Windows thinks my Outlook datafile is too large to move, but it is

[Dave Dixon]

I am trying to copy my Outlook folder (5.04 GB) to an external drive with 200
GB of free space on it, and I get the following message:

Error Copying File or Folder
Cannot copy Outlook: There is not enough free disk space.
Delete one or more files to free disk space, and then try again.

Obviously, there is enough disk space (at least 39 times more than needed).
What can I do?

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

How much space is on the drive where the pst is now? You need some free
space on that drive as well.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

 

[Dave Dixon]

About 20 GB.

How much space is on the drive where the pst is now? You need some free
space on that drive as well.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

I am trying to copy my Outlook folder (5.04 GB) to an external drive with
200
GB of free space on it, and I get the following message:

Error Copying File or Folder
Cannot copy Outlook: There is not enough free disk space.
Delete one or more files to free disk space, and then try again.

Obviously, there is enough disk space (at least 39 times more than
needed).
What can I do?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I am trying to copy my Outlook folder (5.04 GB) to an external drive with
200
GB of free space on it, and I get the following message:

Error Copying File or Folder
Cannot copy Outlook: There is not enough free disk space.
Delete one or more files to free disk space, and then try again.

Do you have an NTFS file system on the external hard drive? If not, that
could explain the problem. A FAT32 file system has a maximum file size of 4
GB.

 

[Dave Dixon]

Yes, that explains it. The outboard drive is FAT32. WHAT a pain in the ass!
It took about three hours to get my email off of my old PC, and less than
five minutes to load it onto my new Macbook Pro!

Now I'd like to know why my Outlook datafile didn't get smaller when I
removed nearly every email off of it! (It stayed at about 5 GB even after
I'd removed 4 GB of stuff from it!)

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Now I'd like to know why my Outlook datafile didn't get smaller when I
removed nearly every email off of it! (It stayed at about 5 GB even after
I'd removed 4 GB of stuff from it!)

Probably because you didn't compact it.

 

[Vellore Gopi]

Hi Brain,

I am facing the same problem, please help me how to copy the Outlook files
on the external hard drive - I didn't get that NTFS or FAT32 where I should
look into it.

Please help me.

Thanks,
GSR.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I am facing the same problem, please help me how to copy the Outlook files
on the external hard drive - I didn't get that NTFS or FAT32 where I
should
look into it.

With the external drive connected, right-click My Computer and choose
Manage. Under the "Storage" container, choose "Disk Management". Select
the external device In the upper pane of the right side. In the lower pane
of the right-hand side you should see the file system typed defined on the
device. You can change it to NTFS without losing data. See this:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb456984.aspx or this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307881