Converting local Outlook files for larger storage (20 gig) ability
I am having a problem with users outgrowing the data file size limit of their local Outlook .pst file of 2 gig. We do not use Exchange Server, just call to a POP3 account. With each upgrade in the Outlook client, I just transplanted the existing .pst file by hand into the new installations without issue. Many of these .pst files have been migrated from Outlook 2000 or earlier in some cases, and the users refuse to do housekeeping beyond sent items of more than three years old. All users are now at Outlook 2013.
My understanding is that there is a way to convert these ANSI formatted .pst files to UNICODE, and that would allow the .pst file to be able to be as large as 20 gigs in size. What I don't understand is that there seems to be several ways to do this, both manually via Outlook or with a third party software tool of which there are many to choose from from freeware to professional.
Has anyone had to deal with this issue before with the oversized .pst files and expanding them to 20 gig capacities? This is one of the questions where there appear to be many solutions to "try" with no one definitive working solution. How have you done this without data (archive) losses inside a repeatable procedure?
Thank you.
My understanding is that there is a way to convert these ANSI formatted .pst files to UNICODE, and that would allow the .pst file to be able to be as large as 20 gigs in size. What I don't understand is that there seems to be several ways to do this, both manually via Outlook or with a third party software tool of which there are many to choose from from freeware to professional.
Has anyone had to deal with this issue before with the oversized .pst files and expanding them to 20 gig capacities? This is one of the questions where there appear to be many solutions to "try" with no one definitive working solution. How have you done this without data (archive) losses inside a repeatable procedure?
Thank you.
SOLUTION
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ASKER
Pasted in below is what I think I need to do, but I'm not super clear on what the steps are. I had not considered 32 versus 64 bit either. In one case, the .pst file goes back to FAT32 Win 98 SE. When we migrated to NT 4, about the time I came in on this job, some of the NT4 desktops were actually FAT 16 rather than NTFS. I found that out when installing a failed ERP solution, and had to run the convert command line tool. Fast forward to today, all affected machines are now 64 bit. Here's is what looks like might work, but I'm not sure how this speaks to the 32/64 bit thing, if at all. This solution I found doesn't really speak to 2013 either, and I'm finding from the users that 2013 is a whole different application than 2000/2003/2007 where most of them migrated from, so I can only assume that under the hood, it is different as well.
To convert the ANSI formatted pst-file to UNICODE, you must do this manually to preserve the correct dates of the archived data. While the process is quite easy, it is tedious though, especially if you have a large pst-file and lots of folders directly below the root folder.
Note: Importing all the folders automatically (instead of manually moving folders) from the ANSI pst file to the new Unicode pst file will change the dates of the stored data, emails, etc. This may have legal ramifications for the user’s data.
1. To be safe, make a backup of your pst-file that you want to convert first.
2. Create a new pst-file by;
• Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007
File-> New-> Outlook Data File…
• Outlook 2010
Home tab-> button New Items-> More Items-> Outlook Data File…
3. When prompted (Outlook 2003 and 2007 only), select "Office Outlook Personal Folders File (.pst)" and press OK
4. When using Outlook 2003 or 2007, a new dialog pops up where you can specify the display name, encryption settings (not recommended unless you have a very specific need to do so) and optionally set a password on the pst-file.
5. Switch to the Folder List Navigation (CTRL+6). This will make it easier to also copy your Calendar, Contacts, Journal Tasks and Notes folders.
6. Now move all the folders from the ANSI pst-file to the newly created UNICODE pst-file.
You can do this by drag & drop or right-click and move. This copy also copies all the subfolders.
To convert the ANSI formatted pst-file to UNICODE, you must do this manually to preserve the correct dates of the archived data. While the process is quite easy, it is tedious though, especially if you have a large pst-file and lots of folders directly below the root folder.
Note: Importing all the folders automatically (instead of manually moving folders) from the ANSI pst file to the new Unicode pst file will change the dates of the stored data, emails, etc. This may have legal ramifications for the user’s data.
1. To be safe, make a backup of your pst-file that you want to convert first.
2. Create a new pst-file by;
• Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007
File-> New-> Outlook Data File…
• Outlook 2010
Home tab-> button New Items-> More Items-> Outlook Data File…
3. When prompted (Outlook 2003 and 2007 only), select "Office Outlook Personal Folders File (.pst)" and press OK
4. When using Outlook 2003 or 2007, a new dialog pops up where you can specify the display name, encryption settings (not recommended unless you have a very specific need to do so) and optionally set a password on the pst-file.
5. Switch to the Folder List Navigation (CTRL+6). This will make it easier to also copy your Calendar, Contacts, Journal Tasks and Notes folders.
6. Now move all the folders from the ANSI pst-file to the newly created UNICODE pst-file.
You can do this by drag & drop or right-click and move. This copy also copies all the subfolders.
Almost correct. Use the Export function, that way you don't have to really make a backup (as the original PST is only used for reading). After the successful switch (between old and new) in Outlook, the old file is the backup file in itself. Only two files are now involved (old and new).
If you use the drag & drop, you need 3 files involved (the backup, the old file, which will be empty in the end, and the new file).
If you use the drag & drop, you need 3 files involved (the backup, the old file, which will be empty in the end, and the new file).
ASKER
It's not dangerous, however, it's not related to this topic either (you are mixing warning rules with file format limitations).
Which equals to hacking a car computer to adjust how the fuel indicator reacts and warns you, when the original question was about how to get more fuel in the tank.
Which equals to hacking a car computer to adjust how the fuel indicator reacts and warns you, when the original question was about how to get more fuel in the tank.
ASKER
I've requested that this question be deleted for the following reason:
No possible resolution to this that works. Too many conflicting resources.
No possible resolution to this that works. Too many conflicting resources.
The resolution is sure to work, it's a built-in Outlook function. There's even no risk in trying as it's a copy (and not a move or delete operation).
As stated in my last post, you're now reading articles that's not related to the topic at hand. That doesn't mean there are conflicting resources, it just means you don't know what you're reading and how it relates to your problems.
With such an attitude, you will actually never get an "answer" from an expert at all, as you can get any random non-related article on the web, and then state it's not a resolution, and there are many conflicting resources.
As stated in my last post, you're now reading articles that's not related to the topic at hand. That doesn't mean there are conflicting resources, it just means you don't know what you're reading and how it relates to your problems.
With such an attitude, you will actually never get an "answer" from an expert at all, as you can get any random non-related article on the web, and then state it's not a resolution, and there are many conflicting resources.
ASKER
<sigh>
Yes. I should have put more thought into my reason(s) for deleting the question.
Yes. I should have written a treatise with verbose details as I genuflect properly to experts.
Please forgive me and my "attitude."
Yes, I used the export function, yes I have created a new PST file in UNICODE format, and yes, when I import in the old PST exported data, it reverts back to ANSI format, and the new 20 gig limit is not maintained in the new file.
Most if not all of these PST files have origins on Win 9x systems that predate the NT file system.
They have gone through NT 4, 2000, XP, all NTFS as stated in the original question. Now, all are at Win 7 64 Pro 64 bit systems with Office 2013 32 bit local, (not 365) installations.
I will defer to the Administrator(s) for resolution of this question and distribution of points accordingly.
Yes. I should have put more thought into my reason(s) for deleting the question.
Yes. I should have written a treatise with verbose details as I genuflect properly to experts.
Please forgive me and my "attitude."
Yes, I used the export function, yes I have created a new PST file in UNICODE format, and yes, when I import in the old PST exported data, it reverts back to ANSI format, and the new 20 gig limit is not maintained in the new file.
Most if not all of these PST files have origins on Win 9x systems that predate the NT file system.
They have gone through NT 4, 2000, XP, all NTFS as stated in the original question. Now, all are at Win 7 64 Pro 64 bit systems with Office 2013 32 bit local, (not 365) installations.
I will defer to the Administrator(s) for resolution of this question and distribution of points accordingly.
SOLUTION
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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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From the support people of this software:
"The UNICODE PST created by our tool do not have any size limit on it http://www.msoutlook.info/question/111, it all depends on your MS outlook version if you have MS outlook 2003/2007/2010 it will have 20GB limit and for 2013 outlook it will be 50GB. Also there is no process to check the PST size limit of PST however there is workaround to test the size limit of 2GB, please open the UNICODE PST in outlook and import any large data to that PST just to check whether it accepts more than 2GB PST."
"The UNICODE PST created by our tool do not have any size limit on it http://www.msoutlook.info/question/111, it all depends on your MS outlook version if you have MS outlook 2003/2007/2010 it will have 20GB limit and for 2013 outlook it will be 50GB. Also there is no process to check the PST size limit of PST however there is workaround to test the size limit of 2GB, please open the UNICODE PST in outlook and import any large data to that PST just to check whether it accepts more than 2GB PST."
ASKER
The software worked whereas the Outlook native method did not.
Therefore, create a new PST file (which already doesn't have the 2GB limit), and use a export function to duplicate both PST files. In the end, rename the old PST file to something else, and rename to new PST file to the original name. Outlook will start up exactly the same, but without the limit.
However, if your PC's are stuck in the previous century (you stuck with the FAT32 file system), this solution is a fake one, as the new PST will adhere to the file system limitations (still 2 GB). If you are using NTFS, then this is the solution to go for.