it?


OK that's not so bad.

If you did stick it in a roaming profile though you still could run into
issues if people ever log on in two places simultaneously. But similar
issues would still happen with redirecting folders to network shares.

I imagine there is a group policy setting that will either tell Outlook to
store them somewhere else, or for roaming profiles to exclude/include
certain folders in the roaming profile.

Have you installed the Outlook group policy template?

We're not using a Windows server.

 

[AD.]

We're not using a Windows server.

doh, the penny drops, 2 and 2 have gone together. Sorry about that