How to move your personal folders (.pst) file in Outlook 2002 (291636)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2002
This article was previously published under Q291636
For a Microsoft Outlook 2000 (IMO) version of this article, see 257831.
For a Microsoft Outlook 98 (IMO) version of this article, see 257836.
For a Microsoft Outlook 97 version of this article, see 197124.

SUMMARY

This article describes how to move a personal folders (.pst) file to different location on your hard drive.

Note Moving a .pst file to a network share is not supported.

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

MORE INFORMATION

Use the procedures in this section to move a .pst file.

How to Identify the Name and Location of Your Personal Folders File

  1. Start Outlook.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  3. On the Mail Setup tab, click the Data Files button
  4. Note the path and file name of your .pst file. For example, C:\Exchange\Mailbox.pst indicates a .pst file that is named Mailbox.pst located in the Exchange folder on your drive C.
  5. Click Close, click OK, and then click Exit and Log Off to quit Outlook.

How to Copy Your Personal Folders File

  1. On the Start menu, point to Programs, and then click Windows Explorer.
  2. Browse through the files to the location of your .pst file.
  3. Copy your .pst file to the location that you want.
Use the following steps to obtain more information about how to copy a file or folder:
  1. Click the Start button, and then click Help.
  2. Click the Search tab, and then type copy.
  3. In the Select Topic to display box, click Copy or move a file or folder.

How to Point Outlook to Your New Personals Folder File

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  3. On the Mail Setup tab, click the E-mail accounts button, even if you do not have an e-mail account specified.
  4. Click to select the View or change existing e-mail accounts check box, and then click Next.
  5. Click the New Outlook Data File button.
  6. Under Types of storage, click Personal Folders file (.pst), and then click OK.
  7. Browse through the folders to the new location for your .pst file, and then click OK twice.
  8. Under Deliver new e-mail to the following location, click Personal Folders file located on the network in the drop down list box, and then click Finish.
  9. If this is your default e-mail delivery location, you will receive the following message:

    You have changed the default deliver location for your e-mail. This will change the location of your Inbox, Calendar, and other folders. These changes will take effect the next time you start Outlook.

    Click OK.
  10. On the Mail Setup tab, click the Data Files button.
  11. Click to select the .pst file that was identified in step 4 in the "How to Identify the Name and Location of Your Personal Folder File" section of this article, and then click Remove to remove the local .pst file from your profile.
  12. Click Close, and then click OK to close all dialog boxes.
  13. On the File menu, click Exit.
  14. Restart Outlook.
If the .pst is your default delivery location, you will receive the following message:

The location that messages are delivered to has changed for this user profile. To complete this operation, you may need to copy the contents of the old Outlook folders to the new Outlook folders. For information about how to complete the change of your mail delivery location, see Microsoft Outlook Help. Some of the shortcuts on the Outlook Bar may no longer work. Do you want Outlook to recreate your shortcuts? All shortcuts you have created will be removed.

Click Yes to have Outlook update the Outlook Bar shortcuts so that they point to your new .pst file location, or click No to leave the shortcuts for your original local .pst file.

Your profile now points to your .pst file in the new location. Outlook opens your new .pst file, and you can now delete the .pst file from its old location.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/7/2004
Keywords:kbhowto kbinfo KB291636
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