Can't copy outlook.ps to external hard drive

[resonator80]

I am using Office 2003 on Windows XP.

Periodically I copy oulook.ps to an external hard drive as a backup.

When I try to do it now, I get the message "Cannot copy outlook: The
process cannot access the file because another process has locked a
portion of the file."

I have rebooted, but that doesn't fix the problem.

By the way, the outlook.ps is large, slightly over 4 GB.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein
Baltimore

 

[F. H. Muffman]

I am using Office 2003 on Windows XP.

Periodically I copy oulook.ps to an external hard drive as a backup.

When I try to do it now, I get the message "Cannot copy outlook: The
process cannot access the file because another process has locked a
portion of the file."

I have rebooted, but that doesn't fix the problem.

By the way, the outlook.ps is large, slightly over 4 GB.

Any suggestions?

Open up Task Manager and see if Outlook.exe is on the Processes tab. If it
is, figure out what application is starting it. It could be a Blackberry
sync, it could be an A/V software with Outlook hooks. At least, I'm
assuming you aren't starting Outlook after rebooting. If you are, ...
well.. don't.

 

[resonator80]

It was the Balckberry sync. I closed those down and was able to copy
outlook.ps to my external HD.

Thanks,
Bill Edelstein
Baltimore, MD

 

[Guest]

I have a similar problem to what is described below--I did check the Task
Manager and, on the Processes tab, it does NOT show outlook.exe. I had
closed down the computer and rebooted and the first action was to try to copy
Outlook 2003 mail (outlook.pst size shown as 214,384 k). I am using Windows
XP Home Edition.

Do you know what else could be causing the problem? I would like to be able
to back up my email file--is there another way to back it up?

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Install the Personal Folders Backup Tools?
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...3A-B7D0-4B16-B8AF-5A6322F4FD01&displaylang=en

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Please do not spam asked:

| I have a similar problem to what is described below--I did check the
| Task Manager and, on the Processes tab, it does NOT show outlook.exe.
| I had closed down the computer and rebooted and the first action was
| to try to copy Outlook 2003 mail (outlook.pst size shown as 214,384
| k). I am using Windows XP Home Edition.
|
| Do you know what else could be causing the problem? I would like to
| be able to back up my email file--is there another way to back it up?
|
|| I am using Office 2003 on Windows XP.
||
|| Periodically I copy oulook.ps to an external hard drive as a backup.
||
|| When I try to do it now, I get the message "Cannot copy outlook: The
|| process cannot access the file because another process has locked a
|| portion of the file."
||
|| I have rebooted, but that doesn't fix the problem.
||
|| By the way, the outlook.ps is large, slightly over 4 GB.
||
|| Any suggestions?
||
|| Thanks,
|| Bill Edelstein
|| Baltimore

 

[Guest]

I was so hopeful when I received your message (and thank you very much for
responding so quickly). But, alas, it did not solve the problem. I did
download the program successfully, and I set the options to remind me every
day and clicked on Save Backup. I received a message saying I had to close
Outlook before it would begin the back up. I then closed Outlook and the box
opened up and I clicked on Save Backup, but then I got the same error message
as when I tried to copy: Cannot copy Outlook: The process cannot access the
file because another process has locked a portion of the file. I clicked ok
and then tried to open Outlook and, this time, got the following message:
The file c:\\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook backup.pst could not be found.
I clicked on OK. Then a box popped up in hte upper left corner saying
Create/Open Personal Folders File. Look in: Outlook [folder] and then there
is a list of files that are in that folder (including outlook.pst) and at the
bottom File name: Outlook backup.pst. I then clicked on OK and another box
popped up in the middle of the screen: Create Microsoft Personal Folders is
at the top of the box in a blue heading. File: [already filled in and greyed
out is the following] C:\documents and Settings\Owner\Local
Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook
backup.pst and below that is a box that says Name: Personal Folders and for
the Encryption Setting I clicked on No Encryption and then clicked on OK.
The box then disappears and when I close Outlook, I get an hourglass and a
small box pops up with "Outlook Personal Folders Backup" in the blue header.
I click on the Save Backup (the Last Backup: says (None) and then the Cannot
copy Outlook......etc. and it all starts over again.

What can I do?

Please do not spam

Install the Personal Folders Backup Tools?
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...3A-B7D0-4B16-B8AF-5A6322F4FD01&displaylang=en

--Â
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Please do not spam asked:

| I have a similar problem to what is described below--I did check the
| Task Manager and, on the Processes tab, it does NOT show outlook.exe.
| I had closed down the computer and rebooted and the first action was
| to try to copy Outlook 2003 mail (outlook.pst size shown as 214,384
| k). I am using Windows XP Home Edition.
|
| Do you know what else could be causing the problem? I would like to
| be able to back up my email file--is there another way to back it up?
|
|| I am using Office 2003 on Windows XP.
||
|| Periodically I copy oulook.ps to an external hard drive as a backup.
||
|| When I try to do it now, I get the message "Cannot copy outlook: The
|| process cannot access the file because another process has locked a
|| portion of the file."
||
|| I have rebooted, but that doesn't fix the problem.
||
|| By the way, the outlook.ps is large, slightly over 4 GB.
||
|| Any suggestions?
||
|| Thanks,
|| Bill Edelstein
|| Baltimore

 

[Mary L]

Thank you F H Muffman. Outlook.exe had gotten into my startup file and appeared on the processes list, chugging slowly away long after I'd closed it. Your expertise brought a happy ending to hours and hours (and hours) of frustration. Many many thanks and showers of blessings!