Moving Outlook PST - for Hotmail

[Homer J. Simpson]

Hi all,

For years now I've been moving my Outlook .PST file from its default under
C:\Docs and Settings\[profile]\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook to a custom "PSTs" folder under My Documents, which
itself has been moved to a secondary drive, so if I need to reinstall the OS
on a short notice I can just blow away the C: drive and reinstall without
having to go through the hassle of backing up anything first--this scheme
has been working fine for me for years.

Typically, on a new system/new OS install, I install Outlook, then my
brute-force approach is to delete the (empty) default .PST file Outlook
created under C:\Docs and Settings, re-launch Outlook, which then complains
about the missing .PST and brings up a file selection dialog box, which I
then point to the My Documents\PSTs folder--I've brought this same .PST file
from one PC to the next over the years in this fashion without any issue.

Outlook 2003 doesn't seem to like me doing this for Hotmail accounts.

In Outlook, I add the Hotmail account (like any other), it creates a file
named "MyProfileHotmail-00000005.pst" under C:\Docs and
Settings\[profile]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook, then I
let it sync with my Hotmail account. The file currently grows to roughly
34MB. I then shut down Outlook, move this 34MB PST file to My
Documents\PSTs, re-open Outlook, it complains about the missing file, and I
point it to the one on My Documents. So far everything works as normal.

However if I then click on the Hotmail entry in the tree, and I just get a
message saying "The set of folders could not be opened". It seems to
completely ignore the content of the file I pointed it to. My only option
at this ponit is to shut down Outlook, move the .PST file back in its
original location, re-open Outlook and point it back again to C:\Docs and
Settings\[etc]. In fact, if I try a couple of times, I can end up with a
couple of "Hotmail" entries in the main Outlook tree at the top level, with
none of them working (except for one). Once in the tree, I can't get rid of
them.

Thoughts?

 

[Rock]

Hi all,

For years now I've been moving my Outlook .PST file from its default under
C:\Docs and Settings\[profile]\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook to a custom "PSTs" folder under My Documents, which
itself has been moved to a secondary drive, so if I need to reinstall the
OS on a short notice I can just blow away the C: drive and reinstall
without having to go through the hassle of backing up anything first--this
scheme has been working fine for me for years.

Typically, on a new system/new OS install, I install Outlook, then my
brute-force approach is to delete the (empty) default .PST file Outlook
created under C:\Docs and Settings, re-launch Outlook, which then
complains about the missing .PST and brings up a file selection dialog
box, which I then point to the My Documents\PSTs folder--I've brought this
same .PST file from one PC to the next over the years in this fashion
without any issue.

Outlook 2003 doesn't seem to like me doing this for Hotmail accounts.

In Outlook, I add the Hotmail account (like any other), it creates a file
named "MyProfileHotmail-00000005.pst" under C:\Docs and
Settings\[profile]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook, then
I let it sync with my Hotmail account. The file currently grows to
roughly 34MB. I then shut down Outlook, move this 34MB PST file to My
Documents\PSTs, re-open Outlook, it complains about the missing file, and
I point it to the one on My Documents. So far everything works as normal.

However if I then click on the Hotmail entry in the tree, and I just get a
message saying "The set of folders could not be opened". It seems to
completely ignore the content of the file I pointed it to. My only option
at this ponit is to shut down Outlook, move the .PST file back in its
original location, re-open Outlook and point it back again to C:\Docs and
Settings\[etc]. In fact, if I try a couple of times, I can end up with a
couple of "Hotmail" entries in the main Outlook tree at the top level,
with none of them working (except for one). Once in the tree, I can't get
rid of them.

I suggest you post to one of the Outlook newsgroups under
microsoft.public.outlook

 

[DL]

You have corrupted your Profile.
Create a new one and add your pst's; all via the Mail Applet in the control
panel
(With OL closed)

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

You have corrupted your Profile.

Create a new one and add your pst's; all via the Mail Applet in the
control
panel
(With OL closed)

Same thing.

- I removed the profile
- I create a new one
- I add Hotmail as the only account
- Outlook creates the Hotmail PST file under C:\Docs and Settings
- I shut down Outlook
- I move the PST to My Documents\PSTs
- I restart Outlook
- Outlook complains about the missing file; I point it back again to My
Documents\PSTs
- I let Outlook resync with my Hotmail mailbox
- The Hotmail PST file under My Documents\PSTs doesn't change
- Meanwhile, the system automatically recreated another .PST file under
C:\Docs and Settings, and it has grown to 34MB (matching the size as it did
before after a resync).

That's the gist of my original question. I'm trying to get Outlook to put
my Hotmail PST file under My Documents\PSTs, and leave the whole C: drive
alone...

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

I suggest you post to one of the Outlook newsgroups under

microsoft.public.outlook

Thanks...I've done just that, and gone into a little more detail on my
setup. I guess I've posted this here out of habit. But you're right, it's
more of an Outlook issue than XP.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

Actually I've asked the same question again in microsoft.public.outlook, as
'Rock' above suggested. It would probably make more sense to follow up in
that newsgroup, if you have any interest.

 

[Rock]

Thanks...I've done just that, and gone into a little more detail on my
setup. I guess I've posted this here out of habit. But you're right,
it's more of an Outlook issue than XP.

Ok, good luck.