CONFIGURING OST LOCATION WITH GROUP POLICIES

[TIMM]

I am attempting to change the OST location from a network drive back to the
default users profile using group policy. However Outlook is unable to open
when I set the group policy to point PST\OST's to %userprofile%\Local
Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

When I look at the settings in Outlook it points to c:\program files\common
files\system\msmapi\1033\%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

1. Can Outlook 2003 support variables in this path?
2. Is there a better way to point users back to the default location for
storing OST's?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

What policy setting are you applying?

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[neo [mvp outlook]]

I would check a client machine that received the policy and ensure that it
created a reg_expand_sz value rather than reg_sz.

 

[TIMM]

Neo you are correct. The policy is setting a reg_sz string rather than
reg_expand_sz. Thus the explaining why the variable does not resolve. However
I used the most recent Office 2k3 policies to set the PST/OST location.

Tim

 

[neo [mvp outlook]]

I'm just starting to play with this policy in the SP1 adm files, so I don't
know why it happened. Is your site running a Windows 2000 or 2003 Active
Directory domain and what client operating systems are you trying to manage?
Please don't forget to mention service pack levels for operating system and
Office 2003.

/neo

PS - I will be testing with Windows 2003 (SP1), Windows XP (SP2), and Office
2003 (SP2).

 

[neo [mvp outlook]]

Never mind my questions, I found out what is going on. The ADM file for
Outlook 2003 has an error where it won't create the value in the registry as
a reg_expand_sz. Its missing a optional value keyword so it will always
create a reg_sz value. Open the ADM file and search for ForcePSTPath.

Once you have the section, you need to add EXPANDABLETEXT right after
EDITTEXT.

By the way, if you are testing this in lab I would highly recommend that you
apply SP2 for Office 2003 and use the ForceOSTPath value unless you want to
place OST and PST files in the same place. The ADM file does not include a
setting for this value, so it will require modifying the ADM file if you
need to control the paths for PST and OST files.

 

[TIMM]

Thank very much for your assistance and solution

Never mind my questions, I found out what is going on. The ADM file for
Outlook 2003 has an error where it won't create the value in the registry as
a reg_expand_sz. Its missing a optional value keyword so it will always
create a reg_sz value. Open the ADM file and search for ForcePSTPath.

Once you have the section, you need to add EXPANDABLETEXT right after
EDITTEXT.

By the way, if you are testing this in lab I would highly recommend that you
apply SP2 for Office 2003 and use the ForceOSTPath value unless you want to
place OST and PST files in the same place. The ADM file does not include a
setting for this value, so it will require modifying the ADM file if you
need to control the paths for PST and OST files.

 

[bln-ami]

Hi,
This does NOT WORK!!!!

I have writen the same ADM template before I found this forum, and with the
expandabletext in the edittext, making a reg_expand_sz registry setting...
(so far this works!!)
BUT
it ONLY works for users that have no exsisting setting in the cache mode, or
..ost path. Once this path has been set, how do you change it...

I have set the same question on a Microsoft support question and they could
not answer this... they gave up after 2 days...
I think it might be possible over a WMI script, but I can not find a way of
doing this, because I am just starting in WMI, and do not know if this really
would work.

thank you ALL for HELP... PLEASE

 

[bln-ami]

ME AGAIN,,,

sorry before anyone answers, might it be possible to cahnge exsisting .ost
paths with .prf files???????

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

If you create a new profile for the user, the changed path would apply to the new .ost. There is no policy for moving an existing .ost file.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers