Outlook is getting full

[MoneyGuy]

I keep a lot of email and appointment information in MS Outlook. It will soon be full. So far I've just deleted some non-essential stuff, but have limited ability to do that. I have Microsoft Office Outlook 2007. How can I expand Outlook's storage capacity?

[mykalberta]

Create PST files, just keep them under 10GB in size.

Tools > Options > Mail Setup > Data Files > Add ...

[cKy]

Also make sure you empty your Deleted Items as well. I have tons of clients here who 'delete' the emails from the Inbox (or wherever) and assume it's gone.

[Rathji]

Either set up an autoarchive for your stuff, or do what mykalberta suggested and just manually create an archive file, and put the items in manually.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Create PST files, just keep them under 10GB in size.

Tools > Options > Mail Setup > Data Files > Add ...

I've been told that after 2GB in size, it can start to corrupt. Is this true?

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I've been told that after 2GB in size, it can start to corrupt. Is this true?

Only in versions of Office prior to 2007.

You are still putting all your eggs in one basket though working with huge PST files. Better to create multiple smaller PST files that cover date ranges or something.

[sclitheroe]

Are you in a company environment with Exchange? Something else to consider...a lot of shops don’t like employees making extensive use of PST files to manage email data, since it can be more efficiently backed up if kept in Exchange (single instance storage on file attachments, granular restores, etc, for example).

Maybe talk to your admin about getting approval to have your limits in Exchange bumped up if this applies to you

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Create PST files, just keep them under 10GB in size.

Tools > Options > Mail Setup > Data Files > Add ...

I'll try to figure out how to do that. Thanks.

Originally Posted by cKy

Also make sure you empty your Deleted Items as well. I have tons of clients here who 'delete' the emails from the Inbox (or wherever) and assume it's gone.

I delete my deleted box regularly.

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Are you in a company environment with Exchange? Something else to consider...a lot of shops don’t like employees making extensive use of PST files to manage email data, since it can be more efficiently backed up if kept in Exchange (single instance storage on file attachments, granular restores, etc, for example).

Maybe talk to your admin about getting approval to have your limits in Exchange bumped up if this applies to you

I have my own company, but no tech person.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I'll try to figure out how to do that. Thanks.



I delete my deleted box regularly.



I have my own company, but no tech person.

You do have a tech person. You!!

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

It will soon be full.

What makes you say its going to be full soon? Is something warning you? Is that an ISP limit?

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

What makes you say its going to be full soon? Is something warning you? Is that an ISP limit?

I got a warning awhile ago that Outlook was full. I deleted a bunch of stuff (emails) but know that it's only a matter of time.

[Rathji]

Outlook shouldn't have a limit, unless you are talking about .pst files (the files used for archiving). Older outlook (pre-2003) had a hard limit or 2gb. Anything newer will support technically unlimited file sizes but can slow down outlook as the file grows. For this reason I tend to suggest users set up a new archive file every year. From the earlier posts in this thread it doesn't seem like you are using archives though.

Who is your email through? What as the message? Did it come up as a pop-up dialog box or an email? If you got an email, the contents of that mail might help you figure out what the problem is.

[McG]

it doesn't sound like you are in an exchange environment; exchange 2010 will handle mailboxes differently and you will be able to get more storage at the same time.

a slight caution for those in a networked environment; some organizations frown upon PST/OSTs because if you keep an email long enough, it will exist longer than email should be kept. as a result, companies will sweep for offending PST/OSTs and delete them.

also to the OP, there is an archive function within Outlook that is supposed to save space, however i have found it easier to just move the email into either subject type PSTs or to annual/semi annual date ranges. You would then use the search function from outlook to find the specific email you were looking for.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Create PST files, just keep them under 10GB in size.

Tools > Options > Mail Setup > Data Files > Add ...

Okay, I'm resurrecting this because I have to fix this problem. Your instructions are clear up to the Add part, but I don't know what needs to be done after that point. Do I click Add and then "Office Outlook personal folders file (.pst)?" if so, how do I get emails from my main box into the new file, if that's what I need to do? Pardon the question from a non-tech guy.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Okay, I'm resurrecting this because I have to fix this problem. Your instructions are clear up to the Add part, but I don't know what needs to be done after that point. Do I click Add and then "Office Outlook personal folders file (.pst)?" if so, how do I get emails from my main box into the new file, if that's what I need to do? Pardon the question from a non-tech guy.

If you create it this way, you can simply drag and drop the emails into the archive folder that shows up below your inbox folders. By default, this folder is normally at the bottom of the left hand window in outlook. Personally I hate this way, but it will prevent your email from 'magically disappearing' from your inbox one day.

Alternately, you can set up auto-archive settings for your entire inbox (or specific folders in your inbox) that are directed to that PST file. This will allow you to set it to check every X days and archive everything older than Y days at that point. There are 2 ways to do this:

1) Set general Auto Archive Settings: I don't remember for Outlook 2007, but in 2003 it is tools --> options --> Mail --> Auto Archive settings, in 2010 it is File (which is the office symbol in 2007 I believe) --> Cleanup Tools --> Archive. The 2007 version is probably the same as one of those 2 methods.

2) Set Folder Specific Auto Archive Settings: In either 2003. 2007 or 2010 version, you should be able to right click a folder, select properties and then there should be an Autoarchive tab that you can use to specify settings for that folder.

Note: You can also have archive settings for Calendars, tasks etc

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I've been told that after 2GB in size, it can start to corrupt. Is this true?

If your mail server is Exchange, yes. At least for Exchange 2003. I can't comment on Exchange 2008 or 2010.

I've got users with Office 2003 and some with Office 20007, and since we're still on Exchange 2003 for our mail server neither version of office can exceed 2GB. Should be getting Exchange 2010 early on in the new year. I'm excited.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Buff

If your mail server is Exchange, yes. At least for Exchange 2003. I can't comment on Exchange 2008 or 2010.

I've got users with Office 2003 and some with Office 20007, and since we're still on Exchange 2003 for our mail server neither version of office can exceed 2GB. Should be getting Exchange 2010 early on in the new year. I'm excited.

A PST file and the size limits associated with them, really have nothing to do with Exchange though.

The problem that exists that limits the PST file size to 2 GB is that the 2002 Outlook and previous PST files are ANSI format. Outlook 2003 (and higher) instead uses Unicode files, will allow up to 20GB per file.

The only reason you shouldn't be able to pass the 2GB file size limit with Outlook 2003 is if you are still using ANSI formatted PST files, which I have never had experience doing successfully, but it might be possible. If this is why your Outlook won't support a larger file size, then you might want to experiment with a few PST repair/conversion options available. It also suggests, that moving to Exchange 2010 (or 2007 even) won't change the limit you are faced with.

For more info, check out this kb