Preferred path for .pst file with notebook...

[Geir Holmavatn]

Hi,

We have some users using notebooks. They are logged in to the domain server
when they are at work, but at home or when travelling they use the 'Offline'
files' feature.

Windows is not particulary fond of .pst files in offline mode (syncing) and
I can understand that. Most of our users have created a subfolder in their
home folder to place their .pst file. This works out most of the time, but
sometimes when they are inadvertedly disconnected from the network, outlook
creates a new empty .pst file, and this is a bit annoying.

What is the preferred method and placement for outlook's data file(s) for a
notbook both connected to the network and offline (at home or on the road).
Putting the pst in the profile (Documents and Settings) will cause too long
login time due to the large pst file transfers. If possible the users would
prefer to send / check their email messages both at work and at home.

Thanks for comments and tips

regards

Geir

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

..pst files are never the recommended method to have Exchange data stored for
offline use. Use a .ost file and, depending on your version of Exchange
which you do not mention, use cached Exchange mode.

--
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, Geir Holmavatn asked:

| Hi,
|
| We have some users using notebooks. They are logged in to the domain
| server when they are at work, but at home or when travelling they use
| the 'Offline' files' feature.
|
| Windows is not particulary fond of .pst files in offline mode
| (syncing) and I can understand that. Most of our users have created
| a subfolder in their home folder to place their .pst file. This
| works out most of the time, but sometimes when they are inadvertedly
| disconnected from the network, outlook creates a new empty .pst file,
| and this is a bit annoying.
|
| What is the preferred method and placement for outlook's data file(s)
| for a notbook both connected to the network and offline (at home or
| on the road). Putting the pst in the profile (Documents and Settings)
| will cause too long login time due to the large pst file transfers.
| If possible the users would prefer to send / check their email
| messages both at work and at home.
|
| Thanks for comments and tips
|
| regards
|
| Geir

 

[Tommy]

Some people do not like using ost files, and prefer to use pst files.
Ost 's and cached exchange mode are fine, but they are not the be all
to end all.

If your users are comfortable with, accustomed to, and prefer to use
pst files for their personal folders, you could try a workaround.
Create a C:\email folder. Put the pst file in there. Also put in
there robocopy.exe and a bat or cmd file with the following command:

robocopy C:\email [path]\email /mir /z /eta
pause

where [path] is the path to the user's server space. Create an email
folder or any other folder for the pst to be backed up to.

Create a shortcut to the bat or cmd file on the desktop and change the
icon to something catchy.

Educate the user.

This utility will mirror the C:\email folder to the user's space on
the server. But it is up to the user to remember to back up their
pst. This is the education part.

If your organization is willing to take the risk of letting the user
be in charge of backing up their laptop, then this is a great
workaround. It has been working beautifully for us for a long time.

In fact, we use a folder called C:\Data and the pst is in
C:\Data\email. The user can create whatever else they want in the
C:\Data folder, and robocopy makes a mirror image of the folder in
their server space, in the folder specified in the bat file, say,
[path]\backup.

 

[Geir Holmavatn]

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"

.pst files are never the recommended method to have Exchange data stored
for
offline use. Use a .ost file and, depending on your version of Exchange
which you do not mention, use cached Exchange mode.

We do not use Exchange, the clients use only outlook to fetch / organize
email messages directly from an ISP.

.... and in that case the cached Exchange mode is of no use ;-| Any other
clues, except for the robocopy hint in the next post?

geir