How to extend the 2 GB size limit of PST file in 2003?

[HB]

I have Outlook 2003. I did not upgrade from 2000, but I was formerly using
2000 when I copied my PST file over to this computer that has 2003. My PST
file approached 2 GB yesterday and I won't have time to do more archiving of
old mail for another couple weeks. I am getting the error:

---------------------------
Outlook.pst has reached its maximum size. .. You could also consider using
the new Outlook Personal Folders file (.pst) introduced with Outlook 2003
that provides greater capacity for storing items and folders.
---------------------------

Now I am very confused because I AM using 2003, so why is this error
stupidly saying to use the new PST format? Is there somewhere where I can
set the compatibility level to 2003 if it thinks I am still on 2003? How
do I fix this?

Also, what is the new GB limit of a PST file under 2003, if I can get it set
properly?

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

Your PST file doesn't change formats when you upgrade. You need to create a
new PST file in the newer format, make it your default delivery location
then copy your data into it from your original PST file

 

[HB]

thanks for the reply but:

1) Is there no way to just upgrade the compatibility level to 2003?
Freeware/Third party tools, even?
2) If I do as you write, I don't even know how. I'm comfortable with
computers, but I don't see anything in the menu options that seem to do what
you describe. Would you mind giving the quick "what to click" steps?

 

[Brian Tillman]

1) Is there no way to just upgrade the compatibility level to 2003?
Freeware/Third party tools, even?
No.

2) If I do as you write, I don't even know how. I'm comfortable with
computers, but I don't see anything in the menu options that seem to
do what you describe. Would you mind giving the quick "what to
click" steps?

Click File>New>Outlook Data File. Select "Office Outlook Personal Folders
File (.pst)" (which will be the default) and click OK. Browse to the folder
where you would like the new PST (or accept the default), give it a file
name (or accept the default) and click OK. Give the PST a display name (or
accept the default) and click OK. A new Unicode-format PST will open in
Outlook. Note - In each of the above where you can select a value or accept
a default, I'd choose something other than the default.

Now that you have the new PST available, make it your delivery location by
clicking Tools>E-mail Accounts>Next and changing the drop-down at the bottom
(labeled "Delivery new e-mail to the following location") to display the new
PST you just created. Click Finish. Stop and restart Outlook

Now Outlook will have the new PST as the default and will populate the new
PST with all the default folders. They'll be empty at first, so you'll need
to populate them. For each folder in your old PST that is NOT one of the
default folders, you can right-click it and choose "Copy foldername".
Specify the root of your new PST as the destination. Continue in that
fashion until all your NON-default folders (if you have any) are copied.

For each default folder, open the folder in the old PST and select all the
entries in it with CTRL-A. They should all highlight. Click Edit>Copy to
Folder and specify as the destination the same folder in your new PST.
Click OK. Continue until you've copied the contents of all the default
folders. For the Calendar folder, you probably will have to switch to a
list view like By Category (View>Arrange By>Current View>By Category) before
CTRL-A will select everything.

At this point, all your data has been copied to the Unicode-format PST.
What remains is for you to right-click the old PST's root and choose Close.
Then close Outlook. You can now do whatever yuo like with the old PST,
including deleting it, if you wish or burning it to a CD for safe-keeping.
When you restart Outlook, you'll have only the new PST containing everything
you had before and without the size constraint.

 

[HB]

Great instructions, thank you! But one Q... you wrote to right click the
root of my current PST and choose "close" when I have the new one working.
I just tried seeing that option, and I assume you meant to click the
"Personal Folders" node in the All Mail Folders tree view on the left side
of my screen. When I do that, I see the option "Close 'Personal Folders'",
however, it is grayed out and not an option. Was I misunderstanding that
part of your directions?

 

[Brian Tillman]

Great instructions, thank you! But one Q... you wrote to right
click the root of my current PST and choose "close" when I have the
new one working. I just tried seeing that option, and I assume you
meant to click the "Personal Folders" node in the All Mail Folders
tree view on the left side of my screen. When I do that, I see the
option "Close 'Personal Folders'", however, it is grayed out and not
an option. Was I misunderstanding that part of your directions?

Depends on which PST "Personal Folders" indicates. If it's your delivery
location, you can't close it, so I suspect that's the case. If it's a
non-delivert PST, you should be able to close it. That's why I said to stop
and restart Outlook after setting the delivery location. If you haven't
done that, you haven't changed the delivery location and you won't be able
to close the PST.