Entourage and PST files

F

fretzk

I know this subject has probably already been beaten to death, but...

We use Exchange 2000 and are primarily a PC shop with a large number of
MAC users who are switching to OS X and Entourage. These users were
using Outlook for MAC which is not supported on OS-X unless we use
classic mode which is a pain. So everyone wants to switch to
Entourage. The PC users are using PST files to archive their older
mail, which is not a problem. We've used the scripts to convert the
PST files for them and it's worked fairly well.

Here's where the issue is. For our PC users, their Outlook is set up
with their PST file on the server in their home directory to make sure
it's backed up every night. When the user switches to Entourage and
the PST file is converted, we've found no way to store the files in
their home directory for access by Entourage. All we've seen is that
they have to reside locally on their MAC. We would like these files to
stay on the server and accessed by Entourage.

Has anyone found a solution for this?

Thanks.

Kerry Fretz
Manager, Network & Systems
Philadelphia University
 
B

Barry Wainwright

I know this subject has probably already been beaten to death, but...

We use Exchange 2000 and are primarily a PC shop with a large number of
MAC users who are switching to OS X and Entourage. These users were
using Outlook for MAC which is not supported on OS-X unless we use
classic mode which is a pain. So everyone wants to switch to
Entourage. The PC users are using PST files to archive their older
mail, which is not a problem. We've used the scripts to convert the
PST files for them and it's worked fairly well.

Here's where the issue is. For our PC users, their Outlook is set up
with their PST file on the server in their home directory to make sure
it's backed up every night. When the user switches to Entourage and
the PST file is converted, we've found no way to store the files in
their home directory for access by Entourage. All we've seen is that
they have to reside locally on their MAC. We would like these files to
stay on the server and accessed by Entourage.

Has anyone found a solution for this?

Thanks.

Kerry Fretz
Manager, Network & Systems
Philadelphia University
Click to expand...

I presume you are referring to the local database in the 'Microsoft User
data' folder? This can be stored on a server, simply move the existing
folder over to the server, and create an alias pointing to it in the user's
Documents directory. As long as this alias is named exactly as the original
item, Entourage will follow it quite happily.

If in fact you don't mean this local file, but are referring to the exchange
data - that should remain in the storage location specified by the exchange
server, and is accessed over the network by entourage - Entourage does make
a local cache of this data, but the original stuff remains on the server.
 
F

fretzk

Barry,

Thanks for your input. I need some clarification on what you mentioned
about moving the existing folder over to the server. Are we talking
about moving the entire Microsoft User Data folder or are we talking
about a particular sub folder like the Office 2004 Identities, Main
Identity or the database itself? Also, according to
http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq_topic/database.html, it talks about
what will happen if you move that folder:

Microsoft Entourage installs the Microsoft User Data folder (MUD) in
your User's Document folder. Inside this folder is your Identity (named
Main by default). All of your mail, contacts, etc are stored here. If
you move this folder, Entourage will not know where your mail is
located and will open with a new default identity that will be blank.
To find a missing Identity folder see Tip #9.

Thanks,

Regards,

Kerry
 
M

mmmmark

Move the whole folder, then create a shortcut to that folder (now on the
server somewhere). Place the shortcut where the folder used to be.
Doubleclick on it be sure it opens the server folder properly.

I wonder what happens if/when your computer cannot see the server properly.
Will it create a new user folder? or just error out that it can't find the
original?

-Mark
 
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