OST or PST

microsoft.public.exchange.misc

12 Sep 2007 10:47 PM

Rob

Were talking about Exchange 2003 with OL2003.
I just ran across a company that is using OST files stored in home
directories instead of PST files.
So naturally when the Exchange box is off everyone is off.

Any suggestions on weather I should leave it alone or reconfigure using PST
files with OST on the pc or maybe some other senario.
I'm looking for the best case solution were my users will have access all
the time if the server is up or down laptop or desktop they should always be
able to read and write mail.

Normally I do a PST in the home directory with an OST on the PC.

Thanks all.....
Rob

16 Sep 2007 2:37 PM

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

Rob <iwantfreest***@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Were talking about Exchange 2003 with OL2003.
> I just ran across a company that is using OST files stored in home
> directories

Interesting! They don't understand what the "offline" in OST means, I guess;
it doesn't get stored on a server. It needs to be locally stored on the
workstation hard drive.

>
> instead of PST files.

Since they have Exchange, they shouldn't use PST files at all, actually -
See
http://www.exchangefaq.org/faq/Exchange-5.5/Why-PST-=-BAD-/q/Why-PST-=-BAD/qid/1209

> > So naturally when the Exchange box is off everyone is off.

> Any suggestions on weather

I'd like a nice sunny day, if you can arrange it. ;-)

> I should leave it alone or reconfigure
> using PST files with OST on the pc or maybe some other senario.

As you don't know what else has been mucked with, I'd probably create new
mail profiles with *only* Exchange in them. Control panel | mail, show
profiles, and manually create a new one. I like to name them after the user,
not the default "outlook". Add the Exchange mailbox, enable cached mode
(it's actually on by default), which should build the unicode OST file where
it belongs ...

c:\documents and settings\username\local settings\application
data\microsoft\outlook\<OLprofilename>.ost

To prevent "You lost my autocomplete!!!" screaming, you can copy the old
profile's .nk2 file to newmailprofilename.nk2.

Delete the old OST files on the server.

Oh - and make sure all the clients are fully patched to Office 2003 SP2. I'm
presuming your server is patched to E2003 SP2 as well.

> I'm looking for the best case solution were my users will have access
> all the time if the server is up or down laptop or desktop they
> should always be able to read and write mail.

That's exactly what cached mode will do - it's great.

>
> Normally I do a PST in the home directory

No - don't do that. Avoid PST files ...but if you *must* use them, note that
they have to be stored on the hard drive, too - it isn't supported to access
them across the network. It leads to performance problems & data corruption.

> with an OST on the PC.

Yep.

Show quote

>
> Thanks all.....
> Rob

20 Sep 2007 1:08 AM

Rob

I thought you might say these things.
At least now I have some ammo to present my case with.
Thanks.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<lanwe***@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote in message
Show quote

news:us5Pu8G%23HHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Rob <iwantfreest***@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Were talking about Exchange 2003 with OL2003.
>> I just ran across a company that is using OST files stored in home
>> directories
>
> Interesting! They don't understand what the "offline" in OST means, I
> guess; it doesn't get stored on a server. It needs to be locally stored on
> the workstation hard drive.
>>
>> instead of PST files.
>
> Since they have Exchange, they shouldn't use PST files at all, actually -
> See
> http://www.exchangefaq.org/faq/Exchange-5.5/Why-PST-=-BAD-/q/Why-PST-=-BAD/qid/1209
>
>> > So naturally when the Exchange box is off everyone is off.
>
>
>> Any suggestions on weather
>
> I'd like a nice sunny day, if you can arrange it. ;-)
>
>> I should leave it alone or reconfigure
>> using PST files with OST on the pc or maybe some other senario.
>
> As you don't know what else has been mucked with, I'd probably create new
> mail profiles with *only* Exchange in them. Control panel | mail, show
> profiles, and manually create a new one. I like to name them after the
> user, not the default "outlook". Add the Exchange mailbox, enable cached
> mode (it's actually on by default), which should build the unicode OST
> file where it belongs ...
>
> c:\documents and settings\username\local settings\application
> data\microsoft\outlook\<OLprofilename>.ost
>
> To prevent "You lost my autocomplete!!!" screaming, you can copy the old
> profile's .nk2 file to newmailprofilename.nk2.
>
> Delete the old OST files on the server.
>
> Oh - and make sure all the clients are fully patched to Office 2003 SP2.
> I'm presuming your server is patched to E2003 SP2 as well.
>
>> I'm looking for the best case solution were my users will have access
>> all the time if the server is up or down laptop or desktop they
>> should always be able to read and write mail.
>
> That's exactly what cached mode will do - it's great.
>>
>> Normally I do a PST in the home directory
>
> No - don't do that. Avoid PST files ...but if you *must* use them, note
> that they have to be stored on the hard drive, too - it isn't supported to
> access them across the network. It leads to performance problems & data
> corruption.
>
>> with an OST on the PC.
>
> Yep.
>
>>
>> Thanks all.....
>> Rob
>
>
>