Outlook.pst file size limit

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It appears that Outlook 2007’s Outlook.pst file has a file size limit of 2 GB, because my wife has reached the limit more than a couple of times. I’ve run the built in utility to compact it each time, and that buys her some time, but the problem is that she has gotten into the habit of saving EVERYTHING she gets in the way of attachments in Outlook, so she is always on the brink.

I am working on getting her to save some of what she has elsewhere in her hard drive, but is there by any chance any way to reset the size limit for Outlook higher than the current 2 GB to buy a little time before this happens again, or is that not an optional limit? Obviously, she has got to use her hard drive to store files in, NOT Outlook itself, but if any of you Outlook experts out there can tell me about the file size limit, like is it sunk in concrete or adjustable, then I will get her to move some of her large email attachments and save them outside of Outlook where they belong.

I thank you in advance for any help or suggestions. We are talking about 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 here, with Outlook 2007 as part of MS Office 2007. Thank you in advance for any help or suggestions. Just don’t tell me she shouldn’t file everything she gets in Outlook though, because I’ve already told her that.

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take a look at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/832925

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The best thing to do would be to archive stuff as it gets older. I use one archive file per year, so there is no way that I cannot find what I need. You can increase .pst file size, but as size gets bigger, Outlook gets slower…

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See The .pst file has a different format and folder size limit in Outlook 2007 and in Outlook 2003 for more information on PST file sizing. You must ensure that the PST file is a Unicode file which is the default for a new PST file in Outlook 2007.

Joe

--Joe

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JoeP517, the more I think about trying to increase the Outlook.pst file size, the more I dislike the idea. In addition to the primary fact that I am not the techie that most of you are on this forum, and not at all comfortable even trying it on such an important file, but even if I did manage to successfully increase the size, what would I accomplish in the end? It would in the long term only be a band-aid and only temporarily delay the inevitible need for my wife to stop using Outlook as a file cabinet and archive files in her 750 MB hard drive that is about half used. In short, she has painted herself into a corner and is to the point where something needs to be done.

See The .pst file has a different format and folder size limit in Outlook 2007 and in Outlook 2003 for more information on PST file sizing. You must ensure that the PST file is a Unicode file which is the default for a new PST file in Outlook 2007.

Joe

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The only way I have found which MIGHT give you a Unicode PST file is to delete your Outlook profile, and then create a new one. The only thing you lose when you delete the profile is the settings, so write down your settings (servers, location of data file, etc.) before doing it.

It now appears that I have a Unicode file, but I won’t know for sure till a bunch of email comes and it holds more than 2GB. Nothing else I have tried has worked, and I haven’t found any posting anywhere, nor anything on Microsoft’s website, that tells me either how to get Unicode, nor how to know if you have Unicode. What everyone says is that I ought to have Unicode by default, but not how to get there if I don’t have it by default, nor how to verify that in fact I do have it.

By the way, you don’t have to do anything to your current PST file. When you delete your Outlook profile, and then create a new profile, you can create a new PST file (name it something other than what the previous one was named). In this way, you haven’t touched the old one. In fact, you can open it in Outlook and have access to it; it just won’t be the “default” PST file.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Too many questions here to suit me, and not enough answers for me to confidently try to enlarge the file. Not when doing so successfully will only delay the inevitible fact that she just needs to do some serious archiving. . .somewhere other than in Outlook. Thanks for the response.

The only way I have found which MIGHT give you a Unicode PST file is to delete your Outlook profile, and then create a new one. The only thing you lose when you delete the profile is the settings, so write down your settings (servers, location of data file, etc.) before doing it.

It now appears that I have a Unicode file, but I won’t know for sure till a bunch of email comes and it holds more than 2GB. Nothing else I have tried has worked, and I haven’t found any posting anywhere, nor anything on Microsoft’s website, that tells me either how to get Unicode, nor how to know if you have Unicode. What everyone says is that I ought to have Unicode by default, but not how to get there if I don’t have it by default, nor how to verify that in fact I do have it.

By the way, you don’t have to do anything to your current PST file. When you delete your Outlook profile, and then create a new profile, you can create a new PST file (name it something other than what the previous one was named). In this way, you haven’t touched the old one. In fact, you can open it in Outlook and have access to it; it just won’t be the “default” PST file.

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Too many questions here to suit me, and not enough answers for me to confidently try to enlarge the file. Not when doing so successfully will only delay the inevitible fact that she just needs to do some serious archiving. . .somewhere other than in Outlook. Thanks for the response.

If she is running pop3, you can change her settings to make sure that email is held on the server for a while, say 30 days. Then sit back and wait for the crash. When she no longer receives email, and figures out that she is no longer receiving email, you will likely have at least a couple of weeks to deal with the problem, because all of the missing emails will still be sitting on the server, waiting for her to have a good PST file to which to download them. Drag your feet a bit more, and then explain to her that she has maxxed out on the amount of email that she can keep in her PST file. Then wait a bit more to let that thought settle into her mind.

That is your best chance to cure her of this.

My experience is just like yours. In my case, I have tried to find a totally automatic archiving solution, so that I don’t have to fool with it any more:
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread//150993-Totally-Automatic-Archiving-in-Outlook-2007

Been there, done that, got the Tshirt.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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The only real long term solution IMHO is to get her to do what she should have been doing in the first place, and archive important files in that underused hard drive and regularly delete what she doesn’t need. This constant “brinksmanship” is for the birds.

If she is running pop3, you can change her settings to make sure that email is held on the server for a while, say 30 days. Then sit back and wait for the crash. When she no longer receives email, and figures out that she is no longer receiving email, you will likely have at least a couple of weeks to deal with the problem, because all of the missing emails will still be sitting on the server, waiting for her to have a good PST file to which to download them. Drag your feet a bit more, and then explain to her that she has maxxed out on the amount of email that she can keep in her PST file. Then wait a bit more to let that thought settle into her mind.

That is your best chance to cure her of this.

My experience is just like yours. In my case, I have tried to find a totally automatic archiving solution, so that I don’t have to fool with it any more:
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread//150993-Totally-Automatic-Archiving-in-Outlook-2007

Been there, done that, got the Tshirt.

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I agree with you to a limited degree, but as the one who has to deal with the consequences of what would happen, I really prefer avoiding the “nuclear issue” if I can.

If she is running pop3, you can change her settings to make sure that email is held on the server for a while, say 30 days. Then sit back and wait for the crash. When she no longer receives email, and figures out that she is no longer receiving email, you will likely have at least a couple of weeks to deal with the problem, because all of the missing emails will still be sitting on the server, waiting for her to have a good PST file to which to download them. Drag your feet a bit more, and then explain to her that she has maxxed out on the amount of email that she can keep in her PST file. Then wait a bit more to let that thought settle into her mind.

That is your best chance to cure her of this.

My experience is just like yours. In my case, I have tried to find a totally automatic archiving solution, so that I don’t have to fool with it any more:
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread//150993-Totally-Automatic-Archiving-in-Outlook-2007

Been there, done that, got the Tshirt.

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I agree with you to a limited degree, but as the one who has to deal with the consequences of what would happen, I really prefer avoiding the “nuclear issue” if I can.

Maybe it’s none of my business, but why is it your problem?

The reason she isn’t dealing with it is because you are. If you no longer dealt with it, she would have to find another way, namely, herself.

Maybe you can tell her that the problem is beyond you, and refer her to the geek squad. My wife has threatened to call the geek squad on more than one occasion. Back when she first started saying this, I figured I could do better than them, and I begged her to let me fix the problem. Now, however, I’d tell her to go ahead and call them.

I really apologize if I’ve stuck my nose where it doesn’t belong; but I guess you can discern that I deal with exactly the same situation that you do, and so it’s a hot-button issue with me.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Why somewhere other than in Outlook? Outlook archiving works very well, as far as I am concerned.

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I agree, and the fact it “works very well” is what caused this problem in the first place. It doesn’t work well at all when you reach the size limit on the Outlook.pst file (2 GB?) and Outlook tightens up like a drum until you compact it again. It’s not hard to imagine eventually reaching a point where compacting doesn’t do it any more.

Why somewhere other than in Outlook? Outlook archiving works very well, as far as I am concerned.

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I agree, and the fact it “works very well” is what caused this problem in the first place. It doesn’t work well at all when you reach the size limit on the Outlook.pst file (2 GB?) and Outlook tightens up like a drum until you compact it again. It’s not hard to imagine eventually reaching a point where compacting doesn’t do it any more.

I have Outlook emails archived dating back to 2005. My “live” outlook.pst file keeps just email messages from the current year. Once I get to a new year, I simply archive all last years posts to a new file, specific to that year. My “live” outlook file never goes much above 500 MB and I have no performance issues with Outlook.
With this, I compact the “live” .pst file 3 or 4 times a year, to recover space from deleted posts and such. I have been doing this without any issues for several years and that was the sense in which I used “works without issues”.

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It’s “6 of one, a half dozen of the other,” she either does what you suggest or periodically archive it to HD. I choose the hard drive, which is the way I do it and I’ve never had an Outlook.pst file ever exceed 1 GB, while here is likely never BELOW 1.5 GB. I thank you for the suggestion.

I have Outlook emails archived dating back to 2005. My “live” outlook.pst file keeps just email messages from the current year. Once I get to a new year, I simply archive all last years posts to a new file, specific to that year. My “live” outlook file never goes much above 500 MB and I have no performance issues with Outlook.
With this, I compact the “live” .pst file 3 or 4 times a year, to recover space from deleted posts and such. I have been doing this without any issues for several years and that was the sense in which I used “works without issues”.

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According to the KB article in post #2 a Unicode PST file for Outlook 2007 can be up to 20GB in size. That should last a while. See the last section at Create and use .pst data files in different versions of Outlook for instructions on creating a Unicode PST file and then moving data to it.

Joe

--Joe

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According to the KB article in post #2 a Unicode PST file for Outlook 2007 can be up to 20GB in size. That should last a while. See the last section at Create and use .pst data files in different versions of Outlook for instructions on creating a Unicode PST file and then moving data to it.

Joe

I agree with JoeP517, as the link he provides gives “Decann” the best way to increase the capacity of his Outlook PST file. The process to increase the capacity is not a pretty one, but it is very workable. I support many small business users who use Outlook as their e-mail client, and this issue pops up often.
I usually start by deleting all messages in “Deleted Items” and running “ScanPST.exe” (search for this in “Program Files (x86)” to remove corruption. To confirm your bottleneck is the file type, first close Outlook. The easiest way to determine if the PST type is limited to 2 GB of storage is to go into the “Mail” icon in Control Panel, choose “Data Files..” and double-click on the “Personal Folders” data file. Look at the “Format” field — if it displays “Outlook 97-2002” your file type is limited to 2 GB. Your fix is to create a new PST then import (transfer) your Inbox, Saved, Sent, etc. contents to this new file. From the “Data Files..” window, click on Add.. button, insure “Outlook Data File” show in “Save as type” field, give your file a unique name (such as New Personal Folders), then Save. Next, make this the Default file by highlighting the new file and clicking on “Set As Default” — this insures new messages will be flowing into the new file.
Next, the fun starts: Open Outlook, then expand (clicking the “+”) “Personal Folders” and “New Personal Folders” (if that’s what you named the new PST above) so the mail folders are displayed. Starting with “Inbox” in Personal Folders, select all messages (CTRL-A) — all will highlight. Right-click any highlighted message and choose “Move” (there may be a delay of 5-60 seconds as Outlook “captures” your selection), then select the Inbox just below the “New Personal Folders”. Repeat this process with “Saved”, “Sent”, Contacts, etc. When you are satisfied that all the “Personal Folders” subfolders’ contents are transfered and empty, go back into Control Panel, Mail and “Remove” the original “Personal Folders” PST file. Your wife will now have capacity to save an additional 18 GB of messages!

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The easiest way to determine if the PST type is limited to 2 GB of storage is to go into the “Mail” icon in Control Panel, choose “Data Files..” and double-click on the “Personal Folders” data file. Look at the “Format” field — if it displays “Outlook 97-2002” your file type is limited to 2 GB.

I specifically created a PST file of type 2003-2007 — I double checked that it was not 97-2002 — and it maxxed out at 2GB.

There has to be a way to check the type of PST file you have AFTER you have created it, rather than just trusting that it is the right kind of PST file.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I specifically created a PST file of type 2003-2007 — I double checked that it was not 97-2002 — and it maxxed out at 2GB.

There has to be a way to check the type of PST file you have AFTER you have created it, rather than just trusting that it is the right kind of PST file.

I believe I’ve found the answer to the above question at the following web site: http://www.msoutlook.info/question/111

Look at the properties / advanced properties of the PST file:
* If it says “Personal Folders File” or “Outlook Data File”, it means that you are in UNICODE format.
* If it says “Personal Folders File (97 – 2002)” or “Outlook Data File (97-2002)”, it means you are in ANSI format.

Other web sites confirmed this information.

Also, I’ve been told that there is a registry setting which will limit how much data can be written to a PST file, whether it is Unicode or ANSI. I’m now investigating if maybe that is why the PST file is maxxing out at 2GB. In fact, my gut tells me that this is the issue on my wife’s computer, because her PST file maxxed out at 2GB, but it didn’t get corrupted. If if was, in fact, ANSI, it probably would have gotten corrupted when it reached 2GB and therefore would no longer have been accessible. But if an external factor (such as a Windows registry setting) stopped data from being added to the file when it hit 2GB, and in fact the file was Unicode, it would have been way under the maximum size limit and therefore would not have gotten corrupted by reaching 2GB.

Update:

Here’s the answer, found at http://www.msoutlook.info/question/99:

(I haven’t personally verified this myself)

You need to go to the following location in the Registry:

Outlook 2003
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice11.0OutlookPST
Outlook 2007
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0OutlookPST
Outlook 2010
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice14.0OutlookPST

Here you must create and set 2 new DWORD values (note that these values are case sensitive):

WarnLargeFileSize
Don’t set this higher than 4090445042 (decimal) or f3cf3cf2 (hexadecimal)
MaxLargeFileSize
Don’t set this higher than 4294967295 (decimal) or ffffffff (hexadecimal)
The first value is how many MB a user can write to a pst-file. The second value is how many MB the system can write to a pst-file. This difference has to be at least 5% since there is more written to a pst-file than just user data.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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According to the above information, my wife has a Unicode PST file, not an ANSI. I have therefore proceeded with the indicated registry edit
(http://www.msoutlook.info/question/99:):

I ran regedit as administrator

I atttempted to go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice12.0OutlookPST; however, there was no PST key at the end of the string, so I created a PST key at the end of the string.

I then created the two DWORD values indicated above.

The numbers indicated were for a 50GB PST file, the maximum allowable size. But to be safe, I decided to go with a 20GB limit. To get from 50 to 20, I simply multiplied each number by 2/5.

Since the author said that there needed to be at least a 5% difference in the two numbers, I reduced the “warn” number a little for good measure.

Since my wife accumulates approx 2GB of email every three months, she should be good for about 30 months, or 2-1/2 years. And the nice thing is that there should be a warning when she is getting close to the limit.

We’ll see what happens.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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