General PST File Management Tools
Generated at: Saturday 17th of May 2008 11:23:41 AM

This page contains information to assist with day-to-day Outlook PST File Management.
Listings should not be considered endorsments or recommendations of the product by Xemplify IT.

PST File Management Software

PSTCompactor (Professional Edition)
http://www.PSTCompactor.com/products/pstcompactor/index.php

Effect on PST file management
Advantages
  • Reduces PST file size
  • Can centrally manage PST files across entire company
  • Can define rules, eg zip attachments older than 30 days
  • Can force PST file compaction

Disadvantages

  • Supports only Office 98, 2000 and XP and 2003 yet

ScanPST - Repair damaged Personal Folders PST file
http://www.slipstick.com/problems/scanpst.htm

Effect on PST file management
Advantages

  • Repairs internal corruption problems in PST files

Disadvantages

  • Can not be automated

MSKB 296088 - PST2GB OL: Oversized PST and OST Crop Tool
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=296088

Effect on PST File Management
Advantages

  • Can recover PST files that have grown past the 2gb limit
  • Free product from Microsoft, developers of the PST file format

Disadvantages

  • Mail after the 2gb boundary is deleted from the PST file

PSTsize - Alerts users when PST file approaches 2gb
http://www.jsiinc.com/subk/tip5100/rh5120.htm

Effect on PST File Management
Advantages

  • Can help prevent PST files growing >2gb, after which mail is lost
  • Free product

Disadvantages

  • Must be deployed and scheduled manually on each PC.
    We recommend using Hyena to deploy a Scheduled task to all PC's

Outlook 2000 "Save my Settings" wizard
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0F04E7E9-0272-4396-BDE4-6CC3375C6A21&displaylang=EN

Effect on PST File Management
Advantages

  • Backups up Outlook 2000 settings which simplifies machine reloads

Disadvantages

  • None. This feature is built into Office XP

OFFXP - Office XP SP1 - Prevents Outlook XP PST files reaching 2gb limit
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2002/oxpsp1.aspx

Effect on PST File Management
Advantages

  • Prevents PST file reaching 2gb limit after which mail is lost
  • Increases general stability of Office XP/2002

Disadvantages

  • Introduces additional security to Outlook that may intefer with 3rd party applications

OFF2000 - Office 2000 SP1/1a - Prevents Outlook 2000 PST files reaching 2gb limit
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=245025

Effect on PST File Management
Advantages

  • Prevents PST file reaching 2gb limit after which mail is lost
  • Increases general stability of Office XP/2002

Disadvantages

  • Introduces additional security to Outlook that may intefer with 3rd party applications

PST File Management Articles

HOWTO: Undelete emails already emptied from "Deleted Items"
http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6270-5054599.html  

Effect on PST File Management
Advantages

  • Undeletes all messages that have already been emptied from 'Deleted Items'
  • Works on Office 98, 2000 and XP format PST files (not Office 2003)

Disadvantages

  • Risky, be sure to take a backup
  • Complex
  • Must be performed soon after deletion from the PST file before space gets reallocated for new messages

 

MSKB - The .pst file has a different format and folder size limit in Outlook 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=830336&product=out2003

Effect on PST file management
Advantages

  • Increases 2gb PST file size limitation to 20gb

Disadvantages

  • Incompatible with previous editions of Office
  • Appears to increase PST file corruption [see here for details]

OL2002: "0x80040119" and "Unknown Error" Error Messages When You Try to Read, Send, Receive, or Delete E-mail
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=814441

Effect on PST File Management
Advantages

  • Explains how to fix corrupt PST files with SCANPST

Disadvantages

  • None

 


If you woud like to contribute a tool or article to this page, please email [ support (at) xemplifyit.com] with the details.

Need help managing PST files? Simplify PST file management with PSTCompactor. Zip attachments, compact mailbox, shrink Microsoft Outlook PSTs. Network File management for PSTs made easy!