How can you change the OST data file that a Windows/Outlook email profile points to?

Question

I'm running Outlook 2007 on Windows 7.

I'd like to change the OST data file that a Windows/Outlook email profile points to. I've attempt to change it as follows:

• Go in to the "Mail" Control Panel applet
• Click the "Data Files..." button
• Double-click the particular email account
• Click the "Advanced" tab
• Click the "Offline Folder File Settings..." button

The resulting dialog box has the "File:" textbox and the "Browse" button disabled. I've searched the registry for a match (so I could possibly change it there) but found nothing.

Answer 1

I guess you can't move the pst/ost file through the mail settings appelet - you could just copy the file to the new location in explorer and then:

1. Go in to the "Mail" Control Panel applet
2. Click the "Data Files..." button
3. use the 'add' button to browse for the copied file
4. set the copied file as default ost file
5. remove the 'old location' ost file

between step 4 and 5 a dialogue requesting to start outlook once may pop up, in that case just do that and remove the old file afterwards

Answer 2

If you want to do this to move the file, maybe to a different partition because of space constraints, then Gero's step by step should work.

If you are concerned (or know) your OST is corrupt or simply don't want to have to move it first, you could turn off cached exchange mode altogether, run Outlook and close again, make sure the OST is deleted (or backed up then deleted if you really want to).

Now turn cached mode back on and tell it a new location for a new OST (which it will have to build from scratch).

Hope this helps