OL97 PST unusable now

[Adam]

Hi All,

In my work email I have setup another pst file, which has the folders
inbox & sent items. A rule then copies whatever I sent and receive into
the relevent .pst folder.

Problem is this .pst has got so big that it can't take anymore (its hit
its 2gig limit).

I've deleted some emails and folders I had setup under the inbox and
there now sitting in the Deleted items.

However when I try to empty the delete items it says "Outlook cannot
access D:\Backup" <-- location and name of my pst file.

Anyone know how I can fix this pst file? I want to delete some emails
out of it so I can view historical emails however its not letting me !!

Many Thanks
Adam

 

[Brian Tillman]

Problem is this .pst has got so big that it can't take anymore (its
hit its 2gig limit).

I've deleted some emails and folders I had setup under the inbox and
there now sitting in the Deleted items.

However when I try to empty the delete items it says "Outlook cannot
access D:\Backup" <-- location and name of my pst file.

Try deleting some things using Shift-Delete (permanent delete) and then
compacting the PST.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

Hi All,

In my work email I have setup another pst file, which has the folders
inbox & sent items. A rule then copies whatever I sent and receive
into the relevent .pst folder.

Problem is this .pst has got so big that it can't take anymore (its
hit its 2gig limit).

I've deleted some emails and folders I had setup under the inbox and
there now sitting in the Deleted items.

However when I try to empty the delete items it says "Outlook cannot
access D:\Backup" <-- location and name of my pst file.

Anyone know how I can fix this pst file? I want to delete some emails
out of it so I can view historical emails however its not letting me
!!

Many Thanks
Adam

If you hit the 2GB limit (which you will likely hit closer to 1.5 - 1.8GB),
you need to run this:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];Q296088

Note - you will absolutely lose some data, but should make a backup copy of
your PST file first anyway.

Also note: you are using an archaic version of Outlook. Your company needs
to upgrade you, and likely everyone else, to OL2003. Then, you can create a
new, Unicode format PST file, which doesn't have the 2GB limit.

That said - your company needs to ensure it is making nightly backups of
*all* critical data anyway.

 

[Adam]

I agree that its archaic and they need to upgrade, but its not so easy
when you work for a massive corporate manufacturer.

I will be getting Office XP in a months time, about time !! I've been
having to use Office 97 for about 2 years now, whilst having the
lastest versions on my home pc : (

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

I agree that its archaic and they need to upgrade, but its not so easy
when you work for a massive corporate manufacturer.

I will be getting Office XP in a months time, about time !! I've been
having to use Office 97 for about 2 years now, whilst having the
lastest versions on my home pc : (

OL97 was very buggy even at release - this is why MS released a free update
(OL98) for a long time. They could've upgraded you then for nothing.

Why aren't they going straight to Office 2003, rather than XP? This seems
silly, and it won't help you out much as the 2GB limit isn't lifted in
OLXP - only new PST files created in OL2003 are Unicode and can support much
larger file sizes - and you can't read an OL2003 PST file in any older
version of Outlook.

PS: Please don't snip out the entirety of the message to which you are
replying - this thread won't make much sense to anyone who doesn't see the
original(s) on their news server/client.

 

[Adam]

Hi

Sorry if the message is snipped, I'm using Google groups so I presume
that its doing it for me without my knowing.

When they first looked at upgrading, it was when Office XP was the most
up to date software, yes believe it or not!

The upgrade is packaged with Windows XP so they had to make sure that
all of our bespoke company programs work with Windows XP. Not sure they
they don't trust Microsoft, but if I was in a position to grant system
upgrades then I would go for MS 2003 straight away.

We are still using Windows 98 and Office 97 on some systems, which to
me is a pure waste of employee efficiency.

I work as a Data Analyst and have to suffer this in my job, I have
tried upgrading myself however there is so much bureucratic tape that
its a real mission. So I tend to work at home more, where I have
Windows XP Pro and Office 2003 Pro.

No doubt I'm goner encounter such problems again when Office 12 comes
out with Windows Vista. I'm goner love the quick index searches so much
more, that Windows XP and Office 10 are goner be a real drag : (