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Outlook PST file data goes missing
I have seen several instances with users that have PST files in Outlook 2010 and 2007 that all of a sudden can't access their emails in the PST files. When I go to look at location where the files are kept, I notice that the file size is either 265KB or 65KB. These files are supposed to be 2-5GB in size, and have nothing in them. We can restore the files from our tape backup, but this is the 10th occurance that this has happened. Could this be an issue with our Exchange server, file server, or outlook client? We are using Exchange 2007.
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lucid8
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One more thing, is this a Citrix environment? What are the client workstations OS's?
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The PST files aren't being stored in the default path on the users computer. They are being stored a file share location on a server. What is wierd is a user can have 5 PST files all in the same folder, and it wipes out only one of them. All of our client computers are using Windows XP and Windows 7, although we have seen this mostly with Windows 7 and Office 2010.
When you say wipes them out, do you mean the PST file is deleted or they are just not mounted in Outlook anymore?
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William Peck
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The file remains in the folder and mapped in Outlook, but all of the data (emails) inside the file is gone.
If you are storing them on a file share are all the PST named uniquely, or are you using a generic name which may be causing them to be overwritten by other users?
ASKER
Some of them have unique names, but mostly they are called Personal Folders.pst, Personal Folders(1).pst, and so on...
It's not possible for other users to overwrite their files. These files are stored in a home folder that only the user and admins have permissions to.
The only thing I can think of that might be causing it, is we have a script in place to reboot everybody's computer at 10pm at night one day a week so that windows updates can be installed properly and take effect. However, our backup system starts at 7pm, and runs till 2am. The backup system backs up the all of the home folders where these PST files are kept. Do you think rebooting the machines while the backup job is running could be causing the problem?
It's not possible for other users to overwrite their files. These files are stored in a home folder that only the user and admins have permissions to.
The only thing I can think of that might be causing it, is we have a script in place to reboot everybody's computer at 10pm at night one day a week so that windows updates can be installed properly and take effect. However, our backup system starts at 7pm, and runs till 2am. The backup system backs up the all of the home folders where these PST files are kept. Do you think rebooting the machines while the backup job is running could be causing the problem?
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ASKER
Let me clarify that. The server that has the home folders for all of our users does NOT get rebooted. It's just workstations only.
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We believe this issue is associated with PST files that are left open when a network backup occurs. The PST files are on a network server with open file agent installed.
Well first MS does not support PST files on network drives and I suppose it could be something with the open file agent and the way it handles the PST files being left open that freaks out Outlook
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