Splitting Outlook data files on two separate drives?

[Velvis]

Client has a smallish SSD (c:/) and a large HDD (d:/) . She has her own normal email account and monitors a couple of others. These are pretty large PSTs all on the C: drive. She has run out of space on the c:/ drive. I was thinking of replacing the SSD with a larger one but then I was thinking maybe just move the pst files for the email accounts she doesn't use as her main account to the d:/ drive.

Other than slower access to those accounts would there be any other drawbacks or issue with Outlook having accounts on separate drives?

 

[Metanis]

I would go into all the power profiles she's likely to use and change the drive spin down timers to 255 minutes. Just to head off the potential for PST corruption when the HDD spins down and is too slow spinning back up!

 

[callthatgirl]

Nope, should be fine but run backup on both drives. PST on other drives can have issues, not often but more if hosted on the c drive. Today I just had to tell a client that their network folder redirection broke the PST. Time to test that backup they pay for.

 

[timeshifter]

Not to derail your question too much, but who uses PSTs still? If you're using a current edition of Outlook with an IMAP email account aren't you going to be on an OST file?

 

[HCHTech]

I would go into all the power profiles she's likely to use and change the drive spin down timers to 255 minutes.

Why not set it to "never"? If you're trying to prevent problems due to spin-down you might as well go all the way.

who uses PSTs still?

Maybe they have local archive files, or maybe they're still on POP. Or maybe the OP didn't explain it correctly and they are OST files - those take up space just like PSTs do.

 

[Markverhyden]

Why not set it to "never"? If you're trying to prevent problems due to spin-down you might as well go all the way.

One of the first things I do with any computer is turn off standby, etc.

 

[callthatgirl]

Not to derail your question too much, but who uses PSTs still?

@timeshifter many many clients still use them, so do I.

 

[timeshifter]

I get it for an archive or for POP, but is anyone using PST for anything else?

 

[Velvis]

Not to derail your question too much, but who uses PSTs still? If you're using a current edition of Outlook with an IMAP email account aren't you going to be on an OST file?

Yes, I meant ost.

 

[Larry Sabo]

I get it for an archive or for POP, but is anyone using PST for anything else?

I and a number of my customers are on POP, because IMAP is often so problematic, especially on Outlook. Never any grief with POP.

 

[timeshifter]

Never any grief with POP

POP is fine if you've got a good backup plan in place for your PC and you only access email from your PC.

 

[Sky-Knight]

OST and PST files do not support being run over the network.

OST files cannot be relocated either... but there's nothing stopping you from making a junction to redirect the C drive folder used to D, and yes that does work. There are no more issues with that process than using things on C.

But honestly... I'd just get a larger C and image the platform. Users do NOT do D drives very well, and C will just be out of space due to other reasons soon enough.

 

[timeshifter]

Users do NOT do D drives very well, and C will just be out of space due to other reasons soon enough.

This 100%. Seems like during the era where PCs came with a small SSD and a big spinner I'd see the same thing. C was full. D had absolutely zero on it.

I think the OP is going to clone to a bigger drive, which I think is wise.

Cloning small SSD to larger SSD software recommendations?

User needs more room on their C: drive, I am going to replace it with a larger drive. I thought I recall a freeware product that would do it, but the name escapes me. Any recommendations?

www.technibble.com

 

[callthatgirl]

I do what the clients want, they pay me for that service. Some of my best paying clients are 70 years old and insist on downloading their 30 year old email account to their computer lol.

 

[HCHTech]

PST files do not support being run over the network.

I have to say, I have one client that has been flouting this "rule" for years without problems. They have been on M365 for 6 (?) years now (previously on an in-house Exchange server), but have been doing local archiving of email for 20-some employees for 20 years, storing those PSTs on a network drive. Depending on the volume, they create new archive files once a year or so to keep them from getting too big, but at least a handful of those files are 10GB.

They have rebuffed multiple pleas to stop this practice, but it has never caused problems, and they have good backup, so on it goes.

 

[callthatgirl]

PST files can be stored on the network and used in Outlook. I'm helping a client right now who has had it setup for years this way. Thanks to folder redirection lol, that's why I have to look at all the configs before I troubleshoot. I don't recommend keeping the PST on network though but it's their choice, their data.

 

[britechguy]

but it has never caused problems, and they have good backup, so on it goes.

As I've said in automotive forums where people insist that certain practices, "just can't be done," but where many people (sometimes, but not always, including myself) have been following those practices for decades with no ill effect: There's no proof of concept like long use in the field.

I can get why, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," applies here. And particularly if they have a good backup protocol in place.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Regarding storing PST files over a network....ever since the very early days of Outlook, Microsoft has recommended NOT doing that.
The Outlook application requires a lot of communication with its database(s). On local drives...including additional local volumes/disks..that's fine. But across a network? It strains the communication too much with Outlook trying to communicate across a LAN link. It has a much higher likelihood of leading to corruption.

Limits to using pst files over LAN and WAN links - Outlook

Explains why personal folders files (which store messages locally) are typically unsupported over a LAN or WAN link. To resolve this issue, you can use Exchange Server with local Offline Folders file or Terminal Services instead. An exception in which Outlook 2010 is hosted remotely on a Windows...

learn.microsoft.com

 

[britechguy]

Regarding storing PST files over a network....ever since the very early days of Outlook, Microsoft has recommended NOT doing that.

In looking at that article, though it has a 2022 most recent update date, it strikes me as having been written on the whole a very long time ago. Network speed and throughput has increased significantly and the testimonials here about those who have been doing this for years, without incident, holds more water for me than MS documentation, in this case.

Nothing trumps field testing over the long term, and in multiple environments. And heaven knows that there is a ton of MS documentation that is really inaccurate because it never gets thoroughly reviewed and changed as the cyber-world circumstances that made it accurate when it was written have changed (or other things have changed).

 

[callthatgirl]

@britechguy "Network speed and throughput has increased significantly and the testimonials here about those who have been doing this for years, without incident"....

The incident is connection, if the network goes down, Outlook cannot connect. If a user travels and doesn't have VPN, no access to the network, PST that gets too large, will slow down to connect in Outlook and can and do corrupt. My clients are told all of these issues before I help them relocate their PST to a network share.

Microsoft's recommendations are only as strong as the brute force user that wants things done their way. I just helped a client with Outlook 2007 open 365 encrypted files . Got it!