I do not get the location issue of .pst files and why microsoft does not give more flexability.  Set up a new Outlook account on my computer.  After reading numerous post on internet about people experiencing the same stupid problem. I was able to locate .pst somewhere near the center of the earth in Outlooks default setup locations.  Per instruction, I copied it to my prefer location 2 directory tiers down from my root directory in "C:\PermanentData\Outlook".   Went back to the center of the earth and deleted the file and restarted Outlook and it gives me an error an allows me to point to my Outlook.pst located in my preferred directory.  I go to setup a imap email account to AOL.com and wshhcpas.com and it places this file back at the center of the earth ie  C:\Documents and Settings\AJH\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlajhaisten@aol.om-00000008.pst.  (Is this a joke?).  No work around anywhere explains how I can have the file in "C:\PermanentData\Outlook"  It also creates another .pst which shows up under mail tap in outlook.  Is this a totally different .pst file that will not recognized my contacts, To Do, etc in my main "Outlook.pst"?   Can anyone explain what in the h--- is going on an why I do not have more control over this option.  I would prefer my email account to only be in the Outlook.pst.  Am I limited to a POP3 account this way or what. Is imap causing this problem.  I believe if MS  took just a minute to think "Is there a better way to do setup" I think they could find it. 

How about a reply letting me know why I have no replies?  Is this a stupid question?  Funny it is ask in a less complicated form all over the internet. 

Dear Al,

 

After reading your message, I understand that your purpose is to change the default location that Outlook uses to create a PST file. If there is any misunderstanding, please feel free to let me know.

 

We can add the ForcePSTPath string value to the registry by the steps below:

===============

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.

 

1. Quit Outlook.
2. In Windows XP, click Start, and then click Run. Type regedit, and then click OK.

In Windows Vista/Windows 7, click Start, in the Search box, type regedit, and then click OK.

1. Locate and then select the following subkey in the registry.

Outlook 2007

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook

Outlook 2010

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook

1. With the Outlook subkey selected in step 4, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click String Value.
2. Type ForcePSTPath, and then press ENTER.
3. With the ForcePSTPath string value selected, click Modify on the Edit menu.
4. In the Value data text box, type the drive letter and the full path of the location that you want Outlook to use when it creates or opens a .pst file, and then click OK.

 

For more information, you can refer to the following Microsoft Knowledge base article:

How to change the default location that Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2002 uses to create or to open a personal folders (.pst) file

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883401/en-us

 

Please check if this method works. If anything is unclear or if there is anything I can do for you, please feel free to let me know.

 

Best Regards,

 

Sally Tang

 

• Marked as answer by Jennifer ZhanModerator Monday, May 31, 2010 8:50 AM

I don't why, in 4 long years, nobody replied to you; in any case, I'm doing this here right now,..

What you write is interesting; however, I have found a few differente versions concerning the way of setting this ForcePSTPth registry string value,...

Finally: if your version is the correct one, in any case, it is incomplete according to what I read elsewhere, because it would seem that this method should be used in a specific way that's different from the way of the alternative method which is the one requesting the use of symbolic links. This method won't work if used the way that the symbolic links should be and viceversa.

According to the Microsoft expert writing here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2010-outlook/trying-to-move-outlook-2010-pst-file/548646d5-35bc-4a30-9224-64bb29f3a318?auth=1

.....

Quote: "When using the ForcePSTPath Registy key, you must remove and recreate your IMAP account.

When using the mklink method, you must first let the IMAP account create the pst-file in the original location and perform all the actions when Outlook is closed. Also make sure you are pointing it to a location on a local hard disk. Connecting to pst-files located on a network share is not supported."

But it looks like there are many other difficulties and strange features. E.g.: I made many trials, but Outlook always betrayed me.  After stubbornly perseverating in making new .pst files in the default location for Windows 7 (i.e. c:\users\username\Documents\Outlook Files), after a while it even started making the new .pst files in the old location, i.e., in c:\users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\Outlook; which is very strange considering that I'm running Office 2010 on a PC equiped with a Windows 7 Pro OS!