Outlook Data Store - Local Settings..

[dawks]

At my workplace here, we're using roaming profiles with Active Directory, mostly for the backup option it provides. For whatever reason MSFT puts the Outlook and Outlook Express data stores in Local Settings folder, which for whatever reason is not copied to the server when a user logs off. As such, if their local HD dies, their email is gone too. Unless I manually move the data store. With outlook, all I can figure is moving the PST, and pointing the Outlook to the new location, but this doesn't seem like the best way. I recall a few times I've done this not all of the users data was restored. One user for example lost some older emails and rarely used contacts. I thought this might be related to archive.pst but I attempted to restore from it too and it did not work.

So basically, I wanted to point out what a lame setup it is to have the Outlook data stores in Local Settings that is not copied to the server on logoff. Additionally I am looking for a new and proper way to move the Outlook data store.

Thanks!

 

[Robor]

When you're setting up the Email profile in Outlook you can specify where the *.pst file is stored.

 

[stash]

There's a couple very good reasons for that. First, Outlook OST and PST files tend to get rather large (several hundred MBs and up), so roaming those would cause logon and logoff times to be ridiculously long.

Second, storing PST files on a network share is not supported. Yes, you can generally get it to work with no issues, but it is not supported, and you do so at your own risk.

 

[RebateMonger]

If you can handle the investment, Exchange Server with Outlook solves your email issues, as well as allowing instant retrieval of deleted emails, giving you webmail, and Windows Mobile (SmartPhone) email, all fully (and automatically) synchronized no matter where you access your data from.

And redirecting users' "My Documents" folders to the Server (possibly with Offline Files enabled if you want a copy on the local PC) removes the risk of losing document files if the local PC goes dead.