PST Compression Tools

James Robb · External Since: Jul 06, 2004 Posts: 1

Hi

I have a user who is having problems with the PST file.
It's not quite at the 2GB limit but the pst file will not
open at all, in fact Outlook locks up when trying to
access the file. I am looking for an external
compression program that I could use to make the file
smaller in hopes that it will open so I can recover the
data. We have had no luck with scanpst it keeps crashing
while trying to run on the pst file.

Has anyone else had an issue like this.

Thanks for any advice

Regards,
James Robb

Diane Poremsky [MVP] · External Since: Nov 06, 2004 Posts: 776

the max for a pst is about 1.80... so if it's closer to 2GB, you'll need to
use a hex editor to trim some of the file off then run scanpst.
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm" target="_blank">http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm</a>

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Outlook Tips: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.outlook-tips.net/" target="_blank">http://www.outlook-tips.net/</a>
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"James Robb" <anonymous.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:281a401c46386$d8f2e120$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> Hi
>
> I have a user who is having problems with the PST file.
> It's not quite at the 2GB limit but the pst file will not
> open at all, in fact Outlook locks up when trying to
> access the file. I am looking for an external
> compression program that I could use to make the file
> smaller in hopes that it will open so I can recover the
> data. We have had no luck with scanpst it keeps crashing
> while trying to run on the pst file.
>
> Has anyone else had an issue like this.
>
> Thanks for any advice
>
> Regards,
> James Robb

Kailash · External Since: Jul 13, 2004 Posts: 1

Hi

Please checkout the following link

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=296088

Regards

Kailash

Shenan Stanley · External Since: Apr 11, 2004 Posts: 5

James Robb wrote:
> I have a user who is having problems with the PST file.
> It's not quite at the 2GB limit but the pst file will not
> open at all, in fact Outlook locks up when trying to
> access the file. I am looking for an external
> compression program that I could use to make the file
> smaller in hopes that it will open so I can recover the
> data. We have had no luck with scanpst it keeps crashing
> while trying to run on the pst file.
>
> Has anyone else had an issue like this.

Diane Poremsky [MVP] wrote:
> the max for a pst is about 1.80... so if it's closer to 2GB, you'll
> need to use a hex editor to trim some of the file off then run
<font color=purple> > scanpst. <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm</font" target="_blank">http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm</font</a>>

I thought there was NO LIMIT for Outlook 2003 PST files now.. Well, not NO
LIMIT - but some ridiculous limit...

--
<- Shenan ->
--
The information is provided "as is", with no guarantees of
completeness, accuracy or timeliness, and without warranties of any
kind, express or implied. In other words, read up before you take any
advice - you are the one ultimately responsible for your actions.

tech1 · External Since: Aug 02, 2004 Posts: 1

Try PSTManager at <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.addonmail.com" target="_blank">www.addonmail.com</a> which compacts PST files OUTSIDE
Outlook. If lucky, you will decrease the size and then be successful
to open it with Outlook.

Demo version available for 30 days.
Gilles

"Shenan Stanley" <news_helper.TakeThisOut@hushmail.com> wrote in message news:<uaOMqwvaEHA.2216.TakeThisOut@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl>...
> James Robb wrote:
  > > I have a user who is having problems with the PST file.
  > > It's not quite at the 2GB limit but the pst file will not
  > > open at all, in fact Outlook locks up when trying to
  > > access the file. I am looking for an external
  > > compression program that I could use to make the file
  > > smaller in hopes that it will open so I can recover the
  > > data. We have had no luck with scanpst it keeps crashing
  > > while trying to run on the pst file.
  > >
  > > Has anyone else had an issue like this.
>
> Diane Poremsky [MVP] wrote:
  > > the max for a pst is about 1.80... so if it's closer to 2GB, you'll
  > > need to use a hex editor to trim some of the file off then run
<font color=green>  > > scanpst. <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm</font" target="_blank">http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm</font</a>>
>
> I thought there was NO LIMIT for Outlook 2003 PST files now.. Well, not NO
> LIMIT - but some ridiculous limit...
>
> --
> <- Shenan ->

Diane Poremsky [MVP] · External Since: Nov 06, 2004 Posts: 776

> I thought there was NO LIMIT for Outlook 2003 PST files now.. Well, not NO
> LIMIT - but some ridiculous limit...

Outlook 2003's Unicode psts have a practical limit of 20GB, but it can be
expanded to 3 TB. Ol2002 and lower or ANSI pst formats in OL2003 have a
practical limit of 1.8 GB and fail at 2GB. Since the person didn't mention
the version or pst format, we can only go by the information provided - that
it was near 2 GB, locking up and scanpst failed.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Outlook Tips: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.outlook-tips.net/" target="_blank">http://www.outlook-tips.net/</a>
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.slipstick.com" target="_blank">http://www.slipstick.com</a>
Join OneNote Tips mailing list: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.onenote-tips.net/" target="_blank">http://www.onenote-tips.net/</a>

Vote for your favorite Outlook and Exchange utilities in the
Slipstick Ratings Raffle at <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.slipstick.com/contest/" target="_blank">http://www.slipstick.com/contest/</a>

Shenan Stanley · External Since: Apr 11, 2004 Posts: 5

James Robb wrote:
> I have a user who is having problems with the PST file.
> It's not quite at the 2GB limit but the pst file will not
> open at all, in fact Outlook locks up when trying to
> access the file. I am looking for an external
> compression program that I could use to make the file
> smaller in hopes that it will open so I can recover the
> data. We have had no luck with scanpst it keeps crashing
> while trying to run on the pst file.

Diane Poremsky [MVP] wrote:
> the max for a pst is about 1.80... so if it's closer to 2GB, you'll
> need to use a hex editor to trim some of the file off then run
<font color=purple> > scanpst. <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm</font" target="_blank">http://www.slipstick.com/problems/repair2gbpst.htm</font</a>>

Shenan wrote:
> I thought there was NO LIMIT for Outlook 2003 PST files now.. Well,
> not NO LIMIT - but some ridiculous limit...

Diane Poremsky [MVP] wrote:
> Outlook 2003's Unicode psts have a practical limit of 20GB, but it
> can be expanded to 3 TB. Ol2002 and lower or ANSI pst formats in
> OL2003 have a practical limit of 1.8 GB and fail at 2GB. Since the
> person didn't mention the version or pst format, we can only go by
> the information provided - that it was near 2 GB, locking up and
> scanpst failed.

Given, but I thought it might be faster and better just to ask the OP what
version of Outlook they were running. =) Given the fact that it was over 30
days before this came back up again - I see I was incorrect - it would not
be faster.

--
<- Shenan ->
--
The information is provided "as is", it is suggested you research for
yourself before you take any advice - you are the one ultimately
responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know what you are
getting into before you jump in with both feet.

StargateFan · External Since: May 09, 2004 Posts: 123

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 09:51:01 -0400, "Diane Poremsky [MVP]"
<dianenws RemoveThis @poremsky.com> wrote:

>expanded to 3 TB. Ol2002 and lower or ANSI pst formats in OL2003 have a

My goodness, this is a new one for me. What unit of measure is
represented by the TB?? Sounds huge!

(Is it something starting to approach Star Trek's "terraquads" of
computer info??? It was something like that in the show ... <g>)