How to create a new personal folders (.pst) file in Outlook 2002 (286146)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2002
This article was previously published under Q286146
For a Microsoft Outlook 2000 (IMO) version of this article, see 195723.
For a Microsoft Outlook 2000 (CW) version of this article, see 195717.

SUMMARY

If you use Microsoft Exchange Server, your messages, calendar, and other items are delivered to and stored on the server. If you do not use Exchange Server, your messages, calendar, and other items are delivered to and stored locally in a personal folders (.pst) file.

When you create messages, appointments, tasks, and journal entries, Outlook saves the information in a personal folders (.pst) file on your computer.

The data file is called a personal folders (.pst) file because it is saved locally with a .pst file extension. The personal folders (.pst) file is the same as in previous versions of Outlook, and is compatible with Microsoft Outlook 2000, Microsoft Outlook 98, and Microsoft Outlook 97.

This article describes how to create a personal folders (.pst) file, and provides additional information about personal folders (.pst) file.

MORE INFORMATION

Use the steps in this section to create a personal folders (.pst) file.

How to Create a Personal Folders (.pst) File While Outlook is Open

Use the following steps to create a personal folders (.pst) file when Outlook is open.

How to Create a New Personal Folders (.pst) File from the File Menu

  1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Outlook Data File.
  2. Under Types of storage, click Personal Folders file (.pst), and then click OK. The Create or Open Outlook Data File dialog box appears.
  3. Accept the Outlook folder as the default save location or provide a custom save location.
  4. In the File Name box, create a custom name for the personal folders (.pst) file, or accept the default name. Click OK, and then the Create Microsoft Personal Folders dialog box appears.
  5. In the Name box, you can type a custom title for the personal folders (.pst) file, or accept the default title of Personal Folders. This name appears on the Folders List, and is applied to any shortcuts made for the personal folders (.pst) file on the Outlook Bar. You can select a custom Encryption Setting and/or a Password for the personal folders (.pst) file. After you enter your desired settings, click OK.

    NOTE: For more information about Encryption Settings, see "Notes About the Personal Folders (.pst) File" in this article.
  6. The personal folders (.pst) file that you created is added to your Folder List. To view the Folder List, click Folder List on the View menu.

How to Create a New Personal Folders File from the Tools Menu

  1. While in Outlook, click Tools, and then click E-Mail Accounts to open the E-Mail Accounts dialog box.
  2. Under the E-Mail section, click View or Change Existing Email Accounts, and then click Next.
  3. In the E-Mail Accounts dialog box, click the New Outlook Data File button.
  4. Under Types of Storage, click Personal Folders File (.pst), and then click OK. The Create or Open Outlook Data File dialog box appears.
  5. Accept the Outlook folder as the default save location or provide a custom save location.
  6. In the File Name box, create a custom name for the personal folders (.pst) file, or accept the default name. Click OK, and then the Create Microsoft Personal Folders dialog box appears.
  7. In the Name box, you can type a custom title for the personal folders (.pst) file, or accept the default title of Personal Folders. This name appears on the Folders List, and is applied to any shortcuts made for the personal folders (.pst) file on the Outlook Bar. You can select a custom Encryption Setting and/or a Password for the personal folders (.pst) file. After you enter your desired settings, click OK.

    NOTE: For more information about Encryption Settings, see "Notes About the Personal Folders (.pst) File" in this article.
  8. In the Outlook Data Files dialog box, an entry appears for the personal folders (.pst) file. Click Close to close the dialog box.
  9. Click Finish.
  10. The new personal folders (.pst) file is be added to your Folder List.

How to Create a Personal Folders (.pst) File While Outlook is Closed

Use the following steps to create a personal folders (.pst) file while Outlook is closed.

How to Add a Personal Folders File When You Use a Single Profile

  1. Quit Outlook.
  2. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Mail icon. This opens the Mail Setup dialog box that provides the messaging profile that Outlook is currently using.
  3. In the Data Files section, click the Data Files button, and the Outlook Data Files dialog box appears.
  4. Click the Add button, and the New Outlook Data File dialog box appears.
  5. Under Types of Storage, click Personal Folders File (.pst), click OK, and the Create or Open Outlook Data File dialog box appears.
  6. Accept the Outlook folder as the default save location or provide a custom save location.
  7. In the File Name box, create a custom name for the personal folders (.pst) file, or accept the default name. Click OK, and then the Create Microsoft Personal Folders dialog box appears.
  8. In the Name box, you can type a custom title for the personal folders (.pst) file, or accept the default title of Personal Folders. This name appears on the Folders List, and is applied to any shortcuts made for the personal folders (.pst) file on the Outlook Bar. You can select a custom Encryption Setting and/or a Password for the personal folders (.pst) file. After you enter your desired settings, click OK.

    NOTE: For more information about Encryption Settings, see "Notes About the Personal Folders (.pst) File" in this article.
  9. In the Outlook Data Files dialog box, an entry appears for the personal folders (.pst) file that you created. Click Close to close the dialog box.
  10. Click Close. The new personal folders (.pst) file is available for use in Outlook.

How to Add a Personal Folders (.pst)File When You Use Multiple Profiles

  1. Quit Outlook.
  2. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Mail icon.
  3. In the Mail Setup dialog box, click the Show Profiles button.
  4. On the General tab, click the name of the profile that you want to add the personal folders (.pst) file to, and then click Properties.
  5. In the Mail Setup dialog box, click the Data Files, and the Outlook Data Files dialog box appears.
  6. Click the Add button, and the New Outlook Data File dialog box appears..
  7. Under Types of Storage, click Personal Folders File (.pst), and then click OK. The Create or Open Outlook Data File dialog box appears.
  8. Accept the Outlook folder as the default save location or provide a custom save location.
  9. In the File Name box, create a custom name for the personal folders (.pst) file, or accept the default name. Click OK, and the Create Microsoft Personal Folders dialog box appears.
  10. In the Name box, you can type a custom title for the personal folders (.pst) file, or accept the default title of Personal Folders. This name appears on the Folders List, and is applied to any shortcuts made for the personal folders (.pst) file on the Outlook Bar. You can select a custom Encryption Setting and/or a Password for the personal folders (.pst) file. After you enter your desired settings, click OK.

    NOTE: For more information about Encryption Settings, see "Notes About the Personal Folders (.pst) File" in this article.
  11. In the Outlook Data Files dialog box, an entry appears for the personal folders (.pst) file that you created. Click Close to close the dialog box.
  12. Click Close. The new personal folders (.pst) file is available for use in Outlook.

Notes About the Personal Folders (.pst) File

You can save, copy, and move (other than the file that you use as your default information store) a personal folders (.pst) file to another location on your hard disk. For storage purposes, you may also save a copy of your .pst file to a floppy disk or a removable disk, or to a share on the network.

Note .Pst files are not supported on a network share.

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

297019 Why Outlook .pst files are unsupported over a LAN or WAN link

When you open a personal folders (.pst) file that is copied from CD-RW disks, the file attributes for the personal folders (.pst) file must be changed from Read Only to Archive before Outlook can use it.

When you remove items from a personal folders (.pst) file, your file size does not decrease unless you compact the file.

Security Settings for the Personal Folders (.pst) File

This section provides information about the available personal folders (.pst) file security settings.

Encryption Settings

You can select one of three options for encoding the information in your personal folder (.pst) file. You cannot change this setting after you create the personal folders (.pst) file. Encryption encodes the file to make it unreadable by other programs.
  • No Encryption - This setting does not encode your file. It may be possible to be read the personal folders (.pst) file by a text editor or a hex editor
  • Compressible Encryption - This setting encodes your file in a format that allows compression, but the file is compressed only if you have a compression program set up on your computer. Under this setting, the personal folders (.pst) file cannot be read by a text editor or a hex editor.
  • Best Encryption - Encodes your file in a format that offers the greatest degree of protection. If you have a disk-compression program, the file can be compressed but to a lesser degree than allowed by the Compressible Encryption option. Under this setting, the personal folders (.pst) file cannot be read by a text editor or a hex editor.

    Accept the default setting of Compressible Encryption if the desired security of your personal folders (.pst) file is minimal. Click Best Encryption, and then set a password for your personal folders (.pst) file if security is of utmost concern

Passwords

When you are create a personal folders (.pst) file, you can add a password of up to 15 characters. If you click to select the Save This Password In Your Password List check box, make a note of the password in case you need to open the personal folders (.pst) file on another computer at a later time.

By right-clicking the name of the personal folders (.pst) file in the Folder List, clicking Properties, and then clicking Advanced, both the Change Password and the Compact Now buttons allow you to change your personal folders (.pst) file password or compress the file itself, in order to save space.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:12/10/2004
Keywords:kbnewfile kbhowto KB286146
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