Outlook 2000 2GB PST file

[boab]

I have a user that has exceeded the 2GB maximum file size.

He ran SCANPST on the file but that doesn't help. I've search the and
found the utility PST2GB that will remove some information from the PST
file to bring it down to the 2GB limit.

I'm now removing 200MB of information from the PST and when I run
SCANPST on the new file it fails with this in the log file.

**Beginning PST/OST recovery

**Attempting to recover all top-level objects

!!Message store missing PR_PST_PASSWORD
!!Message store missing or invalid PR_RECORD_KEY

Fatal Error: 80040116

I've discovered that the fatal error is something to do with a disk
error but the disk appear fine.

Anyone got any suggestions or is the file goosed?

The user stored information regarding projects for the last 5 years in
the PST file and would really like to get most of it back.

Thanks

Robert Aitken

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

You can try removing either less data or a different spot of data.

 

[boab]

I have increased the amount of data from 25MB below the 2G limit to
500MB and scanPST still fails with the same error.

How can I get it to select a different "spot of data"? I thought it
just took the last XMB from the file.

Thanks

Robert

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

OK, you're using the tool. I thought you might be manually ripping data out.
Hmm, let me think about this one

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Try using the tool Microsoft provides specifically to repair 2GB files. See http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[boab]

Manually rip the data. Sound interesting. How do you do that.

Robert

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

with a hex editor. http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm#shrink

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)



Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/

 

[boab]

Thanks Sue. I have the file PST2GB and have run it thru the PST file
several time removing more data each time.

PST2GB runs thru the file but SCNAPST fails with the error given above.

I've downloaded the hex editor and tried to rezise the file down to
just under 2GB but once again SCANPST throws a wobbly when it starts to
read it. The original file is 2111012933bytes long. if I remove a few
characters from the middle of the file will SCANPST repair the file
since it'll still be above the 2GB limit?

Thanks

Robert Aitken

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

ScanPST cannot repair an oversized PST file. You must make the file smaller before ScanPST can work on it.

I would run things in this order:

ScanDisk
PST2GB
ScanPST
ScanDisk

repeat the last two twice more as needed.

If you use either PST2GB or a hex editor, you need to slice out enough data to reduce the file size below the limit. That's going to be more than just a few bytes. The KB article at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;296088 has some suggested sizes.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[boab]

SUE, What can I say. OK I bit the bullet and let it do it stuff
uninterrupted this time.

I logged in as the local admin account ran scandisk on the partition
the PST file is on then ran PST2GB on the corrupt PST file. I took
about 110MB of data out the file then ran SCANPST. It has now repaired
the PST file. I'll log back in as the user account and see if the file
has been saved.

Thanks to Sue, Vince and Diane for your help it's most appreciated.

Robert Aitken