Can .pst file be located in Onedrive?

Anonymous
2014-03-22T13:11:31+00:00

I have read some other posts and I am thoroughly confused.  Here is my setup, and what I would like to do:

I have a subscription to Office 365.  My main email account is a Gmail account, and it´s a POP account.  I also use  Calendar, Notes, and Tasks on my Outlook 365 setup on my main desktop computer.  I also have a Laptop that I only use when I am on travel.  Therefore, I never use the Desktop and Laptop simultaneously; I use either one or the other.

Until now, each time I go on travel, I need to manually copy my C:\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook[emailaddress].pst file from my Desktop to my Laptop, and then copy it back to my Desktop after the end of my trip.  This is awkward and very inconvenient, to say the least.

Could I move the storage location of the .pst file to Onedrive, so that both Outlook 365 installations in both the Desktop and the Laptop are pointing to the same .pst file and I wouldn´t have to do all the manual copying anymore?

If I can do that, what steps would I have to do to to change the storage location of the .pst file so that I don´t mess up anything?

Alternatively, if storing the .pst file in Onedrive was not supported or recommended, is there a way to automatically keep two installations of Office365 as I described, in synch?

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-01-20T18:32:42+00:00

    Nige:  My understanding is that the problem with most cloud services -like OneDrive- and the .pst file, is that you cannot tell OneDrive to not synch while you use Outlook (and its associated .pst file).  Therefore, anytime you access and/or change the .pst file, it triggers a synch.  That constant synching and simultaneous desktop Outlook access is a big risk, and that is why it neither recommended or supported.  You use of NAS is different, because there is no "synching" going on.  NAS is like a remote disk, assuming there is no simultaneous access by other devices to same file, as you say you are always careful to do.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-20T18:19:51+00:00

    I've been using a single, shared PST file on a local NAS box for years and years. The various family PC/laptops all pointing to the same location. Done this for each windows user and not had any problems with corruption of the PST files. The main constraint is that the PST file cannot be opened by two devices at the same time, but other than that, no problems. The solution is inherently limited as the NAS box is only available locally, so I'd be interested to see how folk get on with trying it out on onedrive, whilst it may not be technically supported, doesn't mean it won't work - unless someone can explain what the actual risk is (presumably around trying to access it whilst it's synching, at a guess?)

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-01-14T02:55:48+00:00

    Ah yes, I was somewhat uncharacteristically unclear.  Single user with a Desktop, laptop and tablet.  Desktop is primary, but the tablet may be used for short trips, and the laptop for longer ones. I'd probably post a big post on all three say "Make sure all other instances of Outlook are closed!!!"

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-01-13T17:03:50+00:00

    There is no requirement to convert existing data files/mail, if you configure the mail account as IMAP, you remove the pop mail account, all existing sets of Personal Folders will remain, and be view-able.

    And if as you say a single user, with a single PC why would you want to locate the pst files on OneDrive? - methinks there is some confusion there.

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-01-13T14:18:58+00:00

    Thanks! that's what I thought.  I can't afford an Exchange server, and certainly can't afford to convert all my emails to IMAP. So, I see no other real options.

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