Unable to backup Personal Folder

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I installed the Outlook 2000 Personal Folder Backup addin and it displays an error message:

“Cannot copy Outlook. The process cannot access the file because another process has locked a portion of the file.”

Does anyone know how I can find out which process has locked what?

Thank you in anticipation!

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is outlook closed? if yes, what about other programs that access outlook data – including winfax and sync programs for palm pilots?

also, it can take a few seconds to a minute or so for outlook to close completely and release the pst.

it’s been awhile since i used that backup (i have a batch that copies my pst when i boot) but i think it makes the backup after outlook closes, doesn’t it?

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Edited by DaveA on 01/01/10 17:32.

On my wife’s machine once Outlook 2000 has been started since a boot, it is running in the back ground. Go to the Task Manager (Ctrl Alt Delete) and make sure Outlook is not running.

Anyone know what setting keeps Outlook running in the back ground?
This will NOT happen on the laptop or my desktop. We can NOT figure out what was done when she installed office. It was this way on her old machine and now on the new one.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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FWIW – I know that if you keep an email open and close Outlook 2K, it keeps running until all messages are closed.
(Not running Exchange or NetFolders or the like.)

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Are you using winfax? what about software that accesses outlook – like for syncing palms?
did you exit using exit and log off (to properly exit mapi32) (this only is with corp mode – see help > about if you don’t know which mode)
Leave notes or any outlook form open on the desktop?
There are a few other things that can cause it – but mostly it’s because anouther application is accesing the outlook data.

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She is running WinFax 10.0

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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with the outlook integration enabled, no doubt

In earlier versions of WF, just having it installed caused shutdown problems for outlook – WF didn’t need to be running. AFAIK, that is not the case with WF10.

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Has Outlook been added to the start menu when starting your computer? If it has, then to undo this, right click on the taskbar, click on properties, then click on Start Menu Programs, click on remove, scroll down to startup and open it up. If you see Outlook in there and you want it removed, then click on it to remove.

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Thanks for the prompt response!

The backup add-in starts automatically, immediately after Outlook 2000 is closed and the error occurs at that point.

WinFax and Palm Sync are not running, nor is Exchange.

Clearly some program has locked the Personal Folder, because an attempt to copy the pst file using Windows Explorer also results in the same error.

I was hoping to be able to somehow track down which program has locked it and then work out how to fix it.

Thank you again.

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WinFax and Palm Sync are not running, nor is Exchange.

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Does that mean they are installed? If so, what versions?

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Please excuse my sloppy language

WinFax, Palm Sync and Exchange are *not installed* (hence not running).

Thanks again for your prompt response!

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i thought that’s what you meant, but wanted to double check.

Are you using corp or internet mail only mode? I thought both modes took a few minutes to let go of the pst – up to 30 in some of my tests, but the backup tool should know how to handle it.

You can make a backup everytime you load outlook – cretae a batch file that copies the pst to a new location then start outlook from the batch when it’s finished copying.

it would look like this:

copy C:outlook.pst C:Backups*.*
“c:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOfficeoutlook.exe”

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Using Internet Mail mode only.

Your batch file suggestion would be great, except, as I mentioned earlier, trying to copy the pst file with Windows Explorer results in the same “file is locked” error as using the Backup add-in.

BTW all this is occuring when no other program is running, so something must be running in the background and locking the Outlook file. Looking at the task list however, reveals nothing obvious … hence the frustration.

Any other ideas would be gratefully received. Thanks again!

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try the batch when the computer first boots and before outlook ever is loaded. this will rule out other programs accessing the pst. then close outlook, wait at least 30 min and try the batch again. i’m thinking the utility is trying to access the pst before outlook has completely let go of it.
If you are really energentic, reduce the time by 5 min and repeat until you get the error – then you’ll know how long Outlook holds the pst before releasing.

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Thanks for all your help – I’ll give it a shot.

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Check that you haven’t created another personal folder when you set off back-up. I don’t know how but mine has done that twice. When I delete the additional folder (which I assume is a half-hearted attempt at starting the back-up somewhere in the system) I can back-up or copy from explorer

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This sounds very promising …

1. I assume you mean that you found another copy of outlook.pst?

2. If so, where was this extra file?

3. Do you have to delete this file each time, or having deleted it once, was this enough to have backup or Windows Explorer work each time thereafter?

Thank you in anticipation.

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Sorry for the late response to your request – I’ve been quite busy. I’m not that technical so I don’t know exactly what happens but twice there has appeared an extra personal folder in Outlook when I discovered back up wouldn’t work. I didn’t create it so it’s an error and I just close it from the Folder list and everything’s OK.

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we’re not really talking client time – but how long the pst remains locked. outlook generally is closed (gone from the task list) within a few seconds, mapi32 stays alive longer. The pst is usually locked for much longer. This is likely for the same reason that mapi32 stays loaded – for faster startup if you change your mind.

i timed it once when trying to move a pst to a new drive – it took close to a half hour before the pst was released and able to be moved.
when working with offline folders outlook takes longer to close but it doesn’t hold the objects open once it does close. exit and log releases the pst faster than using the X inthe corner.

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word only would be a factor if using it as the editor, and then it’s outlook keeping word running hidden instead of word affecting outlook.
excel never would unless you used a macro that called outlook but didn’t release all the outlook objects when it was finished. they are mapi aware but unlike winfax and sync programs, don’t actually hook into outlook except to send mail or access the other items.

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Edited by maryj on 01/01/14 14:39.

You might want to have a look at this MS KB article, it may help:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/ar…s/q239/5/79.asp%5B/url%5D

You can also get this article by sending an E-mail with a subject of “Q239579” (without the quotes) to mshelp@microsoft.com

This link should automate that for you:
mshelp@microsoft.com?subject=Q239579

Hope this helps.

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