How Do I Create a New Outlook Classic Profile with the correct Data File from the Correct Location?

Question

How Do I Create a New Outlook Classic Profile with the correct Data File from the Correct Location?

Dan McDermott 155

FYI: this is a complicated issue for me to understand….so I hope my descriptions below are clear.

I have TWO Outlook Classic Profiles on my Desktop PC - W11 64Bit

I have Office 2021 Installed.

One Profile is called “Outlook” and the other Profile is a new one I called “Dan McD 22 April 26”

Both have 2 Email addresses – Hotmail and Ameritech.

The Profile “Outlook” works fine and has 2 Data Files.

The Profile “Dan Outlook 22 April 26” works somewhat and has 6 Data Files – mainly because I tried so many times to add the correct Data File.

My issues are as described below:

1) The LOCATION of the Data File in “Outlook” Profile is: “C:/Users/Danny\AppData\Local\Microsoft******@hotmail.com.ost”. I want to use this same Data File for Hotmail in the Profile I called “Dan Outlook 22 April 26”. I can open the file location of this data file and I can find it.

2) When I try to add a Data File to the “Dan Outlook 22 April 26” Profile I cannot find the Data File I want, which is: “C:/Users/Danny\AppData\Local\Microsoft*@hotmail.com.ost”. The Location that pops up for me to use is: “Windows Solid State (C) Users Danny Documents Outlook Files”. The Data File shown below that I want IS NOT THERE! (“C:/Users/Danny\AppData\Local\Microsoft*@hotmail.com.ost”)

3) So - one question I have are the locations below the same? That is, is “C:/Users/Danny\AppData\Local\Microsoft******@hotmail.com.ost” the same as is: “Windows Solid State (C) Users Danny Documents Outlook Files”?

The second question I have is how do I create a new profile with the correct Data File that I want for Hotmail Em

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Answer 1

The two locations are not the same.

C:\Users\Danny\AppData\Local\Microsoft\... .ost is in the hidden AppData folder and is where Outlook normally stores cached .ost files for accounts like Hotmail.
C:\Users\Danny\Documents\Outlook Files is the default folder for .pst files (personal data files), not the hidden AppData location.

So C:\Users\Danny\AppData\Local\Microsoft\******@hotmail.com.ost is different from C:\Users\Danny\Documents\Outlook Files.

For an Outlook.com/Hotmail account, Outlook normally creates and manages the .ost file automatically. The recommended approach is to create a clean profile and let Outlook create a new .ost in the correct location, rather than trying to reuse the existing .ost.

To create a new profile and point it to a specific .ost location (workaround method):

If reusing the existing .ost, first copy it to the folder where it should live for the new profile (or decide where the new .ost should be created).
Open Control Panel → search for Mail → open Mail.
Select Show Profiles.
Select Add and give the new profile a name (for example, Dan Outlook 22 April 26).
Let Outlook find and configure the Hotmail account, then select Next.
When setup finishes, select Change account settings, then Next.
In Server Settings, select More Settings.
On the Advanced tab, select Outlook Data File Settings.
Select Browse and navigate to the folder where the .ost file is (or where you want the new .ost created). If reusing the copied .ost, select it and choose Open. If creating a new .ost, browse to the desired folder, type a file name, and select Open so Outlook creates a new .ost there.
Finish the account setup.
Back in Control Panel → Mail, under Always use this profile, select the new profile and choose OK.

This ensures the new profile uses the .ost file in the location chosen, and confirms that the AppData path and Documents\Outlook Files path are different.

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