procedure to keep pst file safe

8/8/2019 Procedure to Keep PST File Safe

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Procedure to keep .PST file safe 2008

As the pile of mail you keep in Outlook grows, so, typically, does the time it takes Outlook to do

what you want it to. At the horizon, maybe the not so distant horizon, the PST file size limit

looms. (The PST or "Personal Folders" file, of course, is where Outlook keeps all your data,

including calendars, contacts and emails.)

Either way, it pays to keep the size of your main PST file small and manageable. You can haveOutlook do some of that using Autoarchive. Or you divide your messages between more PST

files, which can be painless and swift.

PST file size limit

- Outlook 2003-2007 Personal Folder File (PST)

This is used by Outlook 2003/2007

- Size limit

Configurable; 20 GB by default

For performance and stability it is not recommended to increase the limit beyond 20 GB

- For us, size limit is 4GB

How to check your PST file size

With Outlook Program opened, select File/ Data file Management


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Click on your default PST file. Then click on Open Folder

Right click on your default PST (OST) file, then click on Properties


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If your PST (OST) file is bigger than 4GB you have to do the Procedure below


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1-Archive Old Mail in Outlook and Keep the PST File Small

a) Select File / Data File Management from the menu in Outlook. Click Add....

b) Choose the desired format. Unless you may need to access the data with Outlook 2002

or earlier directly, it is safe to highlight Office Outlook Personal Folders File (.pst).Click OK

c) create a New folder named Outlook archives in My Documents Folder


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d) Enter the desired file name

I like yearly archives, and naming the PST file after the year makes sense. Of course, you

can choose monthly archives if you do have lots of big mail to deal with, or another scheme.

Just make sure the resulting PST files' sizes are somewhere around 1-2 GB. Larger files

tend to be less efficient

d) Click OK

e) Type the archive PST file's desired name under Name

Again, it makes sense to name your archive after its contents (a month's worth of mail in my

case)


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f) Optionally, protect access with a password

g) Click OK and then Close

2- Move Mail to the Archive

a) To populate your newly created archive PST

a.1) Drag and drop entire folders to the root folder newly appearing under Mail FoldersThis is handy if you already have an "Archive" folder that contains, say, all of last year's

mail. Just drop it unto the archive PST


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b) Alternatively, to archive individual items

b.1) Click on the root folder named after your archive PST under Mail Folders with the right

mouse button

b.2) Select New Folder... from the menu

b.3) Type the desired folder name

Make sure Mail and Post Items is selected underFolder contains: if you want to archive

emails. For archiving other items, choose the appropriate category


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b.4) Click OK

b.5) Drag and drop individual or groups of emails onto the newly created folder

c) To move all mail preceding a certain date in a folder (or nested folders)

c.1) Select File/ Archive... from the menu in Outlook

Make sure Archive this folder and all subfolders is selected


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d) Optionally, compact your live PST file to claim newly freed space right away

To manually start reclaiming wasted space in an Outlook PST file

d.1) Select File/ Data File Management... from the menu in Outlook

d.2) Highlight the desired PST file

d.3) Click Settings....

d.4) Now click Compact Now

3- Close the Archive PST File

After you have archived all items, you can close the PST file in Outlook

a) Click on the root folder of your archive PST under Mail Folders with the right mouse

button

b) Select Close "July 2008" from the menu


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4- Access Mail from a Closed Archive PST File

To retrieve messages from an archive PST file you have closed

a) Select File/ Open/ Outlook Data File... from the menu in Outlook

b) Highlight the desired archive PST file

c) Click OK


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The PST file and its folders will appear under Mail Folders, ready for action