Multiple Users & Multiple Computers using Outlook 2000 on Home Net

[Bill in Michigan]

Hi. I have three home computers and five family e-mail addresses. I want to
get Outlook 2000 working on all computers for all five family members so that
no matter which computer a family member is on they can open Outlook 2000 and
do e-mail. My home network is working with file sharing, etc. I thought I
would just put the five *.pst files in the Shared Documents folder on the
"host" computer and then configure Outlook for each user on each computer
with a profile and the path name to each *.pst on the host computer Shared
Documents folder thus accessing the file through the network. Will this
work? Is there a better way? What is the right/efficient way? I would
think that this is a typical issue. Please help. Thanks!

 

[DL]

The use of a pst over a network/lan is not supported by MS as it can lead to
corruption of the data file

 

[DL]

You would have to , I believe sync the pst's, there are a number of third
party tools for this, allthough most refer to 2 PC's
http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/sync.htm

Personnally with 3 PC's and multiple users I think you are looking at an
overly complicated setup to produce what you desire, if its possible.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Hi. I have three home computers and five family e-mail addresses. I
want to get Outlook 2000 working on all computers for all five family
members so that no matter which computer a family member is on they
can open Outlook 2000 and do e-mail. My home network is working with
file sharing, etc. I thought I would just put the five *.pst files
in the Shared Documents folder on the "host" computer and then
configure Outlook for each user on each computer with a profile and
the path name to each *.pst on the host computer Shared Documents
folder thus accessing the file through the network. Will this work?
Is there a better way? What is the right/efficient way? I would
think that this is a typical issue. Please help. Thanks!

What you describe is possible, but heed DL's warning. If you back up the
PST(s) often, it shouldn't be a problem. You can access a PST only in one
instance of Outlook at any one time (two PCs can't be looking at the same
PST at the same time) and it's easiest to manipulate Outlook 2000's
configuration if you have installed it in Corporate/Workgroup mode because
you have direct access to the mail profile, although you should be able to
set it up to share in Internet Mail Only mode as well.

Copy the PSTs to a network share, then use File>Open>Personal Folders File.
to browse to the network-shared PST. Select it and click OK (or Open - I
forget which). Then make the copy the delivery location. That will vary
depending on IMO or CW mode. For the former, select the PST in the Folder
List and click File>Properties. There should be a selection to make that
PST the delivery location. FOr CW mode, click Tools>Service and there
should be a Delivery tab there. After changing the delivery location, stop
and restart Outlook to make it take effect. You can then close the old copy
of the PST with right-click Close. Save it for the initial backup.