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Issue #143a: April 25, 2010
Note: When porting the columns over to this website, I discovered that I had accidentally given two of them the issue number of 143. See, this is why I need computers — to keep track of details like this!
-Geek
Q: Over the past few months, five separate computers in my office have suffered a total loss of pst files. One machine lost them twice. All is well at 5:00… The next morning, BOOM, outlook files are gone. Nothing else is damaged, missing or corrupted. I have googled it and have spoken to a number of knowledgeable people about this, but to no avail. Do you have ANY suggestions?
– Ed S.
Destin, Fla
A: As you know, Ed, .PST files are storage files on the local PC for data (mostly e-mails, but also contact data, calendar appointments, etc) that have been downloaded from the server. In a business environment that uses Exchange Server, you might not even have .PST files, so their absence isn’t a big concern unless some Outlook data are missing. For the sake of argument, I’m going to assume that something IS missing, or you wouldn’t have written to me. The one thing that I know of that can make .PST files actually go missing is if the user enables Auto Archiving of old messages, and uses folder redirection to attempt to locate the .PST file from its default location to a network location with other “roaming profile” data on the server that follow the user from one PC to another. Microsoft explicitly says that .PST file access is not supported across network shared drives, so although it is possible to configure Outlook like this, it won’t work, and can indeed cause your .PST files to disappear. If a roaming Outlook configuration is needed, the data should simply be left on the exchange serve, where it can be accessed from any computer on the network. By the way, as this has happened twice to at least one computer, I wouldn’t rule out human interaction in your problem. Have you checked for a rogue employee having a little fun at your expense by deleting .PST files after everyone else has gone home for the day?
TIP OF THE WEEK – Subject: Protecting your kids. As technology marches on, people become more connected than ever before, and at an earlier and earlier age. Cell phones, social networking, texting, video messaging, etc. have all become routine, common methods of communication; and unlike many adults who are utterly baffled by technology, most kids are early adopters, and gleefully embrace being connected to the world. Unfortunately, kids – particularly young children – are far too innocent of the dangers inherent in being connected to the world. You want to protect your kids, but how, when you don’t know or understand the dangers yourself? Well last week, my friend Eric Mitchell, Technology Specialist with Okaloosa County School System, brought to my attention a pamphlet that might help you. It’s called “Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online”, and it will help to prepare you to talk to your kids by explaining in simple terms what you need to know about some of the dangers lurking out there, and how to get the ball rolling to keep your kids properly informed. The pamphlet is published by the federal government, under the moniker OnGuard Online. The pamphlet can be downloaded and printed from their website, or you can order free copies to give to give to friends and family at tinyurl.com/ygvprau.
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