PST overlimit file size

[Guest]

Hi,
I have a pst file that is overlimit, it reached more than 2 Gb from Outlook
2000, so I ran a tool from Microsoft to reduce the file size and then ran
scanpst app after that.
Now when I try to open pst file on outlook 2003 gives me an error saying
that the version is not compatible with the service.
The file originally was from Outlook 2000, but I'm opening it Outlook 2003.
That should be a problem?

Thanks.

 

[Oliver Vukovics]

Hi David,

there are 2 different PST file format.

Outlook 97-2002 => Max. size is 2GB, anyhow which Outlook version opens this
PST file.

"Description of the purpose and capacity of Outlook -2002 storage
facilities"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/208480/en-us

Outlook 2003 and 2007 => Max. size is 3,9 TB (Microsoft say ~20GB) and tthis
new UUnicode PST format can only be opend with Outlook 2003 or 2007.

"The .pst file has a different format and folder size limit in Outlook 2007
and in Outlook 2003"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830336/en-us

How to fix the problem with an 2GB PST file?

"Exchange 2000 Tool: PST2GB"
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FF-6F50-411D-BBDF-82019DDA602E&displaylang=en

Maybe it helps.

 

[Guest]

Hi Oliver,

So that means that I can't import PST files created in versions from 95-2002
to Outlook 2003?

Regards,

David

 

[Oliver Vukovics]

Hi David,

this is possible. You can open an Outlook 2002 PST file with Outlook 2003
BUT

Your first question was:

I have a pst file that is overlimit, it reached more than 2 Gb from
Outlook

To use this items of this PST file you must be able to open this PST file
but your PST file is damaged, anyhow which version of Outlook you have

So please use at first the program of Microsoft to unlimit the PST file.

After you can open the PST file again (with Outlook 2002 or 2003) you can
move the items into a new 2003 unicode PST but at first you must repair this
PST file.

 

[DL]

No it doesnt mean that.
1) You should not Export a pst, with OL closed simply copy it
2) Dont Import, In OL, File>Open>Data File...browse to your data file
Using Export/Import loses data
The data file cannot be opened from a cd/dvd, if transfered from cd the read
only atribute has to be turned off.
Overwriting an existing pst can corrupt it

Was OL2k able to open the pst after you reduced its size, and to what size?

 

[Guest]

I'll try that.

Was OL2k able to open the pst after you reduced its size, and to what size?

- After I reduced the file in 25 Mb, Outlook doesn't open it, saying that
it's an incompatible version.

David

 

[DL]

What I meant was this oversize pst in use and still working in OL2k prior to
you migrating to OL2003?

I might be tempted to create a copy of this pst, then working on the copy
run scanpst.exe on it several times, if it still cannot be opened run the
reducer tool and repeat scanpst.exe, if it still doesn't open redo the
process.
The 'old' version file can baulk from 1.6gb, though its always possible that
if you migrated the pst incorrectly it may be fatally corrupted