Outlook pst file suddenly and dramatically expands

[Ian Rodger]

In the past three weeks, my Outlook performance has deteriorated seriously
and I noticed that the outlook.pst file has expanded from about 300mb to 8gb.
I have checked all folders and there is nothing visible that would remotely
account for this expansion. Would be grateful for any thoughts. (Am using
Outlook 2007)

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

right click on the top level folder and choose properties, then folder size.
This will give you a clue as to how big each folder is.

What type of email do you have?

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



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[Ian Rodger]

Many thanks. It turned out to be two files in the "Notes" folder which showed
up as being -2GB - ie, minus 2GB. Very weird, and very time-consuming to get
rid of them.

right click on the top level folder and choose properties, then folder size.
This will give you a clue as to how big each folder is.

What type of email do you have?

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

In the past three weeks, my Outlook performance has deteriorated seriously
and I noticed that the outlook.pst file has expanded from about 300mb to
8gb.
I have checked all folders and there is nothing visible that would
remotely
account for this expansion. Would be grateful for any thoughts. (Am using
Outlook 2007)

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Were they real files, ie like word files, dropped in the folder? I know
published forms will sometimes grow larger than they should be but those are
hidden and not usually in Notes.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Many thanks. It turned out to be two files in the "Notes" folder which
showed
up as being -2GB - ie, minus 2GB. Very weird, and very time-consuming to
get
rid of them.

right click on the top level folder and choose properties, then folder
size.
This will give you a clue as to how big each folder is.

What type of email do you have?

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

In the past three weeks, my Outlook performance has deteriorated
seriously
and I noticed that the outlook.pst file has expanded from about 300mb
to
8gb.
I have checked all folders and there is nothing visible that would
remotely
account for this expansion. Would be grateful for any thoughts. (Am
using
Outlook 2007)

 

[Ian Rodger]

Sorry for delay. The files were standard "Notes" files. In the "Notes" index
page, file size is not shown, so I deleted them, and it was in the "Deleted"
folder that I could see the peculiar size of "Note 12" and "Note 13", each
weighing in at minus 2gb (they appeared at the bottom, not the top, of the
list by weight!). It took quite a while to permanently delete them. I had a
look at the synchronised notes 12 and 13 on my handheld to see what was there
and they were blank. I deleted them too. It has taken a couple of days, but
that size of outlook.pst has now dropped to 900mb, although it should still
drop a lot more.

Were they real files, ie like word files, dropped in the folder? I know
published forms will sometimes grow larger than they should be but those are
hidden and not usually in Notes.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Many thanks. It turned out to be two files in the "Notes" folder which
showed
up as being -2GB - ie, minus 2GB. Very weird, and very time-consuming to
get
rid of them.

right click on the top level folder and choose properties, then folder
size.
This will give you a clue as to how big each folder is.

What type of email do you have?

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.


In the past three weeks, my Outlook performance has deteriorated
seriously
and I noticed that the outlook.pst file has expanded from about 300mb
to
8gb.
I have checked all folders and there is nothing visible that would
remotely
account for this expansion. Would be grateful for any thoughts. (Am
using
Outlook 2007)