Roaming Profile + Server 2003 + Outlook 2003

Hey fellahs,

I got my roaming profile set up. I also created a whole new GPO and set up folder redirection for all four folders.l

Next I set up a new data file in Outlook to store .pst files and pointed that at a network file server.

My problem, Outlook keeps looking for the C: default when I log on to a different machine. I tried to delete the default data folder, but it says that I can't unless I set a new default first. I looked for the option, but couldn't.

I can still get around this by mapping that drive and then selecting the Outlook.pst file whenever I open up Office 2003 on a workstation.

Has anyone here delt with Roaming Profiles + Office 2003? Is there a way other than using Exchange Server. Man that thing is expensive.

For what it's worth, (before I tell you how to change the default folder)

Although it is possible to specify a network directory or a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path as a storage location for a .pst file, network usage is not meant to be a long-term, continuous-use method of storing messages in an enterprise environment.

A .pst file is a file-access-driven method of message storage. File-access-driven means that the computer uses special file access commands that the operating system provides to read and write data to the file.

This is not efficient on WAN or LAN links because WAN/LAN links use network-access-driven methods, commands the operating system provides to send data to or receive from another networked computer.

If there is a remote .pst (over a network link), Microsoft Outlook tries to use the file commands to read from the file or write to the file, but the operating system then has to send those commands over the network because the file is not on the local computer. This creates a great deal of overhead and increases the time it takes to read and write to the file.

Additionally, the use a .pst file over a network connection may result in a corrupted .pst file if the connection degrades or fails.

Other Behaviors of .pst Files over WAN/LAN Links
• All operations take longer.
• Write operations can take approximately four times longer than read operations.
• Outlook has slower performance than the Exchange Client.
For the reasons mentioned above, Offline Folders (.ost) files and personal address book (.pab) files on a network share that are accessed remotely are also unsupported configurations.

Quote:

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I tried to delete the default data folder, but it says that I can't unless I set a new default first. I looked for the option, but couldn't.

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The place to change this is almost similar depending on whether it's a single or multiple profile Outlook setup. (Actually you can change it in the same place, but never mind that.)

In Outlook, make a note of the file location and name.
In the Navigation Pane, right-click Personal Folders or the name that appears for your .pst file, and then click Properties for folder name.
Note This folder will always be a top-level folder in the Navigation Pane, in Mail.
Click Advanced.
In the Filename text box, make a note of the complete path and file name of the .pst file.
Close Outlook.

Move the file.

Use Windows Explorer to copy each .pst file from its default location of the <drive>:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook folder to any folder on your computer that you want.

Note The default location is a hidden folder. To use Windows Explorer to navigate to this folder, you must first turn on the display of hidden folders. In Windows Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options. On the View tab, under Advanced Settings, under Files and Folders, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders. If you want to see all file name extensions, clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box under Files and Folders. Hidden folders appear dimmed to indicate they are not typical folders.

In Control Panel, open Mail.
Click Show Profiles, and then select the profile that contains the .pst file.
Click Properties, and then click Data Files.
Select the data file from the list, and then click Settings.
When an error dialog box appears notifying you that the data file could not be found at the old location, click OK.
Browse to the new folder location, select the data file, and then click Open.
Click OK, and then click Close twice.
Click OK.
Restart Outlook.

Work with multiple data files in one profile
If you have multiple .pst files in your Outlook profile, make sure that your default delivery location is still correct after you complete the preceding steps. The default delivery location is the data file where new messages will appear in the Inbox.

On the Tools menu, click E-mail Accounts.
Click View or change existing e-mail accounts, and then click Next.
In the Deliver new e-mail to the following location list, make sure that the correct data file is selected.
If you need to change the selection, make sure to click Finish, and then quit and restart Outlook for the changes to take effect.

Also read this about Outlook and roaming profiles:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/as...402691033.aspx

;)