Cannot open PST file in Outlook 2003

[AddictedToC]

Hi,

I would appreciate some help with the next problem:

In a Windows 2003 / Exchange 2003 environment my clients use Outlook 2003 as email client. Since last week, several calls are launched because clients sometimes cannot open their pst-files, located on a mapped network drive R:
The error message they get when they click personal folders in Outlook: "Unable to expand the folder. The set of folders could not be opened. The server is not available. Contact your administrator if this condition persists"
Strange enough, using the Windows explorer it is possible to see the pst-file on the R-drive. In the "Open Files" section of the server's computer management, I can see the file is locked for read+write (when Outlook is opened).

Closing and restarting Outlook usually solves the problem. But I wonder what could be the cause of the failing link to the pst-file ?

Thanks for your help. ;-)

 

[58sniper]

Just an FYI that Microsoft has never supported networked .pst for many reasons, including the one you mention.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[noobtechie]

Have you tried copying the .pst file onto the user's local hard drive? and then have a batch file copy that pst onto a mapped drive every night?

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Hope this helps.

 

[AddictedToC]

First of all, thanks guys for your replies.

I found the KB that MS doesn't support networked pst-files, that is also what I told the client. If not supported by MS, don't rely on this solution for a production environment.

The batch file copy could be an alternative solution if the problem would affect only a couple of users. However,
I am talking about a total of 500GB of data. Moreover the clients are allowed to shutdown their workstations, so there is no guarantee the pst-files are backed up.

Because the problem is not related to specific users or specific pst-files, I guess the cause of the problem is the congestion of the server's network connection, due to the overhead created while several users are connecting to the pst-files at the same time.

Maybe Longhorn will provide a solution?

Cheers.