PST IS TOO BIG (xp)

Topic

New Reply

My incoming mail is going directly to my delete folder and I got a message to say that my pst file was oversize. I have deleted just about everthing but the size of the pst file has not decreased – Do I need to run some sort of compact or something to get it to shrink after deleting stuff?

Reply | Quote

Replies

File > Data File Management > Settings….
…will lead you to a ‘Compact Now’ button, but Outlook will ‘self-compact’ in the background if you leave it running.

Reply | Quote

You are right – it did – thanks.

Reply | Quote

You are right – it did – thanks.

Reply | Quote

File > Data File Management > Settings….
…will lead you to a ‘Compact Now’ button, but Outlook will ‘self-compact’ in the background if you leave it running.

Reply | Quote

The maximum “workable” size of a PST file is 2 GB – surely yours is not that big?! If it is, you need to look at Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 296088 for the “Oversized PST and OST Crop Tool”.

Although Outlook is “supposed” to compact its PST file in the background, I have yet to find evidence that this happens. Your Exchange may vary!

John

Reply | Quote

>> ….I have yet to find evidence that this happens.

Mine does.

Reply | Quote

>> ….I have yet to find evidence that this happens.

Mine does.

Reply | Quote

The maximum “workable” size of a PST file is 2 GB – surely yours is not that big?! If it is, you need to look at Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 296088 for the “Oversized PST and OST Crop Tool”.

Although Outlook is “supposed” to compact its PST file in the background, I have yet to find evidence that this happens. Your Exchange may vary!

John

Reply | Quote

In addition to Leif’s and John’s useful advice, you should consider regularly archiving your PST, or if you want to keep all your Outlook records available at all times, breaking your PST into multiple PSTs.

Search this Forum and you will find discussions on Archiving, running multiple PST’s, and techniques for minimizing PST size.

Reply | Quote

It sounds as though you have not exceeded the 2GB maximum size because you still can open your PST.

First, make a backup copy. Repair and compact sometimes can corrupt the file, and also Outlook might inadvertently download a message while you’re working on this problem and permanently corrupt it.

Second, try compacting your PST. This is a long process.

Third, you can try rebuilding the PST with the Inbox repair tool, ScanPST.exe. This often can be found here:
C:Program FilesCommon FilesSystemMapi1033 (Note: 1033 is a language ID for the US English version of Office.)

Finally, if your mailbox becomes corrupted, check out EasyRecovery EmailRepair. This product worked for us on the third try (tech support told us after the initial failure that it was important NOT to change any of the default options).

Reply | Quote

It sounds as though you have not exceeded the 2GB maximum size because you still can open your PST.

First, make a backup copy. Repair and compact sometimes can corrupt the file, and also Outlook might inadvertently download a message while you’re working on this problem and permanently corrupt it.

Second, try compacting your PST. This is a long process.

Third, you can try rebuilding the PST with the Inbox repair tool, ScanPST.exe. This often can be found here:
C:Program FilesCommon FilesSystemMapi1033 (Note: 1033 is a language ID for the US English version of Office.)

Finally, if your mailbox becomes corrupted, check out EasyRecovery EmailRepair. This product worked for us on the third try (tech support told us after the initial failure that it was important NOT to change any of the default options).

Reply | Quote