PST File Size Limit Solution

Previous version of Outlook is followed by “ANSI” file format that used binary values to store information and made PST file a non -Unicode data file. This data file had a hard weird limit i.e. 2 GB. With such file size limit, it became tough for a user to maintain their PST file.

Microsoft resolves this trouble in newer version of outlook by following “UNICODE” file format blessed with UTF-16 endian and 64 bit pointers. This overcomes the problem of 2 GB file size. In previous version (2003 to 2007), PST file size limit was widening up to 20GB while in latest versions (2010 and 2013), limit extends to 50 GB. But the main problem is still same when user starts to use newer version PST file in old version of Outlook because it is beyond the size limit defined by UNICODE file format

To resolve this problem, Microsoft provides several options to minimize the file size limits for Outlook data file.

1. By doing editing in Windows Registry
2. By reducing the size of PST file by splitting it in to small size PST files.

NOTE: To reduce the PST file size of newer version to open with older version, user has to export the data from reduce PST file to new PST file. Here are all steps to perform export operation:

Steps to export the data from reduce PST file to new PST file

1. In the first step, user has to start Outlook 2010. User can also start Outlook 2013 later but with a condition i.e. Outlook contains user original.pst file limit with 20GB file size.
2. Indicating on File menu click on info.
3. Move to Cleanup Tools and then
4. Hit on Archive and it will results in opening of an “Archive dialog box”.
5. After opening of Archive dialogue box do the underwritten changes:

• Open “Archive this folder and all subfolders and Enable” them.
• Now, user sees a list of all folders and will select the .pst file to archive.
• This will open a drop-down list of all Archive items.
• Now, user will select the date on the basis of items archived. Make sure user will select date on which maximum items are archived.

NOTE: Selection of date also depends on too many factors.

• Now, after performing all these steps, user has to archive the messages. To archive message, user has to select the path of destination .pst file.
• There may be condition user has to archive email messages in large amount. If true then it is advised to create a new.pst file.

Remarkable Point: To identify the age of an item Outlook (2010 and 2013), user should use the modified date on messages during the archive process. There is also possibility that archive process will not archive messages according to user needs.

In this situation, user is helpless as archive process will not work anymore to play down the Outlook data file size (.pst) to less than 20GB. What a user can do to minimize the size of outlook data file? User can perform splitting operation on .pst file. After completion of operation, move the messages manually from large .pst file to another .pst file. To save time in moving folders take on these steps:

Steps:

• Open large sized .pst file and destination .pst file in Outlook.
• Select the large sized .pst file folder
• Do right click on messages to migrate them to new small .pst file
• Now, Move folder
• After moving folder a “Move Folder dialog box” will appear
• Choose the destination.pst file
• Process is complete.

By using above mentioned steps, user can easily split large PST file in to smaller size PST files.