I have a recommendation/suggestion for Outlook products.

This recommendation comes after numerous problems that I have encountered
with the Windows environment. I would REALLY like it if we had an option to
change the default mail location like we do with the My Documents directory.
I have had a rash of problems with teh system over the past year for various
reasons, some non-Microsoft related and others because of Microsoft problems.
each time I get into a situation where I have to repair or replace the OS,
the system wipes out the PST files associated with Outlook and as a result, I
lose a LOT of valuable emails.

Just this past weekened, I got a report that the HAL.DLL file is missing. I
followed all the directions in the KB and tried several others after doing a
web search. If using NTFS, I have been unable to use the EXPAND command,
which makes the Recovery Console completely useless and a waste of disk
space. As a result of being unable to repair the OS, I elected to reinstall
the OS without a format, it wiped out the directories that contain all the
email PST files that were in the Documents and Settings directory.
Everything associated with Outlook was wiped and is not in the Trash Can.

What a PAIN IN THE *$$. Not only do I lose all the email, I also have to
recreate EVERYTHING associated with Outlook. I run a web hosting business
and so I have quite a few email addresses associated with various positions.
Not only can I not replicate and then modify the account data, I have to
manually input each and every item which is a complete waste of time; albeit
a necessary waste of time as Microsoft hasn't figured out how to do account
replication.

My recommendation:

Make it possible to move the email folders to some location that is not in
such a volatile location as the useless Documents and Settings directory and
also make it possible to replicate the accounts.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...installat ion

It is already possible to control the default location for new .pst files; see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883401/

And it has always been possible to store a .pst file anywhere on the user's local drive.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"IleyP" wrote in message ...
I have a recommendation/suggestion for Outlook products.

This recommendation comes after numerous problems that I have encountered
with the Windows environment. I would REALLY like it if we had an option to
change the default mail location like we do with the My Documents directory.
I have had a rash of problems with teh system over the past year for various
reasons, some non-Microsoft related and others because of Microsoft problems.
each time I get into a situation where I have to repair or replace the OS,
the system wipes out the PST files associated with Outlook and as a result, I
lose a LOT of valuable emails.

Just this past weekened, I got a report that the HAL.DLL file is missing. I
followed all the directions in the KB and tried several others after doing a
web search. If using NTFS, I have been unable to use the EXPAND command,
which makes the Recovery Console completely useless and a waste of disk
space. As a result of being unable to repair the OS, I elected to reinstall
the OS without a format, it wiped out the directories that contain all the
email PST files that were in the Documents and Settings directory.
Everything associated with Outlook was wiped and is not in the Trash Can.

What a PAIN IN THE *$$. Not only do I lose all the email, I also have to
recreate EVERYTHING associated with Outlook. I run a web hosting business
and so I have quite a few email addresses associated with various positions.
Not only can I not replicate and then modify the account data, I have to
manually input each and every item which is a complete waste of time; albeit
a necessary waste of time as Microsoft hasn't figured out how to do account
replication.

My recommendation:

Make it possible to move the email folders to some location that is not in
such a volatile location as the useless Documents and Settings directory and
also make it possible to replicate the accounts.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...installat ion

Except that the link you provide does not go to a page that exists, it is
impossible to see what you are referring to. Also, I have always created a
new PST file so that I can archive everything. However, that PST file does
not include the addresses to everything that is associated with my accounts,
etc.

So while you may have written a book about Outlook, that does not preclude
teh need to put all the information associated with my personal accounts into
some location that is not volunerable to stupid little OS quirks.

Of all the email programs out there, Outlook is also one of the few that
does not allow a user to replicate an account and change little things like
the username and password. Each account must created and all the entries
have to be added in manually, each and every time that the system locks up
and requires that I format the drive with the OS and resintall the system.

So thaks for the feedback, but it doesn't answer the problem that I pose.

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

It is already possible to control the default location for new .pst files; see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883401/

And it has always been possible to store a .pst file anywhere on the user's local drive.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"IleyP" wrote in message ...
I have a recommendation/suggestion for Outlook products.

This recommendation comes after numerous problems that I have encountered
with the Windows environment. I would REALLY like it if we had an option to
change the default mail location like we do with the My Documents directory.
I have had a rash of problems with teh system over the past year for various
reasons, some non-Microsoft related and others because of Microsoft problems.
each time I get into a situation where I have to repair or replace the OS,
the system wipes out the PST files associated with Outlook and as a result, I
lose a LOT of valuable emails.

Just this past weekened, I got a report that the HAL.DLL file is missing. I
followed all the directions in the KB and tried several others after doing a
web search. If using NTFS, I have been unable to use the EXPAND command,
which makes the Recovery Console completely useless and a waste of disk
space. As a result of being unable to repair the OS, I elected to reinstall
the OS without a format, it wiped out the directories that contain all the
email PST files that were in the Documents and Settings directory.
Everything associated with Outlook was wiped and is not in the Trash Can.

What a PAIN IN THE *$$. Not only do I lose all the email, I also have to
recreate EVERYTHING associated with Outlook. I run a web hosting business
and so I have quite a few email addresses associated with various positions.
Not only can I not replicate and then modify the account data, I have to
manually input each and every item which is a complete waste of time; albeit
a necessary waste of time as Microsoft hasn't figured out how to do account
replication.

My recommendation:

Make it possible to move the email folders to some location that is not in
such a volatile location as the useless Documents and Settings directory and
also make it possible to replicate the accounts.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...installat ion

It's not my fault that something's broken with Microsoft's knowledgebase. Some link formats no longer work. This one should: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=883401

Account information is stored in the Windows registry, not in .pst files (which makes sense, given that a single pst file could be used with multiple mail profiles and different accounts). The Save My Settings wizard that comes with Office makes a thorough backup of those settings and Outlook's other settings.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"IleyP" wrote in message ...
Except that the link you provide does not go to a page that exists, it is
impossible to see what you are referring to. Also, I have always created a
new PST file so that I can archive everything. However, that PST file does
not include the addresses to everything that is associated with my accounts,
etc.

So while you may have written a book about Outlook, that does not preclude
teh need to put all the information associated with my personal accounts into
some location that is not volunerable to stupid little OS quirks.

Of all the email programs out there, Outlook is also one of the few that
does not allow a user to replicate an account and change little things like
the username and password. Each account must created and all the entries
have to be added in manually, each and every time that the system locks up
and requires that I format the drive with the OS and resintall the system.

So thaks for the feedback, but it doesn't answer the problem that I pose.

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

It is already possible to control the default location for new .pst files; see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883401/

And it has always been possible to store a .pst file anywhere on the user's local drive.


"IleyP" wrote in message ...
I have a recommendation/suggestion for Outlook products.

This recommendation comes after numerous problems that I have encountered
with the Windows environment. I would REALLY like it if we had an option to
change the default mail location like we do with the My Documents directory.
I have had a rash of problems with teh system over the past year for various
reasons, some non-Microsoft related and others because of Microsoft problems.
each time I get into a situation where I have to repair or replace the OS,
the system wipes out the PST files associated with Outlook and as a result, I
lose a LOT of valuable emails.

Just this past weekened, I got a report that the HAL.DLL file is missing. I
followed all the directions in the KB and tried several others after doing a
web search. If using NTFS, I have been unable to use the EXPAND command,
which makes the Recovery Console completely useless and a waste of disk
space. As a result of being unable to repair the OS, I elected to reinstall
the OS without a format, it wiped out the directories that contain all the
email PST files that were in the Documents and Settings directory.
Everything associated with Outlook was wiped and is not in the Trash Can.

What a PAIN IN THE *$$. Not only do I lose all the email, I also have to
recreate EVERYTHING associated with Outlook. I run a web hosting business
and so I have quite a few email addresses associated with various positions.
Not only can I not replicate and then modify the account data, I have to
manually input each and every item which is a complete waste of time; albeit
a necessary waste of time as Microsoft hasn't figured out how to do account
replication.

My recommendation:

Make it possible to move the email folders to some location that is not in
such a volatile location as the useless Documents and Settings directory and
also make it possible to replicate the accounts.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...installat ion

IleyP wrote:

Except that the link you provide does not go to a page that exists,

Not true.
--
Brian Tillman

You are right....my apologies for being rude. Frustrated and killing the
person who was trying to help.

Your link after it became effective, was very useful.

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

It's not my fault that something's broken with Microsoft's knowledgebase. Some link formats no longer work. This one should: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=883401

Account information is stored in the Windows registry, not in .pst files (which makes sense, given that a single pst file could be used with multiple mail profiles and different accounts). The Save My Settings wizard that comes with Office makes a thorough backup of those settings and Outlook's other settings.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"IleyP" wrote in message ...
Except that the link you provide does not go to a page that exists, it is
impossible to see what you are referring to. Also, I have always created a
new PST file so that I can archive everything. However, that PST file does
not include the addresses to everything that is associated with my accounts,
etc.

So while you may have written a book about Outlook, that does not preclude
teh need to put all the information associated with my personal accounts into
some location that is not volunerable to stupid little OS quirks.

Of all the email programs out there, Outlook is also one of the few that
does not allow a user to replicate an account and change little things like
the username and password. Each account must created and all the entries
have to be added in manually, each and every time that the system locks up
and requires that I format the drive with the OS and resintall the system.

So thaks for the feedback, but it doesn't answer the problem that I pose.

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

It is already possible to control the default location for new .pst files; see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883401/

And it has always been possible to store a .pst file anywhere on the user's local drive.


"IleyP" wrote in message ...
I have a recommendation/suggestion for Outlook products.

This recommendation comes after numerous problems that I have encountered
with the Windows environment. I would REALLY like it if we had an option to
change the default mail location like we do with the My Documents directory.
I have had a rash of problems with teh system over the past year for various
reasons, some non-Microsoft related and others because of Microsoft problems.
each time I get into a situation where I have to repair or replace the OS,
the system wipes out the PST files associated with Outlook and as a result, I
lose a LOT of valuable emails.

Just this past weekened, I got a report that the HAL.DLL file is missing. I
followed all the directions in the KB and tried several others after doing a
web search. If using NTFS, I have been unable to use the EXPAND command,
which makes the Recovery Console completely useless and a waste of disk
space. As a result of being unable to repair the OS, I elected to reinstall
the OS without a format, it wiped out the directories that contain all the
email PST files that were in the Documents and Settings directory.
Everything associated with Outlook was wiped and is not in the Trash Can.

What a PAIN IN THE *$$. Not only do I lose all the email, I also have to
recreate EVERYTHING associated with Outlook. I run a web hosting business
and so I have quite a few email addresses associated with various positions.
Not only can I not replicate and then modify the account data, I have to
manually input each and every item which is a complete waste of time; albeit
a necessary waste of time as Microsoft hasn't figured out how to do account
replication.

My recommendation:

Make it possible to move the email folders to some location that is not in
such a volatile location as the useless Documents and Settings directory and
also make it possible to replicate the accounts.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...installat ion

When I looked it wasn't available. That it was there when you looked means
absolutely nothing if wasn't there when I looked.

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

IleyP wrote:

Except that the link you provide does not go to a page that exists,

Not true.
--
Brian Tillman

IleyP wrote:

When I looked it wasn't available.

This is a different statement than the one you first made.
--
Brian Tillman