Move Hotmail PST file

[Arley Barros Leal]

Hi there,

On my quest to free some space on my C:\ drive I came with the idea to move
my gigs sized hotmail psf file away to my d: drive. Digging around I found
that moving the hotmail pst file is not supported on outlook 2007, not at
least using the data file mgmt options as on earlier versions.

But hey, dispite not being supported, yet, I found a simply way to do it:
1. Close your outlook;
2. Move the pst file (on vista at:
C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook) to wherever you want;
3. Go back to the original pst file location and create a hardling using
mklink, eg:
mklink <original_pst_file_name> <new_pst_file_fullpath>

That's it, it should be enough. You can even rename the pst file to any new
name, like simply hotmail.pst as long as you create the hardling using the
original pst file name.

Hope this help....til next service pack fills my c:\ again

Cheers,
Arley

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Are you using the outlook connector or HTTP? (The connector uses an OST).
Note that it only works until something happens and it makes a new file
named original_file_name1.

BTW - are you deleting all the older update files, temp files, and restore
points? They take up more space than my msn ost.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

 

[Arley Barros Leal]

Hi Diane,

I'm not using the connector, I guess my old hotmail account still allows me
to connect directly.

Anyway, the .pst was the only huge file on my setup, but I guess you can
easily create hardlinks to any file that outlooks creates and then move to a
differente location. Another strategie would be to create a hardlink to the
whole "C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook" directory instead on
each file, haven't test this yet, but I bet it would work ok.

Cheers,
Arley

Are you using the outlook connector or HTTP? (The connector uses an OST).
Note that it only works until something happens and it makes a new file
named original_file_name1.

BTW - are you deleting all the older update files, temp files, and
restore points? They take up more space than my msn ost.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Hi there,

On my quest to free some space on my C:\ drive I came with the idea to
move my gigs sized hotmail psf file away to my d: drive. Digging around I
found that moving the hotmail pst file is not supported on outlook 2007,
not at least using the data file mgmt options as on earlier versions.

But hey, dispite not being supported, yet, I found a simply way to do it:
1. Close your outlook;
2. Move the pst file (on vista at:
C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook) to wherever you want;
3. Go back to the original pst file location and create a hardling using
mklink, eg:
mklink <original_pst_file_name> <new_pst_file_fullpath>

That's it, it should be enough. You can even rename the pst file to any
new name, like simply hotmail.pst as long as you create the hardling
using the original pst file name.

Hope this help....til next service pack fills my c:\ again

Cheers,
Arley

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I'm not using the connector, I guess my old hotmail account still allows me
to connect directly.

It won't be long, I believe, until that stops working. Microsoft has been
going through even the old accounts and eliminating the WebDAV protocol
acceptance.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

HTTP support is ending in Sept for everyone, I think - they are sending out
email about it. It is possible to move HTTP pst files without repointing:
http://www.slipstick.com/config/moveimap.asp

Repointing folders and files will usually work ok, as long as there is no
corruption that causes windows to lose the link or outlook to rebuild the
account and recreate the files with new names. It's not something I would
recommend for most people because the pointer leaves a file that looks real
but is 0 KB. If they forget they did it, it can cause a lot of unnecessary
troubleshooting. (And yes, people forget all the time.)

FWIW, this does not work with the connector but repointing the entire folder
might.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Hi Diane,

I'm not using the connector, I guess my old hotmail account still allows
me to connect directly.

Anyway, the .pst was the only huge file on my setup, but I guess you can
easily create hardlinks to any file that outlooks creates and then move to
a differente location. Another strategie would be to create a hardlink to
the whole "C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook" directory
instead on each file, haven't test this yet, but I bet it would work ok.

Cheers,
Arley

Are you using the outlook connector or HTTP? (The connector uses an OST).
Note that it only works until something happens and it makes a new file
named original_file_name1.

BTW - are you deleting all the older update files, temp files, and
restore points? They take up more space than my msn ost.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Hi there,

On my quest to free some space on my C:\ drive I came with the idea to
move my gigs sized hotmail psf file away to my d: drive. Digging around
I found that moving the hotmail pst file is not supported on outlook
2007, not at least using the data file mgmt options as on earlier
versions.

But hey, dispite not being supported, yet, I found a simply way to do
it:
1. Close your outlook;
2. Move the pst file (on vista at:
C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook) to wherever you want;
3. Go back to the original pst file location and create a hardling
using mklink, eg:
mklink <original_pst_file_name> <new_pst_file_fullpath>

That's it, it should be enough. You can even rename the pst file to any
new name, like simply hotmail.pst as long as you create the hardling
using the original pst file name.

Hope this help....til next service pack fills my c:\ again

Cheers,
Arley

 

[Arley Barros Leal]

Hey Diane,

Moving the hotmail pst is not supported, at least I've tried w/o success.
Outlook 2007 simply creates a new one and does not ask for a new location.

I wouldn't recommend also, but, if you're in short storage space on the
system drive this is definitly a good shot.

Cheers,
Arley

HTTP support is ending in Sept for everyone, I think - they are sending
out email about it. It is possible to move HTTP pst files without
repointing: http://www.slipstick.com/config/moveimap.asp

Repointing folders and files will usually work ok, as long as there is no
corruption that causes windows to lose the link or outlook to rebuild the
account and recreate the files with new names. It's not something I would
recommend for most people because the pointer leaves a file that looks
real but is 0 KB. If they forget they did it, it can cause a lot of
unnecessary troubleshooting. (And yes, people forget all the time.)

FWIW, this does not work with the connector but repointing the entire
folder might.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Hi Diane,

I'm not using the connector, I guess my old hotmail account still allows
me to connect directly.

Anyway, the .pst was the only huge file on my setup, but I guess you can
easily create hardlinks to any file that outlooks creates and then move
to a differente location. Another strategie would be to create a hardlink
to the whole "C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook" directory
instead on each file, haven't test this yet, but I bet it would work ok.

Cheers,
Arley

Are you using the outlook connector or HTTP? (The connector uses an
OST). Note that it only works until something happens and it makes a new
file named original_file_name1.

BTW - are you deleting all the older update files, temp files, and
restore points? They take up more space than my msn ost.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Hi there,

On my quest to free some space on my C:\ drive I came with the idea to
move my gigs sized hotmail psf file away to my d: drive. Digging around
I found that moving the hotmail pst file is not supported on outlook
2007, not at least using the data file mgmt options as on earlier
versions.

But hey, dispite not being supported, yet, I found a simply way to do
it:
1. Close your outlook;
2. Move the pst file (on vista at:
C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook) to wherever you want;
3. Go back to the original pst file location and create a hardling
using mklink, eg:
mklink <original_pst_file_name> <new_pst_file_fullpath>

That's it, it should be enough. You can even rename the pst file to any
new name, like simply hotmail.pst as long as you create the hardling
using the original pst file name.

Hope this help....til next service pack fills my c:\ again

Cheers,
Arley

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

You followed the exact steps in the article? It moved just fine for me when
I tested it. I don't know how stable it was as I only used it about 2 days
before removing it as I prefer the outlook connector but in the past, they
often reverted to the original location after a few weeks.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Hey Diane,

Moving the hotmail pst is not supported, at least I've tried w/o success.
Outlook 2007 simply creates a new one and does not ask for a new location.

I wouldn't recommend also, but, if you're in short storage space on the
system drive this is definitly a good shot.

Cheers,
Arley

HTTP support is ending in Sept for everyone, I think - they are sending
out email about it. It is possible to move HTTP pst files without
repointing: http://www.slipstick.com/config/moveimap.asp

Repointing folders and files will usually work ok, as long as there is no
corruption that causes windows to lose the link or outlook to rebuild the
account and recreate the files with new names. It's not something I would
recommend for most people because the pointer leaves a file that looks
real but is 0 KB. If they forget they did it, it can cause a lot of
unnecessary troubleshooting. (And yes, people forget all the time.)

FWIW, this does not work with the connector but repointing the entire
folder might.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Hi Diane,

I'm not using the connector, I guess my old hotmail account still allows
me to connect directly.

Anyway, the .pst was the only huge file on my setup, but I guess you can
easily create hardlinks to any file that outlooks creates and then move
to a differente location. Another strategie would be to create a
hardlink to the whole "C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook"
directory instead on each file, haven't test this yet, but I bet it
would work ok.

Cheers,
Arley

Are you using the outlook connector or HTTP? (The connector uses an
OST). Note that it only works until something happens and it makes a
new file named original_file_name1.

BTW - are you deleting all the older update files, temp files, and
restore points? They take up more space than my msn ost.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

Let's Really Fix Outlook 2010
http://forums.slipstick.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

Hi there,

On my quest to free some space on my C:\ drive I came with the idea to
move my gigs sized hotmail psf file away to my d: drive. Digging
around I found that moving the hotmail pst file is not supported on
outlook 2007, not at least using the data file mgmt options as on
earlier versions.

But hey, dispite not being supported, yet, I found a simply way to do
it:
1. Close your outlook;
2. Move the pst file (on vista at:
C:\Users\?????\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook) to wherever you want;
3. Go back to the original pst file location and create a hardling
using mklink, eg:
mklink <original_pst_file_name> <new_pst_file_fullpath>

That's it, it should be enough. You can even rename the pst file to
any new name, like simply hotmail.pst as long as you create the
hardling using the original pst file name.

Hope this help....til next service pack fills my c:\ again

Cheers,
Arley