As some client forget to close Outlook before a backup, what's the best way
to automatically terminate the Outlook.exe process via a script so the backup
application can backup the PST files?

I can use pskill.exe or taskkill.exe, but I am concerned about the PST files
that are open when OUTLOOK.exe is killed. Can they get corrupt using this
method?

They can get corrupted, but they may not be corrupted either. At any rate,
Outlook will launch slowly after it has been terminated unexpectedly as it
scans the mailbox folders for errors. If it contains errors, Outlook will
fix the errors at the expense of losing data.

Outlook is known to not shut down correctly if either of the following are
true:

1. An Outlook Add-In is loaded that does not release all references to the
objects it instantiates. Answer is to get an updated add-in from its
manufacturer.

2. The machine runs Outlook 2000. This is a known issue for OL2000, and
since it is no longer in MS Mainstream Support, there will likely never be a
fix issued for this problem. Therefore, the answer is to upgrade to the
latest version of Outlook and/or Microsoft Office.

3. Construct a COM Add-In that forcefully unloads all Add-Ins and then shuts
down Outlook itself at a pre-determined time. Therefore, if the Outlook.exe
process is running at the designated time and this "Force Outlook Shutdown"
add-in is loaded, it will kill all add-ins and then terminate Outlook
gracefully ... without data loss and without having to scan the mailbox
folders at next launch.

Hope this helps.
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"Pete" wrote:

As some client forget to close Outlook before a backup, what's the best way
to automatically terminate the Outlook.exe process via a script so the backup
application can backup the PST files?

I can use pskill.exe or taskkill.exe, but I am concerned about the PST files
that are open when OUTLOOK.exe is killed. Can they get corrupt using this
method?